TEHRAN, 26 September 2004 — Iran said yesterday it has successfully test-fired a “strategic missile” and delivered it to its armed forces, state-run radio reported.
“This strategic missile was successfully test-fired during (the recent) military exercises by the Revolutionary Guards and delivered to the armed forces,” Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani was quoted by the radio as saying. The weeklong exercises began Sept. 12.
The announcement came days after Israel said it was buying from the United States about 5,000 smart bombs, including 500 one-ton bunker-busters that can destroy 6-foot-thick (1.8-meter-thick) concrete walls.
In 1981, Israel bombed Iraq’s nuclear reactor before the reactor could begin operating and the smart bombs are believed to be capable of destroying Iranian nuclear facilities.
The elite Revolutionary Guards staged military maneuvers earlier this month near the border with Iraq, with top military officials saying the exercise was designed to reinforce Iran’s resolve to defend itself against “big powers.”
During the maneuvers, state-run radio described the missile as a “long-range missile” that would be test-fired. Later, there was no official confirmation of the test.
The radio said Shamkhani refused to give details about the missile for “security reasons,” but said Iran was “ready to confront all regional and extra-regional threats.”
Defense Ministry officials could not be reached for comment.
In August, Iran said it test-fired a new version of its ballistic missile Shahab-3, which is already capable of reaching Israel and US forces stationed in the Middle East. Iran’s Defense Ministry didn’t give its range, but Israeli sources speaking in Jerusalem later said it was more than 2,000 kilometers.
Yesterday’s report did not say whether the test and delivery was of the same new version of the Shahab-3 or an entirely different missile. The older version of the Shahab-3, a medium-range missile that Iran last successfully tested in 2002 before equipping its elite Revolutionary Guards with it in July 2003, has been the Persian state’s longest-range ballistic missile. It has a range of 1,296 kilometers.
The Iranian missile, whose name “Shahab” means shooting star in Persian, can reach Israel and several other countries in the region, fanning fears in the Zionist state that Tehran may strike at it.
Earlier this month, Ofek-6, an Israeli spy satellite, plunged into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after launch dealing a severe blow to Israel’s attempts to closely monitor Iran.
Meanwhile, Iran said it is ready to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on condition it has complete rights to use peaceful nuclear technology.
“Tehran is ready to completely cooperate with international pacts in the nuclear field, on condition it is fully granted its legitimate and national rights regarding peaceful nuclear technology,” Iran’s nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani said during a meeting with South African Ambassador Yusof Saluji.
Rowhani will head to South Africa today to hold talks on security issues, mutual cooperation and nuclear issues.
