Defense Minister: Iran self-sufficient in manufacture of shore-to-sea missiles

Unclassified

Document ID: IAP20001127000007

Version Number: 01

Region: Near East/South Asia, The Americas

Sub-Region: South Asia, Near East, North America

Country: Iran, Israel, United States

Topic: DOMESTIC ECONOMIC, INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL, MILITARY, PROLIFERATION, URGENT

Source-Date: 11/27/2000

Defense Minister: Iran self-sufficient in manufacture of shore-to-sea missiles

 IAP20001127000007 Tehran IRNA in English 0709 GMT 27 Nov 00 

Reference:

            1.         iap20001125000004 defense minister says iran not dependent on any country for supply of missiles tehran tehran times (internet version-www) english 25 nov 00 

[FBIS Transcribed Text]

Tehran, Nov 27, IRNA -- Despite U.S.   claims, Iran has attained self-sufficiency in manufacture of shore-to-sea cruise missiles, Iran's Defense Minister Rear-Admiral Ali Shamkhani said here Sunday. 

     Shamkhani told a seminar here that Iranian defense experts have managed to dash U.S.   claims of Iran's incapability to obtain such military technology. 

     "Sea is the hotbed of future threats and opportunities for the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.   Among main defensive projects, Shamkhani said, are manufacture of buoyants, electronic equipment and different missiles. 

     In the same seminar, the Army Chief Sunday called on Iran's armed forces to look out for any attack by NATO and Israeli troops in the Caspian Sea. 

     "Israeli and NATO forces are in the Caspian Sea as prospecting for oil is in progress at that region," Major-General Mohammad Salimi said. 

     Iran's Navy announced in September that it was about to launch the first locally-built mini vessel capable of functioning as a rocket-launcher and destroyer. 

     In August, Iran launched its first domestically-manufactured mini submarine capable of transporting commandos and lay mines in the waters of the Persian Gulf off Bandar Abbas port. 

     The submarine is capable of being used in various operations close to enemy territory such as making reconnaissance patrols and dropping commandos, planting mines and guiding projectiles. 

     The bitter eight-year war with Iraq prompted Iran to opt for self-sufficiency in weapons manufacture.

 [Description of Source: Tehran IRNA -- official state-run news agency]

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Unclassified