Iran unveils new missile as Israel US tensions escalate
Against a backdrop of threats from the United States and Israel, Iran has unveiled a new ballistic missile. On May 4th, the country showcased the “Qassem Basir” missile amid tensions over Tehran’s allied militant groups in the region, according to the Arab Weekly plus agencies.
During an interview with Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, the missile was described as “immune” to America’s vaunted THAAD missile defense system, with a range of 1,200 km.
The reveal reflects Tehran’s deterrence strategy after the Iranian-back Houthis launched an attack near Israel’s main airport just hours earlier, prompting a series of threats from Jerusalem and Washington.
In a video published on Telegram, Netanyahu said Israel had “acted against” the Iran-backed rebels in the past and “will act in the future.” US President Donald Trump also weighed in, posting on X that he would hold Iran responsible for any attacks carried out by the Houthi group.
In direct response to these threats, Nasirzadeh shot back “If we are attacked and war is waged against us, we will respond with force and will target their interests and their bases.”
The West has long condemned Iran’s missile and nuclear development, even as the latter maintains these are for energy and not military purposes. Still, Iran faces accusations of destabilizing the region by supporting its “axis of resistance” network of militant groups in Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, and Yemen.
Recently, however, three rounds of talks between Iran and the US signaled the most substantial thaw in tensions since 2018, when Trump pulled out of the nuclear deal (JCPOA), under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
A fourth round, scheduled in Rome on May 3rd, was postponed due to logistical reasons, and the momentum seems increasingly fraught.
“Unfortunately, we are witnessing that, on the one hand, American officials state that they are honest and willing to negotiate, and on the other hand, some American officials regularly and through various means threaten the Islamic Republic with a military attack,” Nasirzadeh remarked.
The Arab Weekly plus agencies/Maghrebi
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