Iran Test Fires 'Long Range' Missile

On Monday, it was reported that Iran successfully tested a long range missile called the Ghader. It is believed to have a range of 120 miles and is considered to be a mid to short range weapon even though Iranians call it long range.

Rear Adm. Mahmoud Mousavi, of the Iranian Navy, told the official Islamic Republic News Agency, “We have test fired a long-range shore-to-sea missile called Qader [capable], which managed to successfully destroy predetermined targets in the gulf.” The test-firing of the missiles would take place during the last of the 10 days of Iranian war games in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Ghader, based on Chinese C-802 radar-evading missiles, is said to be entirely built in Iran. According to Wikipedia: Due to the Yingji-82 (C-802) missile’s small radar reflectivity, low attack flight path (only five to seven meters above the sea surface) and strong anti-jamming capability of its guidance system, target ships have a very small chance of intercepting the missile. The single shot hit probability of the Yingji-82 is estimated to be as high as 98%. The Yingji-82 can be launched from airplanes, surface ships, submarines, and land-based vehicles.

This is no doubt muscle flexing from Iran considering on Sunday they reversed their stance, after a week of threats to block the Straight of Hormuz and a day after President Obama signed into law a new round of sanctions meant to punish Iran for their nuclear program. Iran still denies Western accusations that it is trying to build nuclear weapons, claiming it needs nuclear technology to generate electricity.

According to a Reuters report, Iran has so far shown no willingness to change course on its nuclear program. However, on Saturday Iranian media reported that Saeed Jalili, their nuclear negotiator, would write to the EU foreign policy chief to say Tehran was ready for fresh talks on its nuclear program.