Lawmaker says Iran's missiles can target US cities and Europe
Iran’s missiles are capable of striking into the heart of Europe and could eventually target US cities from the sea, an Iranian lawmaker said on Sunday.
Iran’s missiles are capable of striking into the heart of Europe and could eventually target US cities from the sea, an Iranian lawmaker said on Sunday.
“Perhaps our next missile will hit Washington directly. We can target America from the sea. The Aerospace Force of the IRGC has been working for 20 years on making it possible to strike America from Iranian ships. Even if we have not yet reached this technology, it remains within our grasp,” Amir Hayat-Moqaddam, a member of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, told Didban Iran.
While the United States is 10,000 kilometers away, Iranian ships could approach within 2,000 kilometers and launch missiles at Washington, New York and other cities, he added.
In early 2023, two Iranian naval vessels, the IRIS Makran and the IRIS Dena, were reported to be heading toward the Panama Canal after crossing the Atlantic, but they ultimately did not transit the waterway. In 2021, Iranian naval vessels Makran and Sahand completed a mission to the Atlantic Ocean, reaching Venezuela.
“Even now, all European countries are in our range. With our existing missiles we can strike France, Germany, the UK, and all of Western and Eastern Europe.”
The threats come as France, the UK and Germany look set to reimpose UN sanctions through the snapback mechanism.
However, Hayat-Moqaddam downplayed the impact, saying that Iran has already endured seven years of sanctions since US President Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA nuclear deal in 2018.
“All possible sanctions have already been imposed on our country. The unilateral and multilateral sanctions by the US and Europe are already at their peak. So activating the snapback mechanism will bring no new negative consequences for Iran’s economy and is merely a political move,” he said.
European officials have warned Tehran that unless it fully cooperates with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the mechanism could be activated, restoring UN sanctions this fall.
Negotiations under the Trump administration began with a 60-day ultimatum to Iran. On the 61st day, June 13, Israel launched a surprise military campaign against Iran, striking key nuclear and military sites and personnel, including Iran's chief of staff and senior nuclear scientists.
The Israeli strikes began on the eve of the sixth round of negotiations with the United States.
On the ninth day of fighting, the United States bombed three Iranian nuclear sites. Trump has consistently said the attack "obliterated" the country's nuclear program.
