Iran testfires surface-to-surface missile - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Iran on Friday announced that it had test fired a surface-to-surface missile. Ahmad Vahidi, the country's Defence Minister, said that the missile - Qiam -, which means 'Rising', was test-fired in a desert amid chants of 'Allahu Akbar' (God is greatest). The words "Ya Mahdi" were written on the side of the missile, referring to Imam Mahdi, one of the 12 imams of Shiite Islam, who disappeared as a boy and whom the faithful believe will return one day to bring redemption to mankind. Vahidi revealed the information during Friday prayers in Tehran, which was broadcast on television. He did not say when the launch took place nor did he reveal the precise range of the missile. Iran's ISNA news agency cited Vahidi as saying that Qiam was entirely designed and built domestically and was powered by liquid fuel.