Page 45 - IRANRptSep19

uranium to build a nuclear weapon or at the break-out stage.
9.1.13 Defence sector news
Iran debuts missile system
Iran has debuted a domestically built long-range missile system. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a speech in Tehran on August 22 during the unveiling of the mobile air-to-surface Bavar-373 missile system that since Iran’s “enemies don’t accept logic, we cannot respond with logic”.
"When the enemy launches a missile against us, we cannot give a speech and say: 'Mr Rocket, please do not hit our country and our innocent people. Rocket-launching sir, if you can please hit a button and self-destruct the missile in mid-air,'" he added.
Tehran remains defiant in the face of the US “economic war and terrorism” that many observers worry could spiral into a military confrontation.
The country’s leadership is sticking to its position that talks with US President Donald Trump would not even be considered unless Washington drops the sanctions it is using in an attempt at throttling the Iranian economy to force concessions from Tehran on its military capabilities and geopolitical roles in the Middle East.
The Bavar-373 system is seen by some military analysts as a rival to the Russian S-300 missile system. Its unveiling occurred on Iran's National Defence Industry Day.
Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami told state television that the system can detect targets more than 300 kilometres away and destroy them at 200 kilometres.
Iran shot down a sophisticated US military surveillance drone in the Persian Gulf with a surface-to-air missile in June. It said the drone entered its territory, while the US claimed it was in international airspace.
Tehran insists that it does not seek confrontation with Washington and that US moves against it are a form of bullying.
Iran has unveiled new tactical armoured vehicles, purportedly designed by the Ministry of Defence, IRIB reported on August 13.
The Iranian military complex has a long history of revealing so-called locally designed vehicles; however, subsequently, many have been revealed to be rebadged imports or just mocked up for appearances on Iranian TV.
The Aras-2, named after the river that separates Iran’s northwestern Azerbaijan region with the northern neighbour and republic of the same name, was shown on state television in a demonstration of its capabilities put on for generals of the Iranian Armed Forces.
Despite the claim that it was designed locally, it appears to be based on the Toyota Land Cruiser.
The pickup variant of the Aras-2 runs on a 133-horsepower engine imported from China called the “CYQD32TI”. This is based on a Nissan diesel engine model.
The flatbed transports a maximum of 2.4 tonnes. That means it can take a twin-barrel ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun and its spare ammunition.
Online forums suggest the overall design of the pickup would be within the capabilities of the Iranian automotive sector, seeing as it is the biggest in the region.
9.1.14 Utilities sector news
45 IRAN Country Report September 2019 www.intellinews.com
Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran have concluded an agreement on the joint