TEHRAN: Iran unveiled a new surface-to-air missile on Tuesday and two radar systems it said would improve its defences against “enemies”.

The military ceremony came just one week after Iran said it downed an Israeli spy drone that had reportedly been deployed above the Natanz uranium enrichment site in central Iran.

The Talash-3 (Effort-3, in Persian) missile is capable of hitting targets at higher altitudes than previously possible, said General Farzad Esmaili, Iran’s aviation defence commander, without stating its range.

But he said the new missile meant that the military “no longer thought about” the S-300 missile system that Russia stopped delivering to Iran because of sanctions linked to the latter’s nuclear programme.

Iran and Russia signed a contract worth $800 million in 2007 for the S-300, which is capable of intercepting planes or missiles, but the deal was cancelled by Moscow three years later under a UN resolution. Iran is demanding compensation for the S-300 contract being axed.

Esmaili sought to play up Iran’s defence capabilities as he revealed the Talash-3. “The enemies saw what we did with their drones,” he said, alluding to last week’s apparent downing of the Israeli aircraft.

Esmaili also showed off two radar systems — the Arash-2, which can detect small drones at a distance of 150 kilometres, he said, and the Kayhan system which can locate missiles and drones.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2014