Showcases New Underground Facility
In what is being seen as a bid to ramp up the pressure on the US and President Joe Biden, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard have showcased a new underground facility designated for missile storage on state television. However, Tehran did not say where the facility is or however many missiles will be stored there.
The US’s refusal to return to the negotiating table unless and until Iran return to fulfilling its nuclear commitments – something Tehran has refused to do until sanctions are lifted – has ensured that veiled threats by Tehran have continued. In January this year, Iran showcased its ballistic missile might by firing an air-to-air Azarakhsh (Thunderbolt) missile at mock targets – a clear message to Washington and the Western world. Iran is believed to have missiles that can travel 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles), placing much of the Middle East, including Israel, within range. Iran’s underground facilities are also said to be located around the Strait of Hormuz which can in theory threaten oil supplies in the Gulf areas and thus affect much of the world’s oil supply.
