Iran Readies Ballistic Missiles Against US, FBI Says Iran Hackers Target Key US Departments

By Athena Yenko

(Photo: REUTERS/Fars News/Handout / )

An undated handout picture shows the Iranian supersonic ballistic missile, Persian Gulf, during a war-game in an unknown location in Iran. The Arabic script reads, "Ya Aliyebn-Abitaleb", a religious title for Imam Ali, the first Imam of Shi'ite Muslims.

Iran's ballistic missiles, radars and satellites against its enemies are all geared up, according to the deputy commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps or IRCG Hossein Salami. The warning comes after the United States announced extended deadline for the Iran nuclear negotiation to July 2015.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei had called for Iran's military to have its military arsenals on the standby, Salami said. He highlighted that Iran's ground-to-ground missiles can hit enemy targets even if they are thousands of kilometres away. These warnings made Israel vulnerable for it only sits 1,600 kilometres from Tehran.

The country will also be testing new radar systems and test fire new missiles by January. Its troops are also being trained to launch rocket-propelled grenades.

Salami also highlighted that Iran is in possession of ballistic missiles that can hit target as far as 2,000 kilometres - capable of targeting parts of Europe and the Middle East. He further warned that Iran's ballistic missile programmes are not prohibited with the interim nuclear agreement in place. Iran's ballistic missiles can bring "deadly blows of various magnitudes to our enemies," Salami said as quoted by The Washington Free Beacon.

Salami had particularly threatens warships deployed by U.S. in the Persian Gulf, saying that Iran's land-to-sea missiles are capable of reaching naval targets deep in the sea; its radars able to detect enemy satellites; its drones able to track enemy movements thousands of kilometres beyond the borders. He noted that Iran's satellites are capable of seeing even the minuscule objects on the ground. These satellites can also acquire photographs from all over the world, Salami added.

Salami confirmed that Iran is supplying arms to Palestinian terrorists in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. "I am sure that the day will come - and that day is not far off - when the West Bank will become a living hell for the security of the Zionists. We shall see the day when the children of the West Bank and Gaza will hold hands. Allah willing, the day is near," Salami declared.

On Dec 12, the Federal Bureau of Investigation or FBI warned key U.S. departments about a sophisticated Iranian hacking. The hackers had targeted US defence contractors, energy companies and educational institutions, according to a report from Reuters.

Iran has been making big investments to improve its cyber capabilities as way of retaliation against US and Israel. It was alleged that both countries launched a computer virus that destroyed Iran's nuclear programme. According to cyber experts spoken to by Reuters, it is now apparent that Iran's generous investments had been paying off.

Iranian hackers are good and talented, CEO of TrustedSEC LLC Dave Kennedy said. They are hands down a serious threat, no question asked, Kennedy told Reuters.

If the FBI issued its stern warning, then the Iranian hacking had affected the U.S. gravely than what the agency revealed to the public, Cyclance Chief Executive Stuart McClure also told Reuters. He highlighted that the incident underscores Iran's "determination and fixation on large-scale compromise of critical infrastructure."

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