Tehran: Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad on Sunday inaugurated the country`s first domestically
built unmanned bomber aircraft, calling it an "ambassador of
death" to Iran`s enemies.
The 4-meter-long drone aircraft can carry up to four
cruise missiles and will have a range of 1,000 kilometres,
according to a state TV report -- not far enough to reach
archenemy Israel.
"The jet, as well as being an ambassador of death for
the enemies of humanity, has a main message of peace and
friendship," said Ahmadinejad at the inauguration ceremony,
which fell on the country`s national day for its defence
industries.
The goal of the aircraft, named Karrar or striker, is
to "keep the enemy paralysed in its bases", he said, adding
that the aircraft is for deterrence and defensive purposes.
The president championed the country`s military
self-sufficiency programme, and said it will continue "until
the enemies of humanity lose hope of ever attacking the
Iranian nation."
Iran launched an arms development program during its
1980-88 war with Iraq to compensate for a US weapons embargo
and now produces its own tanks, armoured personnel carries,
missiles and even a fighter plane.
Iran frequently makes announcements about new advances
in military technology that cannot be independently verified.
State TV later showed video footage of the plane
taking off from a launching pad and reported that the craft
travelled at speeds of 900 kilometers per hour and could
alternatively be armed with two 250-pound bombs or a 450-pound
guided bomb.
Iran has been producing its own light, unmanned
surveillance aircraft since the late 1980s.
The ceremony came a day after Iran began to fuel its
first nuclear power reactor, with the help of Russia, amid
international concerns over the possibility of a military
dimension to its nuclear program.
Iran insists it is only interested in generating
electricity.
Referring to Israel`s occasional threats against
Iran`s nuclear facilities, Ahmadinejad called any attack
unlikely, but he said if Israel did, the reaction would be
overwhelming.
"The scope of Iran`s reaction will include the entire
the earth," said Ahmadinejad. "We also tell you -- the West --
that all options are on the table."
Ahmadinejad appeared to be consciously echoing the
terminology used by the US and Israel in their statements not
ruling out a military option against Iran`s nuclear
facilities.
On Friday, Iran also test-fired a new liquid fuel
surface-to-surface missile, the Qiam-1, with advanced guidance
systems.
PTI
