Iran vows ‘unrestrained’ force with new missile ahead of next round of US nuclear talks
Iran's state media said the solid-fuel, precision-guided ballistic missile, Qasem Basir, carried "a clear message" to Israel, which has "prior experience" with being hit by Iranian projectiles.
TEHRAN — Iran has unveiled a new ballistic missile, Qasem Basir, claiming it is capable of reaching Israeli territory and bypassing such advanced US defense systems as THAAD.
Unlike traditional Iranian missiles that rely on GPS and inertial navigation, Qasem Basir incorporates electro-optical guidance using thermal imaging sensors with a carbon fiber body that makes it largely undetectable, according to government-run media.
According to Iranian officials, such features position the missile as a competitor to Israel's Arrow missile defense system — designed to intercept long-range ballistic threats — and make it highly resistant to electronic warfare, particularly GPS jamming, which Israel has used effectively in previous conflicts.
The missile is an upgraded version of its predecessor, Haj Qasem — named after Iran's most powerful general, Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a US airstrike in Baghdad in 2020.
