Iran plans to unveil new fighter jet and develop missiles, defying US sanctions

Iran plans to unveil a new fighter jet next week and continue developing missile capabilities as a top priority, the defence minister said on Saturday, defying new US sanctions aimed at curbing Tehran's missile programme and regional influence.

"Our top priority has been development of our missile programme. We are in a good position in this field, but we need to develop it," Brigadier General Amir Hatami was quoted as saying by Fars news agency on Saturday.

"We will present a plane on National Defence Industry Day, and people will see it fly and the equipment designed for it,” Hatami added. Iran celebrates National Defence Industry Day on 22 August.

Iran's navy also said on Saturday that it has mounted a locally built “Kamand” advanced defensive weapons system on one of its warships for the first time, as tensions mount with the US military in the Gulf. The system has been dubbed the "Iranian Phalanx" after an automated machinegun produced by US firm Raytheon whose heavy bullets shred incoming missiles, Haaretz reported.

Iran has developed a large domestic arms industry in the face of international sanctions that have barred it from importing many weapons. US President Donald Trump in May withdrew the United States from a 2015 accord between Iran and world powers that curbed Tehran’s nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief.