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Last month, sources reported that Iran had begun working on a new advanced mid-range air missile defense system called Mersad. The announcement came shortly after Iran urged Russia not to cave to international pressure over its deal to deliver S-300 missiles to the rogue state.

This week, Iran announced that it has developed a short-range missile defense system to defeat Cruise missiles. (Source)

“A new short range anti-Cruise defense system with the capability to fire 4,000 rounds of bullets per minute has been produced at the defense ministry and soon will be inaugurated,” defense minister Ahmad Vahidi said. “We are at the design and production phase of various defense systems in the short, medium and long-range categories.”

The Defense Intelligence Agency recently reported that Iran may have the capability to hit the U.S. with an intercontinental ballistic missile, with North Korea’s help, as early as 2015. In 2020, the U.S. will have a Europe-based second shot capability to defend against Iran’s ICBM. Consequently, there will be a five-year protection gap against Iran’s ICBM. Our current plan for homeland defense are interceptors in California and Alaska

Iran has commenced production on its Mersad Missile Defense System, an advanced mid-range missile system. The rogue state has made its intentions clear. Last week, the country went public with its displeasure toward Russia. It seems the former Soviet Union is dragging its feet on the deal to deliver S-300 missiles. Iran also said it will continue to build its systems to defend against possible pre-emptive strikes from Israel and the U.S.

As if it weren’t already obvious, Iran is also displeased with President Barack Obama’s Nuclear Posture Review.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, “The U.S. president has implicitly threatened the Iranian nation with nuclear weapons. These remarks are very strange. The world should not ignore it because in the 21st century, … the head of a state is threatening a nuclear attack. The U.S. president’s remarks are disgraceful. These remarks mean the U.S. government is a villain government that can’t be trusted.” (Source)

Obama’s nuclear strategy is to limit the circumstances in which the U.S. would launch a nuclear weapon and cease development of new nuclear warheads. The review calls for more reductions for Russia and the U.S. Obama also announced that the U.S. won’t use nuclear weapons against countries that don’t have them, except against Iran and North Korea.

That gives strong and comprehensive missile defense advocates a little comfort, but only a little.