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Iran Navy Tests 'New Generation' Of Cruise Missiles In Gulf Of Oman


A missile is fired out to sea from a mobile launch vehicle during a military exercise in the Gulf of Oman, June 17, 2020
A missile is fired out to sea from a mobile launch vehicle during a military exercise in the Gulf of Oman, June 17, 2020

The Naval Force of Iran's regular Army on Thursday announced that it has successfully tested "a new generation" of naval missiles during an exercise in the Gulf of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean.

The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Thursday reported that during the exercises, the missiles successfully destroyed targets at a distance of 280 km (about 170 miles). IRNA has also published photos of the missiles being fired from the coast and from ships.

The range of the new homegrown missiles may be extended, Tasnim News Agency reported on Thursday. In April, Iran said it had increased the range of its naval missiles to 700 km.

Speaking to the state-run television, the commander of the Army's Naval Force, Hossein Khanzadi, said the homegrown cruise-C guided missiles have new warheads that are capable of destroying targets with high precision.

According to IRNA the new missiles were designed and produced by the Defense Ministry and the Naval Force of the regular Army.

The exercises were held amid high tensions between Tehran and Washington in the Persian Gulf.

This was Iran's first naval exercise after another Army naval exercise during which its own missile fire from a frigate hit Konarak, a naval support vessel taking part in the exercise, and killed 19 of its crew.

In April the United States accused Iran of harassing its naval vessels in the Persian Gulf. The U.S. Navy said the Revolutionary Guard speedboats had approached U.S. Navy vessels in a "dangerous and harassing manner". President Donald Trump on April 22 ordered to shoot Iranian naval vessels if they harassed American warships.

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