Iran has equipped its naval forces with a short range "cruise missile," able to hit targets in coastal areas and warships within "200 kilometres (125 miles), the country's defence minister was quoted as saying on Wednesday.
"Today we are witnessing the equipping of the Guards navy and army navy with ample numbers of the Qader cruise missile," General Ahmad Vahidi said, quoted by his ministry's website referring to the elite Revolutionary Guards who are tasked with defending Iranian waters in the Gulf.
"It has 200 km range and has ability to be launched quickly against warships and coastal targets. It flies in low altitude, has high destructive power, (and is) lightweight with high precision," he added. He added that it could be fired from the coast or from vessels of different classes, increasing considerable the operational ability of the forces.
The Qader missile was unveiled last month by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, with Iranian officials dubbing it a "cruise missile" built entirely by local experts. The president said Iran's military arsenal was defensive, aimed at ensuring the country's "enemies do not dare attack."