TEHRAN – Tehran will unveil a new fighter jet next week, while thedevelopment of the nation’s missile capacity will remain Iran’s topmilitary priority, Brigadier General Amir Hatami said, cited by Fars newsagency on Saturday.
“We will present a plane on National Defence Industry Day, and people willsee it fly, and the equipment designed for it,” Amir Hatami was quotedas saying by Fars news agency, Reuters reported.
The Islamic Republic News Agency reported Friday that Iran would alsounveil a domestic version of the Russian S-300 surface-to-air missilesystem, dubbed Bavar 373, by March 20, 2019. Bavar 373 will becomeoperational in the near future, as the project was reportedly progressingas scheduled according to sources.[image: A staff member removes the Iranian flag from the stage after agroup picture with foreign ministers and representatives of Unites States,Iran etc.]Iran’s deputy defense minister for international affairs, BrigadierMohammad Ahadi, said earlier that military and economic power was essentialfor the nation’s national security. Mohammad Ahadi stressed that thecountry’s investment in the defense sphere was the lowest comparedwith neighboring states, but still provided security in the region.
The announcement comes amid the upcoming celebration of Iran’s NationalDefense Industry Day on August 22 and an escalating political and economicstandoff with the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Reports of Iran’s increased military activity appeared in early Augustafter the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) held large-scalemilitary drills in the Persian Gulf. The drills were reportedly a partof annual exercises.
IRGC Chief Commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari noted earlier the needto increase defense capabilities in the Persian Gulf and the Straitof Hormuz.[image: A view shows the mausoleum of the founder of the Islamic RepublicAyatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during a ceremony marking his deathanniversary, in Tehran, Iran, June 4, 2017]In June, the US Department of State urged the petrochemical industryto stop buying oil from Iran by November to avoid US sanctions. Thereinstatement of US sanctions against Iran follows Washington’sannouncement of its withdrawal from the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal. In turn,the IRGC said they were prepared to disrupt other countries’ oil shipmentsvia the strait if Iran’s exports were impeded.
Iran also reportedly conducted an anti-ship ballistic missile test lastweek for the first time in over a year. The missile test came daysbefore Trump reinstated his first set of sanctions against the Islamiccountry.
Trump promised to ratchet up sanctions against Iran by November to targetoil exports and banking after he pulled out of the JCPOA nuclear pact.Trump has claimed he can force Iran to sign a renegotiated deal that willalso ban ballistic missile tests by Tehran.