TEHRAN, Iran – Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday inaugurated the country’s first domestically built unmanned bomber aircraft, calling it an “ambassador of death” to Iran’s enemies.The four-metre-long drone aircraft can carry up to four cruise missiles and will have a range of 620 miles (1 000 kilometres), according to a state TV report – not far enough to reach arch-enemy Israel.“The jet, as well as being an ambassador of death for the enemies of humanity, has a main message of peace and friendship,” said Ahmadinejad at the inauguration ceremony, which fell on the country’s national day for its defence industries.The goal of the aircraft, named Karrar or Striker, is to “keep the enemy paralysed in its bases”, he said, adding that the aircraft is for deterrence and defensive purposes.The president championed the country’s military self-sufficiency programme, and said it would continue “until the enemies of humanity lose hope of ever attacking the Iranian nation”.Iran launched an arms development programme during its 1980-88 war with Iraq to compensate for a United States weapons embargo and now produces its own tanks, armoured personnel carries, missiles and even a fighter plane.Iran frequently makes announcements about new advances in military technology that cannot be independently verified. (AP)
