Iran unveiled a 2,000-km range ballistic missile in a ceremony attended by the Islamic country's Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani on Thursday, the state media IRNA said.
"Our message to Iran's enemies is that we will defend the country and its achievements. Our message to our friends is that we want to help regional stability," Ashtiani told the media after the missile test launch.
Ashtiani thanked the efforts of the scientists of the Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO) of the Iranian Defense Ministry who were responsible for the weapon's development.
Highlighting the key features of the missile, Ashtiani asserted that the missile was capable of evading enemy radar and that it can penetrate the adversary's air defense systems because it had a "low radar cross-section".
The minister stressed that Iran's Ebrahim Raisi-led government was continuing with its efforts to equip the Asian nation's armed forces with all kinds of weapons, and Tehran would continue to bolster its arsenal.
"We are taking steps to equip the armed forces in various areas of missiles, drones, air defense, and so on, and the unveilings will definitely continue in the future," he said.
Iran's Missile Program
Tehran has continued to develop its missile program despite continued pressure from the United States and its allies.
Iran's missile program is said to be the largest in the Middle East, and Tehran says that its missiles are capable of striking the military bases of the US and Israel, its two arch-enemies.
While Israel has previously described Iran's missile program as a threat to its existence, Tehran has dismissed Tel Aviv's claims, saying that the country's missiles were only meant to act as a deterrent against its rivals.