Iran has neither technology nor industrial potential to build ballistic missiles, Strategic Missile Forces chief Lt. Gen. Sergei Karakayev said on Friday, RIA Novosti reported.
There have been media reports about test launches of Iranian intercontinental ballistic missiles but the Strategic Missile Forces doubt these missiles will have the effective range to reach Europe, he added.
Iran's ballistic program, which along with its nuclear activities is subject to UN sanctions, has created worries in the international community that Tehran could succeed in producing missiles capable of delivering an atomic warhead.
Karakayev said Russia will develop a new liquid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile to overcome the U.S. prospective missile defense system.
The United States is building a missile defense system in Europe to protect against possible attack from 'rogue states' such as Iran.
A decision has been made to create a new silo-launched heavy missile that will have "enhanced capability to breach a hypothetical US missile defense system," he said.
The new missile will replace the Voyevoda R-36M2 Satan ICBM.
Russia's solid-propellant ICBMs may be unable to penetrate missile defenses, Karakayev noted.
Edited by: S. Isayev