Iran Vows to Continue Enhancing Missile Power

On Wednesday, Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, announced that his country will continue its development of missile power to deter its enemies.

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Making the remarks in the unveiling ceremony of a ballistic missile in the capital Tehran, Bagheri said that the missile power against aggressors and oppressors of his country has become more powerful and "will continue its path of growth, promotion and excellence both in terms of quantity and quality."

Earlier in the day, Iran unveiled a ballistic missile named "Kheibar Shekan" with the range of 1,450 kilometers. It belongs to the third generation of long-range missiles owned by Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC). The missile uses solid fuel and is capable of maneuverability to pass through the missile shield in the landing phase.

The United States has long suspected that Iran's development of ballistic missiles might add to their capability of carrying nuclear heads. Iran, which has repeatedly said that its nuclear program is peaceful, insists that its missile program is for deterrent purposes.

Despite this clarification, the public presentation of the Kheibar Shekan ballistic missile sparked concern among U.S. politicians. According to Arab News, it is feared that such a weapon be capable of penetrating the U.S. Patriot system, which is used by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other US allies in the Middle Eastern.

The Persian production of ballistic missiles has thus become a new pretext used by U.S. Republicans to sow doubts about the validity of nuclear negotiations with Iran.

The only deal that's possible is a bad one," Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee, said and stressed that President Joe Biden's administration wants a deal "so badly" that it will "enter into a really dangerous one,” as Politico reported.