Iran unveils new missile tech; satellite fails to reach orbit

DUBAI: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has unveiled a new ballistic missile, the country’s state TV reported Sunday, amid heightened tensions with the United States.

Iran routinely unveils what it describes as technological advances for its armed forces ahead of the February anniversary of its 1979 Islamic Revolution. State television said the missile, called Raad-500, or thunder, had half the weight of a similar ballistic missile, Fateh-110, but had 200 kilometres more range. The fourth generation of Fateh-110 has 300 km range.

The Guard also unveiled a new missile engine that uses solid fuel and a satellite carrier that has “movable nozzle technology”. The technology increases a missile’s accuracy in hitting targets.

The US alleges such activities defy a United Nations Security Council resolution calling on Iran to undertake no activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Iran fired a barrage of ballistic missiles at a military base in Iraq housing American troops in January, after a US drone strike killed its top general Qassem Soleimani

outside Baghdad.

SATELLITE FAILS TO REACH ORBIT

Iran launched a domestically made satellite on Sunday but it failed to reach orbit, a defence ministry official said.

“It was launched with success and ... we have reached most our aims ... but the “Zafar” satellite did not reach orbit as planned,” the official told state television.

The launch was the latest in a programme which the United States says helps Tehran advance its ballistic missile technology.