Tasnim – Iran’s defense minister said Tehran is developing a long-range air-launched cruise missile (ALCM).

In remarks on Friday, Brigadier General Amir Hatami said homegrown air-launched cruise missiles are undergoing tests.

A long-range cruise missile is also being developed for arming aircraft, and would hopefully be prepared on schedule, the minister added.

He said the Defense Ministry is seriously pressing on with the development of the new long-range cruise missile, noting that the research project would yield results if it faces no technical obstacle.

Highlighting Iran’s progress in manufacturing various cruise missiles, the general said the Defense Ministry has already unveiled ‘Hoveizeh’ and ‘Soumar’ ground-to-ground cruise missiles with a range of around 1,400 kilometers.

According to Brigadier General Hatami, Iran has been elevated from the 23rd to the 14th place in the world ranking of the most powerful military forces.

On Thursday, Iran unveiled two new types of long-range missiles, named after former IRGC Quds Force Commander Lt. General Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU).

The first ballistic missile dubbed “Martyr Hajj Qassem Soleimani” has a range close to 1,400 kilometers, while the second one dubbed “Martyr Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis” is a cruise missile with a range of 1,000 kilometers.