Hassan Rouhani
Hassan RouhaniReuters

Iran on Thursday showed off what it said was surface-to-surface ballistic missile new and a new cruise missile.

“The surface-to-surface missile, called martyr Qassem Soleimani, has a range of 1,400 km and the cruise missile, called martyr Abu Mahdi, has a range of over 1,000 km,” Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami said in a televised speech cited by Reuters.

“Missiles and particularly cruise missiles are very important for us ... the fact that we have increased the range from 300 to 1,000 in less than two years is a great achievement,” said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, according to the report.

“Our military might and missile programs are defensive.”

US President Trump announced on Wednesday he is directing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to notify the United Nations Security Council that the United States intends to restore virtually all previously suspended UN sanctions on Iran.

The move comes after the UN Security Council last week rejected the US resolution to extend the arms embargo on Iran, which is due to expire in October.

Only two of the Council's 15 members voted in favor of the US resolution.