TEHRAN - Iran announced the "successful test" of a new cruise missile with a range of over 1,350 kilometres during celebrations marking the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, state television reported.
"The test of the Hoveizeh cruise missile was carried out successfully at a range of 1,200km and accurately hit the set target," Defence Minister Amir Hatami was quoted by saying after its launch.
"It can be ready in the shortest possible time and flies at a very low altitude," he said, describing the Hoveizeh as the "long arm of the Islamic Republic of Iran" in defending itself.
It is part of the Soumar group of cruise missile, first unveiled in 2015 with a range of 700km, according to the minister.
The Hoveizeh unveiling was part of an arms exhibition titled "40 years of defensive achievements" held in Tehran.
Amirali Hajizadeh, head of the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace division, said at the unveiling that Iran had overcome initial problems in producing jet engines for cruise missiles and could now manufacture a full range of the weapons.
The Defence Ministry's website carried an undated video purportedly showing the Hoveizeh being test-fired from a mobile launcher.
Since agreeing to a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Iran has expanded its missile programme despite warnings from the United States.
In January, it tried to launch a satellite into space which it said failed. The launch followed a US warning to Iran against undertaking three planned rocket launches that Washington said would violate a UN Security Council resolution.
The resolution, which enshrined Iran's nuclear deal, called upon Tehran to refrain for up to eight years from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons.(FA)