Officials said this marked the first flight-test of the solid-fuel
intermediate-range ballistic missile, named Sajil. They said the casing and
subsystems of the missile resembled those of the Shihab-3, also reported to
have a range of 2,000 kilometers.
"This missile test was conducted within the framework of a defensive,
deterrent strategy and specifically with defensive objectives," Najar said.
Officials said the development of Sajil marked a watershed in Iran's
military buildup. They said solid-fuel missiles, more accurate than their
liquid-fuel counterparts, could be removed from storage, prepared and fired
within 90 minutes. In contrast, liquid-fuel missiles such as the Shihab-3
could take up to 12 hours to fuel.
Iran has reported the development of a range of ballistic missiles,
rockets torpedoes and air and ground platforms. Most of the weapons were
said to have been tested in military exercises over the last two years.
Iranian television showed the Sajil launch on Nov. 12. Earlier, Western
intelligence sources said an Iranian state television report of a successful
intermediate-range ballistic missile launch in July 2008 was bogus.
Six days later, the Iranian media reported the launch of a new
surface-to-surface missile during an exercise by the Islamic Revolutionary
Guards Corps. Iran's Press TV said the Nov. 11 exercise took place in
Marivan along the border with Iraq.
Press TV did not provide details of the missile, later identified as
Sajil. The news outlet said IRGC also tested artillery systems and rockets
during the exercise near the
Iraqi border.
"During the Nov. 10 maneuver, Iranian forces also put to the test IRGC's
heavy and semi-heavy artillery and rocket launchers," the Iranian television
said.
