Iran Unveiled Its New “Shahed-136B” Kamikaze UAV And “Jihad” Ballistic Missile
Iran began “Sacred Defense Week,” which is held yearly from 22 to 29 September, to remember the 1980-88 war against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, with a military parade in the capital, Tehran, on Sunday. Despite the turmoil in the Middle East, the 44th edition of the event was attended by senior military leaders, including Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian, Major General Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, and Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of the Iranian General Staff.
As part of the ceremony, military units from the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Armed Forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps marched in front of senior military leaders, accompanied by missiles, tanks, and various weapon systems, to display their military and defense achievements in Baharistan Square, adjacent to the Iranian Parliament. These included a new ballistic missile called ‘Jihad’ and an improved version of the recently popular Shahed-136 unmanned aerial vehicle.
The Iranian press reported limited information about the characteristics of these two new acquisitions. IRNA reported that the solid-fuelled Jihad missile was designed and built by the aviation arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and had an operational range of 1,000 kilometers. Tasnim News claimed that the Shahed-136B drone is an improved version of the Shahed-136 with new features and an operational range of more than 4,000 kilometers.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in his speech at the parade: “Today, Iran’s defense power and deterrent capability have reached a point that no enemy would even dare to imagine aggression against our soil.” Highlighting Iran’s power to defend itself, Pezeshkian said unity and solidarity among the Islamic countries will ensure regional peace and security. “If we maintain unity and join hands, Israeli won’t be able to continue its atrocities,” he added.
These comments and developments come at a time when Western governments are intensifying accusations that Iran is supplying drones and missiles to Russia and anti-Israeli proxies in the Middle East. Although Iran denies these allegations, reports from the field suggest otherwise.