ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The streets of Tehran on Friday morning were the scene of the Iranian forces’ latest developed tactical missile, with a range long enough to target Israeli cities, sending a strong message to Iran’s regional foe on Quds Day.
Thousands of Iranians took to the streets of the country on the last Friday of Ramadan to mark Quds Day, an annual day of protest initiated by Iran to support the Palestinian cause.
Members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were also present, showcasing its most newly developed weapons.
Standing tall among the crowds of IRGC fighters and Iranian civilians was the new Kheybar Shekan missile, sending a strong message to Jerusalem both with its name and also with its 1,450 kilometers range.
The missile, which Iranian media and officials claim has unprecedented accuracy and range, is named in reference to the battle of Kheybar in 628 CE between Muslims and Jews, where the Muslims led by Prophet Mohammed marched on Kheybar and forced Jews in the area to evacuate.
The name is Kheybar Shekan is Persian for Kheybar Breaker.
The IRGC is displaying its Kheibar Shekan missile in Tehran today to mark Quds Day.
— Kian Sharifi (@KianSharifi) April 29, 2022
The missile, whose name appears to be a warning to Israel, was unveiled in February but this is the first time it's been put on public display. https://t.co/ZbJ7qT3ur5 pic.twitter.com/TrwRcO55wF
Quds (the Arabic name for Jerusalem) Day was originally introduced by the leader of the Iranian revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979 urging Muslims across the world to show their solidarity with the Palestinian claim to Jerusalem on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.
The associated rallies and parades have, however, remained largely tied to the Islamic Republic and its allies in the region, rarely being observed outside of these circles.
Iran’s display of its weapons also comes at a very crucial time for Tehran-US relations.
The outgoing US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief last month expressed his concern over the “remarkable” growth in the number and efficiency of Iran’s ballistic missile force and the grave threat the country poses.
Appearing before his last Senate Armed Services Committee, Marine General Kenneth McKenzie, who has led American troops in the Middle East since March 2019, warned of the threat that the Islamic Republic’s ballistic and cruise missile capacity poses. “Today, Iran is no less of a threat to American interests or to the stability of the region than it was in 1979,” McKenzie said in his opening remarks.
Pressed by US Senator Angus King on the range of Iranian missiles - and whether they could get to Paris, London, or New York - McKenzie responded that Iran has over 3,000 ballistic missiles of various types. “Some of which can reach Tel Aviv, to give you an idea of the range, none of them can reach Europe yet, but over the last five to seven years, senator, they have invested heavily in their ballistic missile program, their missiles are of significantly greater range and significantly enhanced accuracy,” he said.
Under the pretext of hitting an Israeli base, Iran fired a dozen ballistic missiles targeting areas surrounding the US consulate building in Erbil earlier in March, injuring two civilians and causing severe material damage to houses. The attack came less than a week after Iran vowed to seek revenge against Israel, warning it would “pay the price” for the killing of two members of the IRGC in an airstrike in Syria.
This all comes as talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) resumed in late November, however, are yet to reach a conclusion.
Under former US President Donald Trump’s administration, the US withdrew from the nuclear accord and imposed a raft of sanctions in an effort to force Tehran to renegotiate a broader deal. President Joe Biden wants to return to the deal.
While the US withdrew from the deal, Iran has enormously increased its uranium enrichment.
Speaking on the developments of the talks, Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization Chief Mohammed Eslami on Friday told IRGC affiliated Mehr News that the technical discussion related to the JCPOA talks “is over and there are political discussions that are delayed by the Americans.”
