Iran says anti-missile defenses tested to protect ‘sensitive’ sites

The Iranian military says it has successfully tested anti-missile defenses for “sensitive” sites during war games in central Iran, after Israeli and US warnings over its nuclear program.

“The country’s air defenses are perfectly prepared to protect sensitive and vital installations through a multi-layered defense system,” says General Amir-Qader Rahimzadeh, commander of Hazrat Khatam al-Anbiya air base in Semnan, quoted by Fars news agency.

The exercises, begun on Tuesday, combined the army’s Majid defense system with the Dezful system of the elite Revolutionary Guard Corps to destroy incoming cruise missiles.

Iran’s central region is home to the Natanz enrichment plant and other nuclear sites.

The war games there came ahead of a visit to Iran on Thursday by a European Union envoy coordinating talks on reviving a troubled nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers including the United States.

“A solid and multi-layered defense against cruise missile attacks was one of the objectives of the joint air defense exercises that were carried out successfully,” Rahimzadeh says.

State news agency IRNA says radars and electronic surveillance systems were also deployed in the operations.