Iran has the capability to extend the range of its missiles, an IRGC commander said.
Speaking to university students in Tehran on December 10, 2018, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ Air Force, stated, “We have the capability to build missiles with higher ranges. The digit, 2,000km, is not a divine decree but what has been decided until today is based on our needs.”
According to Fars News Agency, he asserted that Iran has no technical barriers to increasing the range of its missiles and is not limited by any political agreements. Brigadier General Hajizadeh criticized international efforts to rein in the Iranian missile program, adding that the country’s missiles help bolster its deterrence against regional and global threats.
Brigadier General Hajizadeh did not indicate whether Iran is actively pursuing increasing the range of its missiles. Iran has a number of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, with the longest-range ones reportedly able to hit targets up to 2,000 kilometers away. Iranian government officials have publicly indicated that that range is sufficient to meet Iran’s threats.
In May 2018, however, the New York Times reported that Iran may be working on technology for long-range missiles. The report was based on conclusions by missile experts who examined satellite imagery of a military facility close to Shahrud, Iran. The images indicated that testing of missile engines had been ongoing at the facility.
Military markets analyst, covering Eurasia, Middle East, and Africa.
