Iran claims to possess hypersonic ballistic missile, sparks concern from UN

Middle East, News November 12, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

A military general from Iranian Revolutionary Guards claimed that Iran has developed a hypersonic missile capable of penetrating all missile defense systems, raising concerns from the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

Unlike a traditional ballistic missile, a hypersonic missile can fly more than five times the speed of sound. Almost all hypersonic missiles are also capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

With advancements in missile defense systems, conventional ballistic missiles are becoming more and more obsolete as they can be easily intercepted. Hypersonic missile on the other hand maintains a low flight pattern at high speed which makes it easier to deliver warheads without being detected by radars or satellites.

Experts believe that it would take decades before a system capable of intercepting a hypersonic projectile could be developed.

Without releasing any details about the missile, the commander of the aerospace unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards General Amirali Hajizadeh claimed that “This hypersonic ballistic missile was developed to counter air defense shields.”

He further added that the missile “will be able to breach all the systems of anti-missile defense. This missile, which targets enemy anti-missile systems, represents a great generational leap in the field of missiles.”

Hajizadeh’s claims have stirred concerns at the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The head of IAEA Rafael Grossi expressed his concerns about the announcement. “We see that all these announcements increase the attention, increase the concerns, increase the public attention to the Iranian nuclear program,” Grossi

Grossi was present at the COP27 climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. He added that he does not see these claims “having any influence” on the ongoing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

The timing of the announcement of Iran’s hypersonic missile coincides with the reports suggesting that Iran has been supplying weapons to Russia for its war against Ukraine. According to some reports published by Western media outlets, Iran has provided at least 450 new drones to Russia in recent times. Most of the drones have been used against Ukraine.

*^{Iran’s Khaybar Shekan missile. (Image Credit: IFPnews/video grab IRIA)}*

Some experts have linked Iran’s increasing weapons capabilities with Russia-Iran military ties suggesting that Russia is providing help to Iran in order to enhance its missile program. Last week, Iran successfully launched a locally developed rocket that can carry satellites into space. The test was conducted on November 5, 2022, only three months after Iran launched its satellite using a Russian rocket.

The U.S. voiced its concerns regarding the launch stating that Iran is boosting its ballistic missile capabilities with such tests extending its ability to deliver nuclear warheads. Iran, however, insists that its rocket development is only focused on space exploration and civilian purposes and it does no intends to launch or use its rockets for military ambitions