'Iran is world's 6th missile power' - Vahidi

 

According to Associated Press:

Iran's former defense minister says his country is ranked sixth in the world in missile production.

The semi-official Fars news agency quoted Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi on Sunday as saying that Iran reached this level of manufacturing by "attaining domestic technology for building solid fuel missiles, as well as designing and manufacturing surface-to-surface long-range missiles."

Vahidi also claimed that Iran is first in the Middle East in missiles production.

Like yesterday's announcement by Iran's outgoing nuclear chief claiming Iran currently has 18,000 operational centrifuges, so too outgoing Defense Minister Vahidi is both taking the opportunity to posture support before upcoming negotiations with the West, as well as setting the bar of achievement before the newly installed Rouhani administration.

As a side note, there's a notable difference between the former and new defense minsters. Outgoing Defense Minister Vahidi retained his current standing in the IRGC as a brigadier general, while the new. recently confirmed Defense Minister Dehghan has for some time now shed his IRGC uniform and enters the ministry wearing civvies.

Iran’s New Air Defense System: Herz-9

Iran’s Defense Ministry today unveiled a new air defense system, named Herz-9.

“Iran is among a few leading world countries producing such an air defense system domestically. This mobile air defense system is more advanced and capable than our previous air defense models,” said Iran’s defense minister, Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi. “The battery can be activated within a matter of minutes,” he added.

Vahidi said the air defense system is able to detect and track targets at low altitudes and automatically hit them.

Video: Iran’s defense minister unveils the new air defense system, Herz-9. Tehran, 20 May 2013. (LenzIran/YouTube) 

Israel Is Endangering Security of Entire Region – Iran Defense Minister

Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi today condemned the Israeli attacks on Damascus, warning that Israel is “endangering security of the entire region.” (Fars News Agency, 5 May)

Gen. Vahidi was referring to attacks that shook Damascus today and believed to have targeted Iranian-made Fateh-110 missile storages.

File photo: Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi (Fars)

Khamenei at Graduation Ceremonies of Iranian Military Schools

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Iran’s Supreme Leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei presiding over the joint graduation ceremonies of the military schools. Tehran, 17 September 2012.

Photo from left to right, front row:

IRGC Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, Minister of Defense
IRGC Maj. Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, Senior Military Advisor to Supreme Leader
IRGC Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali “Aziz” Jafari, Commander-in-Chief of IRGC
Basij Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi, Chief of the Armed Forces General Command Headquarters
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader and Commander-in-Chief
Rear Admiral Habibolah Sayyari, IRI Navy Commander (second row)
Maj. Gen. Ataollah Salehi, Commander-in-Chief of IRI Army (Artesh)
Brig. Gen. Farzad Esmaili, IRI Air Defense Force Commander (second row)
Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, Chief of the Joint Headquarters of IRI Army
Brig. Gen. Hassan Shah-Safi, IRI Air Force Commander (second row)

Maj. Gen. Ahmad Reza Pourdastan, IRI Ground Forces Commander
RDML Amir Abbas Zamini, IRI Navy Deputy Commander (second row)

Photo Credit: Leader.ir/ISNA

Iran Unveils Fourth-Generation Fatah-110 Missile

Iran unveiled upgrades to six weapons on Tuesday, including the fourth-generation Fateh-110 short-range ballistic missile. The upgraded missile has a range of about 300 km (180 miles).

"This missile is one of the most precise and advanced land-to-land ballistic missiles using solid fuel," said Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi. (Fars News Agency, 21 August)

Photo Credit: Fateh-110 series short-range ballistic missile launch during Great Prophet 7 maneuvers in July 2012. (Fars News Agency/Hamed Jafarnejad)

Droning On...

By Paul Iddon

Washington downplays, Tehran overplays.

Captured RQ-170 in Iran.

Last July a rumour suggested that Iran had shot down an unmanned US drone over the Fordo uranium enrichment facility near Qom. I quipped at the time that given the fact it may indeed have been an unmanned drone that the Iranians would be unable to produce 'a Gary Powers' so to speak which would in turn ultimately serve to refute the US claim that they were not violating Iranian air space with such drones.

However earlier this month the Iranians were able to produce such irrefutable evidence that a US drone had indeed violated Iranian air space. The recent capture of the RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drone has given the regime in Tehran a propaganda coup with their claim of having been able to 'electronically' bring down the drone with minimal damage over the embarrassing US claim of the drone having 'malfunctioned' and subsequently been lost whilst operating near Afghanistan's western frontier with the Islamic Republic.

Scorn was poured on the Obama Administration after they sent a formal request for the drones return. Secretary of State Clinton had previously stated that “given Iran's behaviour to date” – the regimes odious behaviour to its own citizens in recent weeks includes threatening actress Marzieh Vafamehr with 90 lashes for violating the countries brutally enforced dress code, the actual lashing of an Iranian student for merely “insulting” the President and on top of that offering death as the only alternative to conversion to Islam for the Iranian Evangelical pastor Youcef Nadarkhani – she didn't expect they would even reply and despite “provocations” asserted that the US would pursue a “diplomatic approach.”

Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi whom has stated that the drone is now Iran's property responded to the American request for its return by stating bluntly of the US has "instead of apologizing to the Iranian nation,” opted to “brazenly asking for the drone back.”

In a previous column entitled 'A Time to Apologize' which I wrote a few days after the 23rd anniversary of the horrific downing of Iran Air Flight 655 by the US Navy I argued that the US should make a formal heartfelt and thoroughly sincere apology to the people of Iran. As at the end of the day the attack was against them, as nearly any Iranian could have been on that plane on that fateful day. However I also added that such an apology could not given in an effective and meaningful manner with the present leadership as it forcibly imposes its will on the Iranian people and therefore cannot act as their legitimate representative on the international stage.

There is no doubt that the United States has violated Iranian sovereignty by traversing this piece of military hardware through Iran's air space. The regime however has undermined Iran's claim to its right of sovereignty. As it not only harbours but – as in the case of Vahidi – has actually given a ministerial position to a man who is wanted by the Argentinian authorities and Interpol for planning the bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires which killed 85 people and injured several hundred more. Not only was this incident a terrorist act executed on foreign soil it is also the most significant and heinous acts of violence on Argentinian soil since the homicide bombing of Israels Argentine embassy in 1992 of which Hezbollah is suspected of organizing and executing.

So in conclusion, whilst the United States has blatantly disregarded Iran's sovereign integrity the ruling regime in Tehran has consistently and self-consciously been degrading and undermining it

Iran Launches Production of Carbon Fiber

Iran's Defense Minister Gen. Ahmad Vahidi (center) during the launch of the production line of carbon fiber. 27 August 2011. IRNA

Carbon fiber production line. 27 August 2011. IRNA

Iran has launched production of carbon fiber, a strategic material used in defense systems as well as civil engineering. The material is under UN embargo because of its potential use in the country’s nuclear program [IRNA, 27 August].

Iran's Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi told reporters during the inauguration ceremony of the country’s carbon fiber production line that all stages of the production and launch of the material were domestically run in spite of UN sanctions on the transfer of technology to Iran.

Vahidi said that carbon fiber is used in production of nozzle heat shields, lightweight composite bodies of motors in solid-fuel missiles, wings and body of various types of fighter jets and civilian planes, as well as the body of light weapons.

“UN sanctions had caused a bottleneck in Iran's production of advanced and smart defense systems," Gen. Vahidi said. He added that Iran “has mastered the entire process of carbon fiber production.”

Carbon fiber has high flexibility, high strength, low weight and high tolerance for heat. Its production is extremely complex. Iran uses carbon fiber for more advanced centrifuges, which spin uranium gas to produce enriched uranium.

Iran's defense minister in Afghanistan - pictorial

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Iran's Defense Minister IRGC Brig. Gen. Vahidi (center) arrives in Kabul; his IRIG Dassault Falcon 50 visible in the background. Vahidi's delegation includes three other IRGC generals (one not shown).

Afghanistan's Defense Minister Wardak with Iran's Defense Minister Vahidi.

Afghanistan's security delegation (left) seated across Iran's. Both nations are Islamic Republics.

Vahidi seated next to Afghanistan's Second Vice President Abdulkarim Khalili. Khalili is an ethnic Hazara Shiite.

Vahidi with First Vice President Mohammad Qasim Fahim.

Photos: Vahid Reza Alaei at Fars News Agency

Iran's defense minister arrives in Afghanistan

Defense Minister IRGC Brig. Gen. Vahidi

From PressTV:

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier-General Ahmad Vahidi says the Islamic Republic seeks the restoration of stability and security in Afghanistan.

“[The development of] sustained stability and security is Iran's strategic policy toward the brother and friend nation of Afghanistan,” Vahidi told reporters upon his arrival in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Saturday, IRNA reported.

He pointed out that Tehran is ready to expand relations with Kabul in various areas, including campaign against drugs and terrorism as well as defense cooperation.

Vahidi went on to say that the security of neighboring Afghanistan is of high significance to Iran, adding that the Islamic Republic will spare no effort to help the restoration of lasting security in its eastern neighbor.

The Iranian minister is in on an official visit to Afghanistan at the invitation of his Afghan counterpart Abdul Rahim Wardak.

Vahidi is expected to meet with Afghanistan's top political and military officials, including President Hamid Karzai, Interior Minister Hanif Atmar and his Afghan counterpart to discuss issues of bilateral interests as well as the latest regional and international developments.

This is the first visit of an Iranian defense minister to Afghanistan since the 1979 victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.

This is an extraordinary visit by Defense Minister Vahidi, a Revolutionary Guard brigadier general, while Afghanistan is currently under a NATO/ISAF military occupation. Vahidi himself has been on an Interpol "red notice" since November 2007 over a controversial investigation into a bombing attack that took place in Argentina in 1994. In addition, the United States has listed Iran's Revolutionary Guards as a "terrorist organization;" from time to time accusing it of providing limited aid to the Taliban insurgency.

The visit takes place at a time when President Karzai has announced during a speech at the presidential palace that his government and the U.S. have begun preliminary negotiations with the Taliban aimed at ending the conflict.

Iran's defense minister invited to Afghanistan

From IRNA:

Minister of Defense and Logistics of Armed Forces will pay a visit to Afghanistan upon an invitation of his Afghan counterpart.

Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, upon an official invitation of Field Marshal Abdulrahim Vardak, Afghanistan Defense Minister, will pay a visit to Kabul heading a high ranking defense delegation next week.

General Vahidi is to meet with Afghanistan high ranking political and defense officials and discuss bilateral, regional and international issues.

It will be the first ever visit of an Iranian defense minister to Afghanistan after the victory of Islamic revolution in Iran.

Also it would be the first ever visit of an Iranian defense minister to Afghanistan since 92 years ago.

Quite amazing if this is actually pulled off. IRGC Brigadier General Vahidi has been on an Interpol "red notice" since November 2007 over a highly curious investigation into a bombing attack that took place in Argentina in 1994. That this trip could possibly take place to Afghanistan while under a NATO military occupation would prove nothing short of remarkable.

Iran Defense Minister Visits Bolivia, Causing Controversy

Iran’s Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi today visited Bolivia to inaugurate a military academy that was built with Iran's help. The Bolivian government soon received a notice from Argentina that the general was wanted by that country for being the alleged mastermind of the 1994 bombing of a Jewish center in Buenos Aires and was subject to an Interpol red notice issued in 2007. The Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca told reporters that he informed his Argentine counterpart that at the request of the Bolivian government the Iranian defense minister cut his trip short and has since left Bolivia.

"I want to express in the name of the Government of Bolivia my deepest apologies (to Argentina)," said Choquehuanca in a letter sent to the Argentine foreign minister and published by news agencies [AP, 31 May]. "As a result of this regrettable situation, the government of Bolivia has taken the corresponding provisions to see to it that Ahmad Vahidi immediately leaves Bolivian territory," the letter said.

'Persian Gulf' anti-ship ballistic missile

New anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) named "Persian Gulf" appears to be based on the Fatah-110 series SRBM and possibly equipped with electro-optic seeker.

"Persian Gulf" ASBM scores a hit on a stationary barge in a recent test exercise. Defense Minister Vahidi claims these ASBMs are now being produced and delivered to the IRGC.

Photos: FARS News Agency

New Coastal AShM Systems Delivered to Iran Navy

According to Fars News Agency:

Iran's Defense Ministry has supplied a number of newly developed anti-ship coastal cruise missile systems to the country's Navy as part of the country's broader plan for enhancing its defense capabilities.

The new coast-to-sea missile systems were officially transferred to the country's Navy in a ceremony attended by Commander of the Iranian Army's Navy Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari and Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi.

"These sites have been developed in three types, including light sites, independent sites and extensive sites that include target detection, missile launch pads, radar guidance systems," Vahidi noted, adding that all the designing and development phases of these sites have been carried out by the Iranian experts.

Vahidi noted that deployment of these systems along coastal lines will provide Iran with the capability to identify, detect and destroy multiple targets thorough a single command and control center.

click photos to enlarge

New mobile AShM triple-launcher

Three such AShM triple-launcher systems on display

Close-up detail of swivel-mounted box launchers

Marine Industries Organization (MIO) facility

IRGC Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi at the transfer ceremony. He has certainly aged during his tenure as Iran's Defense Minister.

Iran Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari.

Photos: Vahid Reza Alaei at FARS News Agency and JameJamOnline.ir

Fateh-110/III SRBM delivered to IRGC/ASF

In a ceremony held today, Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi marked the occasion of the first delivery of 3rd generation Fateh-110 (Fateh A-110B) short-range ballistic missiles to the IRGC Aerospace Force.

click photos to enlarge

Background: assembled Fateh-110/III SRBM

Three sections of the Fateh-110/III emerging

from their storage/transport receptacles

Left: guidance section showing internal detail

Foreground: guidance section showing externally

located missile prep inlets

Photos: VahidReza Alaei for Borna News Agency, Fars News Agency and JameJam.ir

Iranian long-range artillery ammo (130 mm HERA)

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From PressTV:

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi has inaugurated the production line of Iran's longest-range artillery ammunitions.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the mass production of Base bleed projectiles in the capital Tehran, General Vahidi said the new 130 mm base bleed rocket assisted (HERA) artillery shells will provide the longest range of such for the Islamic Republic's army, Iran's Defense Ministry said on its website.

“These munitions use solid propellants that behave like ballistic missiles,” the Iranian defense minister noted.

He also lauded Iranian experts at the arms production division of the country's defense industries for their efforts to modify the base bleed system in order to further enhance the range of the ammunitions from 27 to 42 kilometers.

The defense minister also said such achievements demonstrate that sanctions against Iran have been ineffective.

Base bleed is a system used on some artillery shells to increase their range, typically by about 30%.

Reshaping some artillery shells can significantly reduce the drag on the shells' nose when soaring at supersonic speeds.

Engineers have come up with certain aerodynamic re-patterning of suitable artillery shells to give them proper ballistics through boosting thrust and diminishing airflow pressure.

Photos: Vahid Reza Alayi at JameJamOnline.ir

Improved Fateh ballistic missile test launch

Iran has successfully test-fired a new version of the domestically-built Fateh (Conqueror) missile, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi says.

Addressing a group of reporters on Wednesday, General Vahidi announced that the new generation of Fateh-110 is a 250-kilometer surface-to-surface ballistic missile, with 1) increased range, 2) increased precision, 3) less preparation time required and 4) a faster launch.

The Fateh missile is nine meters (29 feet) long and weighs 3,500 kilograms (7,700 pounds).

Photos:

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Video:

Photos: Vahid Reza Alayi at JameJamOnline.ir

Video: aminiranform

Vahidi 'Iran ready to equip Lebanese Army'

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi says Iran is fully prepared to provide the Lebanese Army with weaponry.

Following an incident about a month ago when Israeli and Lebanese Army units exchanged gunfire after Israel attempted to move a tree at the Lebanese side of the border resulted in 3 Lebanese soldiers and an Israeli military officer dead has frozen 100 million dollars in military aid destined for Lebanon.

As a result of this Lebanese President Michel Sleiman has asked Iran to sell advanced military equipment to the Lebanese Army, Hezbollah has supported this decision saying that Lebanon should get military equipment from friendly countries.

The Lebanese Air Force last year ordered some MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters from Russia but have since replaced the order with 6 Mil Mi-24 Hind gunships.

Zolfaghar and Seraj-1 High-Speed Combat Boats

The production lines for the Seraj-1 high-speed patrol boats and a new generation of the Zolfaghar fast attack craft were launched on Monday by Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi.

The new generation of the Zolfaghar vessel is capable of launching Nasr-1 missiles, and sailing at a speed of 70 knots (82 mph). It is claimed to be able to operate in an average wave height of 1.21 meters while its missiles will effectively work at a height of 1.25 meters.

At the production launch, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy (IRGCN) Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi said that speed boats, especially the newly mass-produced missile-launching vessels, have granted high mobility and power to the IRGC Navy and made it a unique force in the world.

"As regards high-speed missile-launching vessels, no country in the world enjoys such a power (that Iran has)," Fadavi said, addressing a ceremony held to mark inauguration of the production lines of two types of new speed vessels.

"We emphasize that we have gained a unique power in this field of naval defense," Fadavi went on saying.

Admiral Fadavi further compared the high speed of the Iranian vessels and the IRGC Navy's high mobility with the US Navy, and said, "US warships currently have a maximum speed of 31 knots while the Iranian vessels can traverse twice as fast on average."

The commander further stressed his forces' capability to repel possible attacks on the country, and stated, "Given the unimaginable growth in Iran's defensive power, we can defend our country's borders and interests in the best possible way."

Meantime, Fadavi stressed that the country's growing trend of defensive power would continue at a higher pace in future.

Photos:

click photos to enlarge

Seraj-1 HSPB armed with 107 mm MRLS

and bow mounted DShK 12.7 mm HMG

Seraj-1, starboard side

Seraj-1, port side

Seraj-1 at speed

Zolfaghar FAC armed with bow mounted DShK 12.7 mm HMG

and a pair of Nasr-1 missile launchers

Defense Minister Vahidi peers out from the control station

Interior view of the Zolfaghar control station

Zolfaghar propeller detail

Zolfaghar FAC in production stage

Zolfaghar at speed (1)

Zolfaghar at speed (2)

Metal working facilities

Fiberglass construction facilities

Fiberglass construction details

Videos:

Photo credits:

Hamed Haghdoust at Fars News Agency

Abdolfazi Salmanzadeh at Mehr News Agency

Vahid Reza Alayi at JamejamOnline.ir

Hamid Forootan at Iranian Students News Agency

VahidReza Alaei at Borna News Agency