Iran claims it has hypersonic missile

Iran on Tuesday claimed it has created a hypersonic missile that can travel at 15 times the speed of sound. 

The missile, called “Fattah,” was unveiled at a ceremony in Tehran attended by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, according to state media.

“Today we feel that the deterrent power has been formed,” Raisi said at the event. “This power is an anchor of lasting security and peace for the regional countries.”

Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard’s aerospace program, has said the new missile will usher in a new generation of missiles in Iran, according to the IRNA news agency.

Hajizadeh claimed at the unveiling that Fattah has a range of up to 870 miles and that “there exists no system that can rival or counter this missile.” 

Hypersonic weapons can travel more than five times the speed of sound. According to state media, Iran said the new missile can hit targets at speeds of up to Mach 15.

Iran’s debut of the missile is likely to raise concerns in the West and elsewhere about the country’s weapons arsenal.

Former President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal with Iran in 2018, citing in part concerns about Iran’s missile program. President Biden said last year that talks to restart the deal hit a stalemate.

The Associated Press contributed.