The Iranian Armed Forces unveiled on Thursday a surface-to-surface ballistic missile as President Ebrahim Raisi is in New York talking about peace in the region.
The new missile, dubbed Rezvan, was put on display during a nationwide military parade to mark what the Islamic Republic calls the Sacred Defense Week, which marks the start of the 1980-88 Iraq-Iran war. Forces from the Iranian Army, the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), Police, Border Guards, and paramilitary Basij are participating in the parades.
According to Iranian media, Rezvan is a liquid-fueled single-stage missile with a detachable warhead that has a range of up to 1,400 kilometers, and can be launched from a variety of fixed and mobile platforms.
During the parade, Kheybar-Shekan missile system -- developed by the Aerospace Division of the Revolutionary Guard -- was also put on display that has a range of 1,450 kilometers and Iran boasts about its high agility and pinpoint accuracy. It uses solid propellants and is said to be capable of penetrating into missile shields with high maneuverability during its landing stage.
During the ceremonies, Iran's most senior military commander reiterated Tehran’s position against any change in the historical and geopolitical borders of the region, referring to the escalation of decades-old hostilities between neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff for the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic, said, “We will not tolerate changes in the borders of the countries of the region, and we advise the countries of Azerbaijan and Armenia to solve their problems through dialogue,” noting that “Iran will not accept the change of borders with war and will not stay silent."