Iran showcased its new missile defence systems alongside banners declaring ‘Death to Israel’ at an annual military parade in Tehran on Tuesday.
The banners displayed an image of a fist punching through the Star of David, calling for the destruction of the Jewish State in Farsi. The parade also flaunted Iran’s new Russian-made S-300 air defence missile system, the Sayyad-3 long-range anti-aircraft missile and other offensive military weapons.
The S-300 system, which became operational at the beginning of March, is one of the most advanced of its type in the world and offers large scale protection against missiles and aircraft.
Israel had tried to block the sale of the S-300 system to Iran by Russia, with Israeli Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel saying in 2015 that the S-300 was a “significant but not insurmountable challenge” to Israel.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani attended the parade, stating that Iran needed to “remain vigilant in the face of plots hatched by the others and increase deterrent power”.
