Kowsar: Iran unveils 'first domestically made' fighter jet
21st August, 2018Category: International
Iran has unveiled the country's first domestically designed and built Kowsar fighter on Tuesday ahead of the National Day of Defense Industry. The jet is capable of carrying various weapons and could be used for aerial support missions. The fighter conducted the first demonstration flight during a special ceremony attended by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. The announcement was made at the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, when many Iranians would be at home and more likely to be watching television.
Iran is currently under economic and diplomatic pressure from a raft of sanctions reimposed by the United States earlier this month, and the unveiling could be seen as a bid to show self-sufficiency and military might in the face of that pressure. In May 2018, US President Donald Trump said that the United States would leave Iran's nuclear deal, which stipulated that Tehran should ensure the peaceful nature of its missile program in exchange for gradual lifting of international sanctions. Iran has unveiled several new fighter jets in the last few years. In 2013, the country unveiled the Qahar-313, a new fighter jet that Iran compared to the US F-22 and F-35. But many aviation experts voiced skepticism regarding the design and quality of the build of that plane. Iran has sent weapons and soldiers to Syria during the country's seven-year civil war in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Read More: CNN