Pentagon Calls Iran’s Missiles A Threat To The Region And Americans
Pentagon says it is working hard to contribute to the self-defense needs of allies and partners to counter threats posed by Iran’s missile program.
Press secretary John F. Kirby said in a briefing on Wednesday that Pentagon is continually watching Iran and is keenly aware of the threats its ballistic missile program poses to the region.
Earlier on Wednesday, at the heels of the new round of nuclear negotiations in Vienna, the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) unveiled a solid-fuel precision-guided ballistic missile with a range of 1,450 kilometers (900 miles), which puts US bases in the region and Israel within range.
Answering a question if the new missile -- dubbed Khaybar Shekan -- is a message to the US and Israel, Kirby said that the US doesn't look at this as a messaging issue, adding, “We see their malign activities as much more than messaging… they are malign activities on their own. They are destabilizing in the region. They're supporting terrorist groups across the region. They are harassing maritime shipping”.
He described it as “a legitimate national security threat issue in the region to our people, to our facilities, and to those of our allies and partners”, saying that “They are advancing a Ballistic Missile Program that is designed for offensive purposes to inflict harm and damage potentially lethal so on other states, other peoples”.
US lawmakers have asked President Joe Biden to focus on Iran’s missile program.
