Iran says it is capable of destroying Israel in eight minutes after testing new long-range weapon

Just weeks after Iran claimed to have successfully tested 2,000km-range missiles capable of hitting Israel, a senior military adviser, Ahmad Karimpour has boasted that the country has the capacity to 'raze the Zionist regime' using the 'abilities and equipment' Iran has at its disposal.

According to the Times of Israel, Karimpour - an adviser to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ elite unit al-Quds Force - said: 'If the Supreme Leader’s orders [are] to be executed, with the abilities and the equipment at our disposal, we will raze the Zionist regime in less than eight minutes.'

Senior military figures in the Islamic republic hailed the development of the missile earlier this month.

General Ali Abdolahi said: 'A missile with a 2,000-kilometre range was tested two weeks ago.

'We can guide this ballistic missile. It leaves the Earth's atmosphere, re-enters it and hits the target without error.'

Iran's missile tests have been criticised by the United States, Britain, France and Germany who say it violates United Nations resolutions, and they have called on the Security Council to address them.