The Facts
According to Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the country's Revolutionary Guards' aerospace commander announced that Tehran has built a hypersonic ballistic missile. So far, there have been no reports of Iran using the weapon.
Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh told reporters on Thursday that this homegrown hypersonic ballistic missile is capable of striking and penetrating advanced air defense systems, adding that he doesn't "think that any technology" capable of countering it would be found "for tens of years."
The Spin
Pro-Iran narrative
This announcement shows that Iranian armed forces have not only become self-sufficient in weapons manufacturing in recent years but also that they can develop state-of-the-art equipment. It must be crystal clear to Iran's enemies that Tehran will never hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, nor will it negotiate its defense capabilities.
Anti-Iran narrative
While global powers like China, Russia, and the US are believed to be pursuing hypersonic weapons, this announcement is likely to be another fabrication by Tehran. Hypersonic missiles aren't listed in the Revolutionary Guard's broad ballistic program, and the commander has offered not a single shred of evidence to support his claim.
