Iran unveils indigenous ballistic, cruise missiles amid US tensions
Iranian Revolutionary Guard members arrive for a ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, at the Azadi (Freedom) Square, in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 11, 2019. (AP Photo)


Iran unveiled Thursday a new surface-to-surface ballistic missile and a new cruise missile, ignoring U.S. demands that Tehran halt its missile program.

"The surface-to-surface missile, called martyr Qassem Soleimani, has a range of 1,400 kilometers (870 miles), and the cruise missile, called martyr Abu Mahdi, has a range of over 1,000 km," Defense Minister Amir Hatami said in a televised speech.

They are named after top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed outside Baghdad’s international airport in a U.S. strike in January.

Pictures of the missiles were shown on state TV.

State TV said the "Martyr Hajj Qassem" missile was not intercepted by a defense system during a test.

Also on Thursday, Iran unveiled a fourth-generation light turbo-fan engine for its advanced drones.

Iran also inaugurated the production line of its domestically produced "Owj" engine for the Iranian-made twin-seat Kowsar fighter jet.

Iran routinely unveils technological achievements for its armed forces, its space program and its nuclear efforts.

President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the nuclear agreement between Iran and six major powers in 2018 and tensions between the two countries have escalated since.