Iranian official claims Tehran leading in missile capabilities - is it true? - analysis

Iran is one of the top six countries in the world in terms of surface-to-air missile capabilities, an Iranian commander claimed over the weekend. The comments were reported in Iranian state media and reflect one of the usual claims by Iran regarding its capabilities in missiles and other aerospace technology.

“A senior commander of the Iranian Army’s Air Defense Force has said that Iran is ranked among the top six countries in terms of the range of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs),” the report at IRNA said.

The commander was named Brigadier General Abbas Azimi, Commander of the Army Air Defense Force in northwest Iran. He made the claims on Saturday during a ceremony marking the anniversary of the establishment of the Army Air Defense Force as an independent Iranian unit.

“The commander did not specify the range of the Iranian surface-to-air missiles but emphasized that their range has put Iran among the top six countries in the world,” the report said.

Iran's air defenses

Iran has been investing in air defenses in recent years. It has also tried to deploy some of them abroad. For instance, in the spring of 2018, reports said Iran tried to move a 3rd Khordad system to Syria. READ MORE