Iran’s Revolutionary Guard on Friday unveiled its latest ballistic
missile capable of reaching much of the Middle East, including Israel,
while the country’s president vowed that Tehran would press ahead with
its missile program in defiance of U.S. demands to the contrary.
The unveiling came during a military parade in Tehran that commemorated the 1980s Iraq-Iran war.
The
move was a direct challenge to President Donald Trump, who in August
signed a bill imposing mandatory penalties on those involved in Iran’s
ballistic missile program and anyone who does business with them.
Though
Iran has long boasted of having missiles in the same range in its
arsenal, it was the first time that the Khoramshahr, with a range of
2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) was displayed in public.
In
February, Iran test-fired the same medium-range type of missile,
prompting Trump to say that the United States is "putting Iran on
notice.” Iran’s state TV aired footage late Friday it said showed a
Khoramshahr medium-range ballistic missile being test fired. The report
did not mention the time or location of the test.
Friday’s
parade also showcased various Iranian army units and Revolutionary Guard
forces, as well as the police. Similar parades were held in other
Iranian cities.
