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Iran's navy receives 'smart' long-range missiles

December 24, 2023

The new weapons have a range of up to 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), according to Tehran. Iran backs Islamist militants in the Middle East, raising fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread to the rest of the region.

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In this picture released by the Iranian Army, a Talaeieh missile system is displayed at a naval base near Konarak, Iran
The Talaeieh missile delivery comes at a time of high tensionsImage: Iranian Army/AP/picture alliance

Sophisticated domestically-made cruise missiles have been delivered to Iran's navy, state media reported Sunday.

The arrival comes amid growing regional tension between Tehran and Iran-backed militant groups on one side, and Israel and its Western allies over the Israel-Hamas conflict.

What do we know about the new missiles?

State media said the Talaeiyeh cruise missile has a range of over 1,000 kilometers (621 miles).

Local media cited the head of Iran's navy Admiral Shahran Irani as saying the weapon is "a smart missile that can change targets mid-mission."

He  said the missiles were designed by Iran's own military sector.

The admiral also said the other deliveries to the Navy included reconnaissance helicopters, drones and marine cruise missiles that can be launched from warships.

The missiles were delivered to a naval base in the southern Iranian port of Konarak, southeast of the capital, Tehran.

Iran says it has a stock of various kinds of missiles with ranges up to 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles), capable of reaching its archenemy Israel and US bases in the region.

But Tehran has been known to exaggerate its military capabilities and the new equipment cannot be independently verified.

Why is the delivery significant?

Once focused on Tehran's nuclear ambitions, tensions between Iran and the West have reached new highs over the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Iran backs the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which runs Gaza, Hezbollah, another Islamist militant group in Lebanon, as well as Houthi rebels that control large parts of Yemen.

After Israel began its offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas' attacks on Israel in early October, the Houthis have targeted Israeli-linked shipping in the Red Sea as well as vessels belonging to large international shipping firms.

The US Department of Defense said on Saturday that a drone sent from Iran struck a Liberian-flagged chemical tanker in the Indian Ocean.

Tehran later denied it was involved in planning attacks by the Houthis on commercial vessels.

mm/dj (AP, Reuters)