Iran hard-liners overjoyed with new missile
Iran’s hard-liners are having a moment of patriotic jubilation with the unveiling of a new long-range missile with a menacing name.
“The precise, radar-evading and pinpointing missile is capable of dealing maximum blows on the Zionist regime in any potential confrontation,” read an editorial in hard-line newspaper Khorasan Feb. 10.
The piece outlined the features of the “Kheybar-Shekan,” a new long-range missile unveiled by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Wednesday.
The Persian name for the missile means “the smasher of Kheybar,” a significant historical allusion. "Kheybar" refers to a seventh century oasis that hosted a group of Jews who according to Islamic documents were defeated by forces loyal to the Prophet Muhammad before surrendering and handing over their wealth.
During an unveiling ceremony, the IRGC’s missile program chief, Brig. Gen. Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, said Iran’s latest missile has a range of 1,450 kilometers (900 miles).
