Unveiling of the Qassem Basir Ballistic Missile with a Range of at Least 1,200 Kilometers

The Defense Minister said the Qassem Basir ballistic missile can pass through the THAAD anti-ballistic system.

News ID: 86106

Date: 05 May 2025 - 09:37

TEHRAN (Defapress) - Brigadier General "Aziz Nasirzadeh", Iran’s Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, addressed the military threats made by the U.S. Defense Secretary, saying: "Unfortunately, we see that while some American officials claim to be sincere and express a desire for negotiations, others repeatedly threaten the Islamic Republic of Iran with military attacks through various channels."

He added: "The political officials of our country are wisely pursuing diplomatic avenues, and I have no involvement in that domain. However, I advise the threatening American officials, especially the newly appointed U.S. Defense Secretary, to study the 40-plus years of the Islamic Revolution’s history. If they do, they will realize that the language of threat should not be used with the Islamic Republic of Iran."

Brigadier General Nasirzadeh emphasized that "the Islamic Republic of Iran has never initiated a war in the past several decades and will not start one in the future. However, if Iran is attacked or war is imposed on us, we will respond with full force."

He warned: "If the war is initiated by the U.S. or the Zionist regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran will strike their interests, bases, and forces wherever they are and whenever necessary. The Ministry of Defense is working to fully empower the Armed Forces on land, in the air, and at sea."

The Defense Minister also announced the successful test of a new ballistic missile, stating: "Recently, drawing on the experiences of 'Operation True Promise 1 & 2' and addressing past weaknesses, we successfully tested a new ballistic missile."

He added: "This missile was launched from a distance of over 1,200 km, accurately identifying its designated target among multiple options. It struck the target without deviating even a single meter and without relying on GPS navigation systems."

The minister highlighted that "this new missile has been upgraded in both guidance and maneuverability to penetrate defensive layers and is resistant to electronic warfare." He stressed: "During the test, intense electronic jamming was applied against the missile, but it had no effect."

Brigadier General Nasirzadeh stated: "If war is imposed on us, weapons that have not been used so far will be deployed. The Islamic Republic of Iran possesses vast missile stockpiles in its missile cities, and in the event of war, they will be used without hesitation against targets in the region."

Regarding recent regional developments, he said: "Yemen is an independent country and makes its own decisions—this has no connection to the Islamic Republic of Iran. We advise the U.S. not to seek crisis creation in the region, as Iran is not responsible for the American aircraft’s crash caused by a warship’s turbulence in the Red Sea."

Emphasizing Iran’s regional policies, he stated: "We have no hostility toward neighboring countries; brotherhood governs our relations. However, if the Islamic Republic of Iran is attacked, U.S. bases in regional countries will be considered legitimate targets."

Regarding Iran’s indigenous defense capabilities, the Defense Minister said: "Once we acquire the scientific and technical knowledge to produce military equipment, including missiles, we rapidly mass-produce them. This process continues strongly today. The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have reached full maturity in producing both solid and liquid-fueled missiles and are continuously enhancing these capabilities. The valuable experiences from 'Operations True Promise 1 & 2' are being utilized in this path."