September 16, 2017 - 17:25 AMT
Iran says possesses 10-ton ‘father of all bombs’

A senior commander says Iran possesses domestically-made 10-ton “father of all bombs” that dwarfs the most powerful non-nuclear weapon the United States has, Press TV reports.

“Following a proposal by the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), [Iran’s] Defense Industries [Organization] manufactured a 10-ton bomb. These bombs are at our disposal. They can be launched from Ilyushin aircraft and they are highly destructive,” IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said in a Friday TV interview.

The commander referred to the ordnance as Iran’s “father of all bombs” as compared with the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), also known as the "mother of all bombs."

The MOAB weighs about 22,000 pounds (9,800 kg), and was said to be the most powerful non-nuclear weapon ever designed. It was developed during the US war on Iraq and is intended to target large below-surface areas.

Iran has repeatedly insisted that its military capabilities are solely aimed for defense purposes and they pose no threat to other countries. The country has also been assisting its allies, including Iraq and Syria, in their ongoing fight against terrorism.

In June, the IRGC fired six medium-range ballistic missiles at Daesh targets in northeastern Dayr al-Zawr province in response to a June 7 terrorist attack in Tehran, which killed 18 people.

Photo: Amir Kholoosi / ISNA News Agency