(Al Jazeera) | March 7, 2010

Iran’s defence minister has announced a new production line of short-range cruise missiles which he says are highly accurate and capable of evading radar.

General Ahmad Vahidi told state news agency IRNA on Sunday that the Nasr 1 would be capable of destroying targets such as warships.

“The Nasr-1 missile is able to destroy 3,000-tonne targets,” he said.

The missile is launched from the ground but will eventually be modified to fire from helicopters and submarines, he said.

Iran frequently makes announcements about new advances in its military technology that cannot be independently verified.

The Islamic Republic began a military self-sufficiency programme in 1992, under which it produces a large range of weapons, including tanks, medium range missiles, jet fighters and torpedoes.

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