Missile
The controversial missile test carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran has been said to be a Nuclear-capable missile.
As stated by the German newspaper, Die Welt (quoting unspecified intelligence sources), the cruise missile called “Sumar” is capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
The Sumar cruise missile was built in Iran and travelled over 600 km before exploding midair.
The cruise missile is said to have the capability of travelling up to 3,000 km and is capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
Cruise missiles are harder to counter than ballistic missiles since they fly at lower altitudes and can evade enemy radar, confounding missile defense missiles and hitting targets deep inside an opponent’s territory.
No comment was immediately available from Germany’s BND foreign intelligence agency or from Iranian authorities.
Iran however insists that the pact between it and the World Powers as endorsed by the UN does not mention cruise missiles.
It insists that the ban was only for ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
But the biggest advantage from Iran’s point of view, a security expert told Die Welt, was that cruise missiles are not mentioned in any United Nations resolutions that ban work on ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
Iran only had international sanctions lifted in 2016 following the 2015 pact brokered by Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and the United States.
As stated by Reuters, under the nuclear deal Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for lifting of most sanctions.
As stated by a 2015 U.N. resolution endorsing the deal, Iran is still called upon to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons for up to eight years. More….
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump of the United States has taken an aggressive posture to the Missile test as the White House has placed Iran on notice.
The White House put Iran “on notice” on Wednesday for test-firing the missile, saying that the U.S. was still reviewing how to respond to the tests.
There are clear indications that President Trump intends to do more to quell what he regards as defiance on the part of Iran.
In a statement by Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Flynn, the new administration clearly stated that days of Obama’s less confrontational approach toward Iran was over.
Flynn stated that instead of being thankful to the United States for the nuclear deal, “Iran is now feeling emboldened.”
“As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice,” he told reporters in his first appearance in the White House press briefing room.
Pentagon spokesman Christopher Sherwood said: “The U.S. military has not changed its posture in response to the Iranian test missile launch”.