IRGC Claims Testing of 'Anti-Destroyer' Cruise Missile; Unveiling of 'Etemad' Missile

Iranian media reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has tested an 'anti-destroyer' cruise missile with a range of 1,000 kilometers (600 miles), capable of reaching U.S. Navy ships in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. Coinciding with the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution, known in Iran as the 'Decade of Fajr,' the Iranian Ministry of Defense also unveiled a 'new' ballistic missile named 'Etemad.' The 'Etemad' missile, measuring 16 meters in length and 1.25 meters in diameter, was showcased as the latest ballistic missile from the Ministry of Defense on Sunday. Reports indicate that this missile has a 'guided warhead until impact.' A day earlier, the state news agency IRNA reported that the IRGC Navy, in the presence of Major General Hossein Salami, unveiled a 'city of anti-destroyer Qadr 380 cruise missiles' at the IRGC's underground missile base. In a report aired by the Islamic Republic of Iran's state television, Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the IRGC Navy, claimed that these cruise missiles are of the Qadr 380 type, have a range of over 1,000 kilometers, and possess anti-jamming capabilities. According to this commander, these missiles can create 'hell for enemy ships.' The state television report also displayed images of an underground missile base located on Iran's southern coast, but Iranian media did not provide details about the type of warhead or the exact timing of the missile test. However, the report stated that the new weapon is an 'advanced missile' that can be launched from underground facilities. It was also claimed that these missiles can be prepared and launched by a single person in less than five minutes. For about 14 years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has periodically announced the establishment of underground missile facilities and missile tests. Tehran claims to have underground facilities throughout the country, particularly along the southern coast near the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Republic asserts that it possesses missiles with a range of 2,000 kilometers, putting many areas in the Middle East, including Israel, within reach. In 2024, during the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iran launched hundreds of missiles toward Israel in two separate attacks in April and October, most of which, according to Israel, were intercepted. The United States and its Western allies view Iran's missile program, along with its nuclear program, as a threat. On Sunday, February 4, IRNA also reported that during a space technology day ceremony attended by the President and announced by the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, three new satellites named Navak 1, Pars 2, and an upgraded version of Pars 1 were unveiled.