An Iranian made Qassed "smart bomb" is
seen at a munitions factory in Tehran August 26, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
TEHRAN, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Sunday
inaugurated a production line for manufacturing 2000-pound "smart bomb" that
could be deployed by the country's F-4 and F-5 fighter jets, local Fars news
agency reported.
The bomb, named Qased or Messenger, is "an
air-to-surface, long-range, guided bomb which has been designed through
utilizing the most advanced technologies," Defense Minister Brigadier General
Mostafa Mohammad Najjar was quoted as saying.
Once Qased is deployed, Iranian fighter jets can
destroy enemy targets by this high-precision bomb without coming into the range
of enemy fire, according to Najjar.
Reiterating the home-grown nature of the bomb, Najjar
said that Qased was designed in accordance with the needs of the Iranian air
force to strategic arsenals and bombs.
Iran's production of such new and strategic bombs,
missiles and weapons aims to deter enemies from invading the country, he said,
adding that "these equipment and instruments are meant to reinvigorate
sustainable peace, stability and security in the region."
Meanwhile, a four-part production line for making
low-caliber piercing bullets, dubbed Saqeb or Meteor, was launched on Sunday.
"The production line of the small caliber arsenals
with high penetration power was actually inaugurated in line with the country's
defense doctrine which underlines deterrence and all-out defense," Najjar said.
The Iranian official stressed that the machineries of
the two production lines could not be imported from other countries due to the
West's sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
"This is a teeth-breaking response to the sanctions
of the world arrogance," he said. "Sanctions made our experts decisive to end
Iran's dependence and promote the country's military potentials."
TEHRAN, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran and the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday agreed on a working plan to clarify
outstanding ambiguities over Tehran's nuclear program, a top IAEA official
said.
"We have in front of us an agreed working plan ...(and)
agreed on modalities on how to implement it," IAEA Deputy Director General Olli
Heinonen told a press conference. Full story
