Iran has begun production of its first solid-fuel missile and unveiled a number of new home-grown, remote-controlled vehicles, adding to a string of recent defence equipment announcements. Defence minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan unveiled the Zolfaqar missile, which has a range of 700km, in Bandar Abbas on 21 September. Solid fuel offers advantages to Tehran, as it is easier to handle than liquid fuel and allows missiles to be fired more quickly. The Zolfaqar’s unveiling was followed on 26 September with the launches in Tehran by army ground force commander Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan of an armed, remote-controlled, four-wheel drive robot.
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