Iran said on Saturday that its latest long-range naval air defence missile, tested in the Strait of Hormuz during drills, can create a “defensive perimeter” of up to 150km.
The Sayyad-3G missile was launched from an Iranian warship, the semi-official Fars news agency reported, amid heightened tensions with the US and growing pressure on Tehran.
Iranian officials said the test was the first operational use of long-range vertical-launch air defence at sea.
The missile is designed to intercept aerial threats, including fighter jets, drones, maritime patrol aircraft and certain cruise missiles, they added.
The drills this week also involved Russian and Chinese navies. The strait is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, through which about a fifth of global oil passes.
The Iranian announcement came after US President Donald Trump warned he was “considering” military strikes if Tehran does not agree to new nuclear terms.
The US has deployed additional military assets to the region, including aircraft carrier strike groups, in what analysts view as preparation for possible escalation.
Asked on Friday if he was considering a limited military strike to pressure Iran to agree to terms over its nuclear programme, Mr Trump said: “I guess I can say I am considering that.”
The US President has been warning of possible strikes for weeks – first amid Iran's crackdown on a nationwide protests, and then as Washington and Tehran returned to negotiations over the Iranian nuclear programme.
Mr Trump claimed that 32,000 people were killed during the unrest, a figure far higher than previously reported. Iran on Saturday swiftly rejected the claim.
“Fulfilling our pledge of full transparency towards our own people, Iran's government has already published a comprehensive list of all 3,117 victims of recent terrorist operation[s], including about 200 officers. If anyone disputes accuracy of our data, please share any evidence,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X.
The last round of talks between the US and Iran was held in Geneva on Tuesday. Afterwards, US officials said “progress was made, but there are still a lot of details to discuss”.
The issue of uranium enrichment is central. Israel and the US have said they want Iran to cease all enrichment activity and dismantle plants. Iran insists on retaining some fuel-making capacity for peaceful purposes.
Mr Araghchi said in an interview with MSNBC that American negotiators have not asked Tehran to end its nuclear enrichment programme. He added that the next step was for him to present a draft of a possible deal to Washington “in the next two, three days”.
“A fast deal is something that both sides are interested in,” he added.
