TEHRAN, Iran: Iran on Sunday unveiled a new medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by the Iranian Defence Ministry amid rising tensions with the West over its missile programme.
The “E’temad” (trust) ballistic missile was unveiled during Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to an exhibition of missiles organised by the Defence Ministry, said Iran’s semi-official Tansim news agency. The 16-meter-long missile has a range of 1,700 kilometres.
Iran’s missile programme continues to raise concerns among Western nations, especially the United States and its allies, due to Iran’s substantial investment in developing ballistic and cruise missiles.
The US and its Western allies have imposed sanctions designed to limit Iran’s access to materials and technologies that could advance its missile capabilities.

However, Iran maintains that its missile programme poses no threat to the West and regional states.
Iran’s military power for self-defence
President Pezeshkian during the visit to Defence Ministry’s missiles exhibition hailed Iran’s defence achievements, saying the country’s military power is intended for self-defence and poses no threat to other nations, Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported.
“The development of Iran’s defence and space capabilities is not for waging war or invading [any country], but for deterrence, and to ensure that no country dares to invade Iranian territory or even thinks about it,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the visit.
“What we are seeing today of the defence and space achievements is indicative of the power, innovation, and creativity of the country’s youth and experts, which is a source of pride for the Iranian nation,” the president noted.