Iran
launched a new surface-to-surface missile called the Qiam 1 on Friday.
According to Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi, the missile is
better able to avoid anti-missile systems because it has no wings.
State
television showed images of the sand coloured Qiam (Rising) blasting
into the air from a desert terrain, amid chants of "Allahu Akbar" (God
is greatest).
The words "Ya Mahdi" were written on the side of
the missile, referring to Imam Mahdi, one of the 12 imams of Shiite
Islam, who disappeared as a boy and whom the faithful believe will
return one day to bring redemption to mankind.
Vahidi, whose
speech during Friday prayers in Tehran was broadcast on television, did
not say when the launch took place nor did he reveal the precise range
of the missile.
Fars news agency had in a report earlier this
week quoted the minister as saying that Qiam was a short-range missile.
"The
missile has new technical aspects and has a unique tactical capacity,"
he said on Friday, adding that the device was of a "new class."
"Since
the surface-to-surface missile has no wings, it has lot of tactical
power, which also reduces the chances of it being intercepted," he said.
Iran's
ISNA news agency cited Vahidi as saying that Qiam was entirely designed
and built domestically and was powered by liquid fuel.
"This
missile is capable of hitting the target with high precision," Vahidi
said.
On Tuesday, Vahidi had said that Qiam was to be test fired
during the annual government week, the period when Tehran touts its
achievements in various fields. This year government week begins on
Monday.
The third generation Fateh 110 (Conqueror) missile was
also to be test fired during this period. Iran has previously paraded a
version of Fateh 110 which has a travel range of 150 to 200 kilometres
(90 to 125 miles).
Also during government week, the production
lines of two missile-carrying speedboats, Seraj (Lamp) and Zolfaqar
(named after Shiite Imam Ali's sword) are due to be inaugurated, while a
long-range drone, Karar, is expected to be unveiled.
The firing
of Qiam comes days after Iran took delivery of four new mini-submarines
of the home-produced Ghadir class. Weighing 120 tonnes, the "stealth"
submarines are aimed at operations in shallow waters, notably in the
Gulf.
Iranian officials regularly boast about Tehran's military
capabilities and the latest missile launch coincides with warnings by
local officials against any attack on the Islamic republic.
Let's go to the videotape (first of two - sorry but narration in
Persian).
And let's go to the videotape for Part 2.
But where did it land?
posted by Carl in Jerusalem
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