国际英语新闻：Iran capable of producing "endless number of ballistic missiles": commander

TEHRAN, July 25 (Xinhua) -- An Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) commander said Sunday that the country is now capable of producing "an endless number of ballistic missiles," the local satellite Press TV reported.

"Our production lines (of ballistic missiles) are running very smoothly," IRGC's Deputy Commander Brigadier General Hossein Salami was quoted as saying.

Salami said that Iran has also made enormous progress in the field of air defense, according to the report.

Last September, the Islamic Republic displayed its first homemade ballistic missile in a military parade. The ballistic missile of Sejil 2 has the far-reaching range of 2,000 km.

Iran has reiterated that its missile capabilities are "a defensive tool against invasions."

The United States and Israel have consistently refused to rule out the possibility of military strikes against Iran over its refusal to halt its nuclear program.