Reaction to the Islamic Republic's Missile Display; U.S. Emphasis on Countering Iran's Destabilizing Behaviors

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State reacted on Friday, September 22, to the Islamic Republic's weapons and missile display, stating to a VOA reporter: "We continue to work closely with our European allies and partners to use all the tools at our disposal to prevent these activities." The Islamic Republic's armed forces showcased the "Fattah" and "Paveh" missiles during a parade on September 22 in Tehran, claiming that the Fattah missile is a "hypersonic" missile with a range of 1,400 kilometers and a speed of 13 to 15 Mach, while the Paveh missile is a long-range cruise missile with a launch capability of 1,650 kilometers, increasing the range of Iran's ground-targeting cruise missiles by at least 22 percent. The U.S. spokesperson further emphasized: "We remain focused on limiting Iran's destabilizing behavior through diplomatic pressure, close coordination with our allies, and reducing tensions in the region, and we are utilizing our tools extensively to control the Islamic Republic, as we announced new sanctions last Tuesday against a logistics network linked to Iran's sensitive nuclear proliferation activities." The spokesperson also regarded the development and proliferation of Iranian drones as a serious threat to regional and international security, adding: "We will continue our efforts to clarify and express our concerns in global public forums regarding the transfer of Iranian drones and weapons, especially those that violate United Nations Security Council resolutions and require coordinated action to counter them." The Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council of the White House stated in a special interview with VOA's Persian section on June 9 that the claims made by Islamic Republic officials about testing the two missiles, Khyber and Fattah, violate UN Security Council Resolution 2231, and that the United States will continue to work with its partners to exert sufficient pressure to compel Iran to stop its destabilizing activities, including its missile program. The U.S. State Department spokesperson had also stated at that time in response to the Islamic Republic's ballistic missile test: "The development and proliferation of ballistic missiles by Iran pose a serious threat to regional and international stability and a major challenge to non-proliferation, and the U.S. is using various tools, including sanctions, to counter further advancements in the Islamic Republic's ballistic missile program and its capabilities for missile proliferation and related technologies." The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unveiled its hypersonic missile named "Fattah" on the morning of June 6, in the presence of Ibrahim Raisi, following several days of propaganda and media coverage. The IRGC claimed that the hypersonic missile "Fattah" is capable of neutralizing all air defense systems, including "THAAD, Arrow, Patriot, Aegis, GBI, Iron Dome, David's Sling, and Barak," and boasts "excellent maneuverability and very high speed" using a new generation of solid fuel and its "explosive conical warhead." Hossein Hassan-Yari stated: "If the Fattah missile exists, the West must activate the trigger mechanism." The display of drones and missiles in Tehran continues the Islamic Republic's destabilizing actions in the region. Netanyahu stated: "The Iranian people should be seen as 'real partners' for a better future." The American Jewish Committee has requested the United Nations to condemn the Islamic Republic. Following the publication of several contradictory narratives, the Ministry of Defense stated: "The explosion in Gorgan was not a drone; it was a missile fall." The fifteenth report by Guterres regarding Resolution 2231 urged Iran to refrain from further violations of the JCPOA. An Israeli company announced: "We have developed a system to intercept hypersonic missiles." Britain stated that the production of the "Fattah" missile is a serious threat to global security.