Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, Apr 07, 2026

Iran unveils new missiles as tensions between Washington and Tehran mount over arms embargo

Iran unveils new missiles as tensions between Washington and Tehran mount over arms embargo

Iran unveiled new ballistic and cruise missiles, a move likely to peeve Washington as the Trump administration attempts to rein in the regime’s missile and nuclear weapon ambitions.

Iran unveiled a new surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Thursday, a move likely to peeve Washington as the Trump administration attempts to rein in the regime’s missile and nuclear weapon ambitions.

Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami said in a televised address that the missile has a range of approximately 870 miles and is named after Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in an U.S. strike in Iraq in January. Hatami also said the regime had a new cruise missile boasting a range more than 620 miles and was named after Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who also was killed in the strike.

Hatami added that the new missiles “will further strengthen Iran’s deterrence power.”

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani described the new missiles as important for defense.

“Missiles and particularly cruise missiles are very important for us. ... The fact that we have increased the range from 300 to 1,000 [kilometers] in less than two years is a great achievement,” Rouhani said. “Our military might and missile programs are defensive,” he added.


A new cruise missile unveiled by Iran and called martyr Abu Mahdi is seen in an unknown location in Iran in this picture received by Reuters on August 20, 2020.


The show of force comes as the Trump administration pushed members of the Security Council to extend a U.N.-imposed arms embargo on Iran. The embargo is currently set to end in October under the 2015 nuclear deal brokered, in part, by the Obama administration.

Last week, the Security Council voted to not extend the international arms embargo on Iran, a decision that prompted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to formally notify the group on Thursday of the U.S. intention to “snap back” or restore all U.N. sanctions on Iran.

Thirty days after Pompeo’s notification, a range of U.N. sanctions will be restored, including the requirement that Iran suspends all enrichment-related activities. The “snap back” will also extend the 13-year arms embargo on Iran.

“Secretary Pompeo’s notification to the Council follows its inexcusable failure last week to extend the arms embargo on the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and anti-Semitism,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

In January, Iran said that it would further scale back compliance with the international nuclear pact and would no longer limit its uranium enrichment capacity or nuclear research.

While the other signatories of the nuclear deal ⁠— France, Germany, the U.K., Russia and China ⁠— have tried to keep the agreement alive, the state broadcast said at the time that Tehran’s steps could be reversed if Washington lifted its sanctions.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have mounted following Trump’s withdrawal from the landmark Iran nuclear agreement in 2018, calling it “the worst deal ever.”

The 2015 agreement lifted sanctions on Iran that crippled its economy and cut its oil exports roughly in half. In exchange for sanctions relief, Iran accepted limits on its nuclear program until the terms expired in 2025.

Trump has previously said that the U.S. wants to reach a broader deal with Iran that puts stricter limits on its nuclear and ballistic missile work and suppresses the regime’s role in regional proxy wars. Tehran has refused to negotiate while U.S. sanctions remain in place.


Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Taiwan to Source Oil Shipments from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Ports
Saudi Arabia Evacuates Riyadh Financial District as Precaution Amid Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Balances Ambitious Economic Vision Amid Regional Tensions and Financial Pressures
Budget Saudi Arabia Reports Strong Full-Year 2025 Financial Performance
Saudi Arabia Expands Investment in Capcom With Stake Reaching Six Percent
Saudi Arabia Assesses Significant Economic Impact From Regional Conflict Involving Iran
US Beef Secures Expanded Market Access in Saudi Arabia
Jordan and Saudi Arabia Declare Absolute Solidarity in Response to Iranian Threats
Saudi Arabia Raises Oil Prices to Record Premium Amid Strong Market Demand
California’s Salton Sea Emerges as Strategic Lithium Hub for Clean Energy Future
Iranian Drone Strike on US Embassy in Saudi Arabia Reportedly Targeted Intelligence Facility
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Meets French Embassy Official to Strengthen Bilateral Engagement
Saudi Arabia Calls on United States to Seize Strategic Opportunity to Reshape Middle East
Dating Apps Surge in Saudi Arabia as Social Norms Rapidly Evolve Among Youth
Saudi Arabia Detains Over Fourteen Thousand Illegal Residents in Week-Long Enforcement Drive
Saudi Foreign Minister Engages in Diplomatic Talks with Pakistan, Kuwait and Latvia on Regional Developments
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Cruise Missile as Regional Tensions Intensify
Saudi Stock Market Edges Higher as Tadawul Index Records Modest Gain
Underlying Rivalry Between Saudi Arabia and UAE Persists Despite Temporary Calm
Saudi Arabia’s Non-Oil Sector Contracts in March as Regional Tensions Weigh on Business Activity
Saudi Arabia Unveils Ambition to Establish Prestigious Global Prize Rivaling the Nobel
Saudi Crown Prince to Engage Wall Street in Push for Investment and Economic Expansion
Iran Accuses Saudi Arabia and UAE After Downing of Chinese-Made Drone
Saudi Arabia Condemns Attack on Hospital in Sudan, Calls for Protection of Civilians
Coordinated Drone Strike Targets CIA Facility Within US Embassy in Saudi Arabia
Italy’s Meloni Prioritises Energy Security and Strait of Hormuz Stability During Gulf Tour
Uncertainty Emerges Over Timeline and Direction of Saudi Arabia’s Ambitious Ski Resort Project
UAE and Saudi Arabia Escalate Strategy with Drone Operations Targeting Iran
Trump Delivers Characteristic Remarks on Saudi Crown Prince Amid Intensifying Iran Conflict
Drone Strike on US Embassy in Riyadh Caused Greater Damage Than First Reported
Saudi Arabia Introduces Flexible Solutions for Expired Visas Amid Regional Disruptions
Saudi Arabia’s Online Car Market Accelerates with AI Pricing and Fully Digital Buying Experience
Saudi Arabia Reassesses Defence Strategy as Iranian Drone Threat Drives Shift in Military Partnerships
Drone Strikes Target Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain as Regional Conflict Intensifies
Japan and Saudi Arabia Align Efforts to Ease Rising Tensions with Iran
Saudi Crown Prince and Italy’s Meloni Strengthen Strategic Ties in High-Level Talks
SpaceX Explores Potential Five Billion Dollar Investment from Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund Ahead of IPO
Saudi Arabia Lifts Key Import Barriers to Expand Access for U.S. Beef Exports
Saudi Arabia Enforces Strict Travel Penalties for Visits to Restricted Countries
Italy’s Meloni Embarks on Strategic Gulf Tour to Address Energy Security and Regional Stability
Saudi Film Festival Rescheduled to Summer as Regional Tensions Continue
Saudi Arabia Reports Forty Two Point Six Billion Dollars in Foreign Tourist Spending in 2025
Saudi Crown Prince and Russian President Hold Strategic Call on Escalating Regional Crisis
Saudi Arabia Advances Rail Network as Strategic Alternative to Strait of Hormuz Shipping Route
Ruanyun Edai Launches Saudi Arabia Hub With Forecast of Ten Percent Revenue Growth
Greek Defence Minister Visits Troops in Saudi Arabia Following Successful Missile Interception
Saudi Arabia Expands Global Strategy With Focus on African Critical Minerals
SpaceX Explores Potential Five Billion Dollar Investment From Saudi Fund Ahead of Possible IPO
US Central Command Dismisses Iranian Claim of Mass Casualties Among American Personnel in Saudi Arabia
Co-Diagnostics to Establish Molecular Diagnostics Facility in Saudi Arabia Through Joint Venture
×