Iran To Produce Octogen Explosive Materials To Power Weapon Systems

Iran’s Defense Ministry announced this week the country’s plans to produce the powerful explosive Octogen to boost the penetration and destructive power of missile payloads.

"Concurrently with its efforts to increase the precision-striking power of its weapons systems, the defense ministry has also paid attention to boosting the destructive and penetration power of different weapons' warheads and has put on its agenda the acquisition of the technical know-how to produce Octogen explosive materials and Octogen-based weapons," Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan was quoted as saying by FARS News, while addressing a ceremony to inaugurate a plant which produces the new generation of explosive materials (Octogen) in Tehran on Wednesday.

Octogen (HMX) is used exclusively for military purposes to implode fissionable as a component of rocket propellant, and as a high explosive buster charge.

During a ceremony, Dehqan stressed Iran’s goal of gaining the know-how to make the explosive material in order to avoid relying on external sources. General Dehqan said, "We should endeavor to reinvigorate our infrastructures in the defense industries, reduce dependence and use domestic industries".

Iran has come under scrutiny over tests of ballistic missiles carried out on March 9, as western powers believe that it is threatening Israel.

Under a UN Security Council resolution passed alongside a landmark nuclear deal last year, Iran is forbidden to develop weapons that can carry nuclear weapons.