Eurasia Press & News
Iran on Saturday exhibited new home-made warfare equipment at a military parade in Tehran marking the Iraqi invasion in 1980, which led to an eight-year war (1980-1988). For the first time Iran publicly showed its two new homemade fighter jets, dubbed Saeqeh (Thunderbolt), which were successfully tested Thursday. The new planes are touted as similar to the US F-5 and F-18 fighters.
Also exhibited was the upgraded version of the Shahab-3 medium- range missiles which have a range between 1,300 and 1,800 kilometers.
The upgraded version is dubbed “Ghadr” (Might) and runs, as announced by the defense ministry in 2005, with a new engine using solid-fuel for increasing the range of the missiles to 2,000 kilometers.
The Shahab-3 missiles had caused grave concern in Israel as the missiles could reach all parts of the Jewish state. Teheran has assured the international community that the missiles are for defensive purposes only.
Iranian military officials said that they had for the first time succeeded in using only Iranian-made military logistics in Saturday’s parade and were able to confront any military aggressions.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said at the parade that Iran had never initiated any war but always advocated peace and brotherhood.
But, Ahmadinejad added, the country would decisively defend itself in case of any military attack and “make the aggressor regret its action.”
