Tehran, Nov 08 (V7N)- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced that it has lifted its self-imposed 2,000-kilometre limit on the range of its ballistic missiles, raising concerns about the country's potential to develop weapons capable of striking targets farther afield.
IRGC spokesman Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi made the announcement at a press conference in Tehran on Saturday (November 7), according to The Times of Israel.
Asked whether a recent directive from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to respond to threats without geographical restrictions meant the missile-range limit had been removed, Mohebbi replied, “This restriction has been lifted for us.”
He said Iran should demonstrate its capabilities in practice rather than rely on statements. However, he did not say whether the country currently possesses missiles capable of exceeding the previously declared range.
Khamenei had earlier warned that any threat from the United States or Israel would be met with a response without geographical limitations.
The 2,000-kilometre range places parts of Greece and the Balkans, the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant and most of Egypt within the potential reach of Iranian missiles. In March, Iran reportedly attempted to strike the joint US-UK military base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, about 4,000 kilometres away. The attempted attack was unsuccessful.
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