Iran claims it has developed a hypersonic missile

Iran’s government claimed on Tuesday it had a ballistic missile that could travel at up to 15 times the speed of sound, with a range of almost 900 miles. Hypersonic missiles travel in excess of Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. There is no missile defense system capable of stopping the missile, according to Iran Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh. Iranian media says the missile features a moveable nozzle and solid fuel, increasing its maneuverability.

If Iran has developed a missile, what could that mean for the region? Western military analysts say that Iran sometimes exaggerates its missile capabilities. If the missile is as maneuverable as Iran claims, missile defense systems in the region could experience difficulty shooting it down. The U.S. has expressed concern that Iran’s missile program could develop ballistic missiles to arm with nuclear weapons. Iran has claimed it is not trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Dig deeper: Read A.S. Ibrahim’s column in WORLD Opinions about the poisoning of young schoolgirls in Iran.