Tehran Unveils New Ballistic Missiles At Iran-Iraq War Commemorative Parade

JAKARTA - Iran's Armed Forces launched a surface-to-surface ballistic missile dubbed Rezvan during a military parade in Tehran on Thursday.

The Iranian Armed Forces hold military parades across the country and in the waters of the Persian Gulf, marking the Holy Defense Week, the anniversary of the 1980-1988 Iraq war.

The march began at the mausoleum of the late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini in southern Tehran, marking the day Iraq launched its war on Iran 42 years ago.

Troops from the Iranian Army, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Police, Border Guards and Basij participated in the march.

During the parade in Tehran, the Iranian Armed Forces launched a surface-to-surface ballistic missile, the Rezvan, for the first time.

The Rezvan is a liquid-fuel single-stage missile, with a detachable warhead that has a range of up to 1,400 kilometers. The missile can be launched from multiple fixed and mobile platforms.

During the parade, a missile system, dubbed the Khaybar Shekan, was also on display.

The missile, which has previously been launched, has a range of 1,450 kilometers and has high agility. It is capable of striking the specified target with pinpoint accuracy.

The Khaybar Shekan is reportedly among the third-generation long-range missiles developed and produced locally by military experts in the IRGC Aerospace Division.

Using solid propellant, the Rezvan is said to be able to penetrate missile shields with high maneuverability during its landing stages.

It is known, Iranian military experts and technicians in recent years have made great progress in the manufacture of various domestic equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in the field of weapons.

Previously, Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile force, which is entirely intended for defense, saying that the Islamic Republic's defense capabilities will never be negotiated.

Speaking at a meeting with a group of Iranian war veterans in Tehran on Wednesday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, Sacred Defense against the former Iraqi regime's eight-year war in Iran, proves that protecting the country can be achieved only through resistance.

"The Holy Defense proves the fact that protecting the country and (achieving) deterrence can be achieved through resistance, not surrender," he said.