Iran threatens to fire “roaring missiles” at “enemies”

A commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has said the country would use missiles to defend itself from its “enemies”, the Independent reports.

It followed hostile rhetoric from US President Donald Trump, after he said on Twitter that Iran was “playing with fire” and announced fresh sanctions on the country.

Head of the Revolutionary Guards’ aerospace unit, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, told Tasnim news agency: “We are working day and night to protect Iran’s security.

“If we see smallest misstep from the enemies, our roaring missiles will fall on their heads.”

Iran responded to the new US sanctions – imposed because of the test firing of a ballistic missile – by announcing another military exercise using its missile and radar systems.

The Revolutionary Guards Sepahnews website said that the aim of the military exercise in Semnan province, central Iran, was to “showcase the power of Iran’s revolution and to dismiss the sanctions.”

Iranian state news agencies reported that home-made missile systems, radars, command and control centres, and cyber warfare systems will be tested in the drill.

The country also announced sanctions of its own against the US.

Although tensions between Washington and Tehran have risen, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said he was not considering raising the number of US forces in the Middle East to address Iran’s “misbehaviour”, but warned that the world would not ignore the country’s activities.