Iran announced Sunday that it tested a new naval air defense missile during military drills in the Strait of Hormuz as the United States continues to increase its military presence in the region.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy launched the Sayyad 3-G missile for the first time during the "Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz" exercise, according to Iran’s state-linked Mehr News Agency.
The Sayyad 3-G, a naval adaptation of Iran’s land-based Sayyad-3 air defense system, is reported to have a range of approximately 150 kilometers (about 93 miles) and can be fired from ship-based vertical launch systems.
The missile is intended to intercept military aircraft, maritime patrol planes and high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles.
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Iranian state media said it can integrate into a ship’s onboard radar systems and command-and-control network while also maintaining independent tracking capability.
The announcement comes amid heightened regional tensions and a continued U.S. military buildup in the Gulf as Washington holds talks with Tehran over its nuclear program.
The U.S. currently has a significant buildup of naval and air assets positioned around Iran, particularly across the eastern Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.
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The U.S. has been building up forces in the region, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and multiple guided-missile destroyers operating in the Arabian Sea, as well as additional destroyers stationed in the Mediterranean and Red Sea.
Several combat ships are also positioned in the Persian Gulf near Iran’s southern coastline.
At least one U.S. military base in Saudi Arabia is shown hosting aircraft, with additional installations across the region supporting air operations and logistics.
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In an interview Sunday on CBS News’ "Face the Nation," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said diplomacy remains the only path forward and dismissed the impact of the U.S. military buildup.
"There is no need for any military buildup, and military buildup cannot help it and cannot pressurize us," he said.
Araghchi confirmed that Iranian and U.S. negotiators are expected to meet again Thursday in Geneva, saying he believes it is "quite possible" to prepare a draft text and reach a deal quickly.
He added that talks are focused solely on nuclear issues and "there is no other subject."
