Iran to ‘unveil fighter jet’, upgrade missile defences

Tehran, August 19 

Iran will unveil this week a new jet fighter and upgrade its missile defences to meet threats from Israel and the US, Tasnim news agency said on Sunday quoting the defence minister.

“Our first priority is our missile capability and we must enhance it... given the enemy’s efforts in missile defence,” said Amir Hatami in an interview on television yesterday, according to Tasnim.

He added that a new fighter jet “will fly on National Defence Industry Day”, which falls on Wednesday.

Hatami said the defence programme was motivated by memories of the missile attacks Iran suffered during its eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s, and by repeated threats from Israel and the United States that “all options are on the table” in dealing with the Islamic republic.

“We have learned in the (Iran-Iraq) war that we cannot rely on anyone but ourselves. We saw that wherever we are not capable, no one will have mercy on us,” he said.

“Our resources are limited and we are committed to establishing security at a minimum cost. We upgrade our missiles according to our enemies’ threats and actions, as a deterrent,” he added.

Hatami added that regional rival Saudi Arabia “has the largest military budget in the world after America and China... while our defence budget is limited”. Hatami dismissed the idea of an “Arab NATO” an old concept that has recently resurfaced as Washington tries to push regional countries to accept a greater share of their defence. — AFP