IRGC Commander Threatens Europe with 'Strategic Leap' in Missile Program

The deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) threatened that if Europe pursues Iran's 'disarmament' in missile capabilities, the Islamic Republic would be 'forced to make a strategic leap and leadership' in its missile program. Meanwhile, on Sunday, Fars News reported that the long-range ballistic missile Khorramshahr, Iran's latest missile, has been equipped with 'new guided warheads until the end of the trajectory (using fins installed on the warhead)'. According to IRIB News, Hossein Salami, the deputy commander of the IRGC, stated on Saturday evening, February 1, during a television program that 'no one should give us advice, negotiate, or request' regarding the missile program because 'this issue would compel us to change the deterrence equations.' Salami did not provide further details about what he termed a 'strategic leap' but only mentioned that the Islamic Republic is capable of changing 'all factors of its missile program, including technology and geography.' He emphasized that the range of Iran's missiles is maintained 'based on the strategy' of the Islamic Republic, not technical issues. The IRGC deputy commander also stated that 'our missile strategy is not a fixed subject and changes based on the behavior of actors.' Salami added, 'We have no technical limitations for increasing range, high precision, desired destructive power, and propulsion of missiles, and only our strategies determine the priorities for missile development.' Currently, Iran's medium-range missiles with a range of 2,000 kilometers can target Saudi Arabia and Israel from Iran and are capable of reaching the European Union region as well. A week before Salami's remarks, Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, also stated that the Islamic Republic has 'no scientific or executive constraints' for increasing the range of its missiles, but 'merely based on its defensive doctrine, there is no will to enhance the range' of its missiles. Previously, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, had said that Iran has 'no technical or contractual limitations' for increasing the range of its missiles beyond 2,000 kilometers. Meanwhile, Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the IRGC, had reported last year that the range of Iranian-made missiles was selected as 2,000 kilometers 'according to the policies' set by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. One of the reasons for the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA agreement was Iran's missile activities, and European officials, including Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, have warned the Islamic Republic that if talks regarding Iran's ballistic missile program are unproductive, Paris is prepared to impose new sanctions on Tehran. Iranian officials have also rejected any negotiations regarding their missile program, stating that Tehran's produced missiles do not have the capability to carry nuclear weapons and thus do not violate UN Security Council Resolution 2231. UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which was issued after the 2015 Vienna nuclear agreement to endorse it, called on Iran to refrain from developing ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. On Saturday, Mehr News reported the unveiling of another missile, 'made in Iran,' by the Iranian Minister of Defense. The long-range ground cruise missile 'Hoveyzeh' is said to have a flight range of over 1,350 kilometers and is used against fixed ground targets. Meanwhile, Fars News reported on Sunday that the long-range ballistic missile Khorramshahr, Iran's latest ballistic missile, has been equipped with 'new guided warheads until the end of the trajectory (using fins installed on the warhead).' This generation of Khorramshahr missiles has been named 'Khorramshahr 2.' According to this report, this type of warhead has been used in previous years with the Emad missile, and now 'various types of ballistic missiles' such as 'Qadr' and 'Qiam' have also been equipped with this warhead. The Khorramshahr missile, with a range of 2,000 kilometers, is Iran's latest ballistic missile, which was unveiled for the first time on September 22, 2017. In another part of his remarks, Salami threatened that the start of a new war in the region by Israel 'would lead to their annihilation.' He also stated that they 'should not rely on the Americans because they will be destroyed before the Americans arrive.' The IRGC deputy commander had also threatened on Tuesday, January 28, that a new war in the region would 'lead to the annihilation' of Israel. This threat and similar threats come at a time when Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister, recently denied threats of 'annihilation' of Israel by Iranian officials. Zarif stated, 'When did we say we would destroy Israel? Just find one person and show us who has said this. No one has said such a thing.' In recent months, Israel has targeted Iranian positions in Syria several times, and Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, has warned that continued attacks could lead to a major war in the region.