Iran unveils missile able to thwart air defenses

The missile can travel at 15 times the speed of sound. Pic/AP

Iran claimed on Tuesday that it had created a hypersonic missile capable of traveling at 15 times the speed of sound, adding a new weapon to its arsenal as tensions remain high with the United States over Tehran's nuclear program.

The new missile - called Fattah, or "Conqueror" in Farsi - was unveiled even as Iran said it would reopen its diplomatic posts on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia after reaching a détente with Riyadh following years of conflict.

The tightly choreographed segment on Iranian state television apparently sought to show that Tehran's hard-line government can still deploy arms against its enemies across much of the Middle East.

"Today we feel that the deterrent power has been formed," Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said at the event. "This power is an anchor of lasting security and peace for the regional countries."

Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard's aerospace program, unveiled what appeared to be a model of the missile. Hajizadeh claimed the missile had a range of up to 1,400 km.

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