TEHRAN, 6 October 2004 — Iran has increased the range of its missiles to 2,000 km (1,250 miles), a senior official was quoted as saying yesterday. The range would puts parts of Europe within reach for the first time. Military experts had earlier put Iran’s missile range at 1,300 km (810 miles), which would allow it to strike anywhere in Israel.
“Now we have the power to launch a missile with a 2,000 km range,” the news agency IRNA quoted influential former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani as saying. “Iran is determined to improve its military capabilities.”
“If the Americans attack Iran, the world will change ... they will not dare to make such a mistake,” Rafsanjani was quoted as saying in a speech at an exhibition on Space and Stable National Security. Washington has accused Tehran of secretly developing nuclear weapons.
Iran insists its nuclear program is aimed only at generating electricity. It says its missiles are for defensive purposes and would be used to counter a possible Israeli or US strike against its nuclear facilities. In recent months, Iranian officials have frequently trumpeted their ability to strike back at any aggressor, and in August they announced they had successfully tested an upgraded version of the medium-range Shahab-3 missile.
Military experts say the unmodified Shahab-3 had a range of 1,300 km (810 miles). Shahab means meteor in Persian. While Iran has had Israel in its missile sights for some time, Israeli officials said the longer 2,000 km range was more significant for Europe than for Israel. “We are well prepared to defend the state of Israel... The Iranians will have to think twice before using these kinds of weapons,” a senior Israeli government said.
Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani said last month that a new “strategic missile” had recently been delivered to the armed forces, but did not give its range. Israel has long accused Iran of working on a long-range missile, the Shahab-4, which would be able to reach Europe. Iran denies any plans to build a Shahab-4 missile.
Tehran recently announced plans to launch its own satellite into space next year. Military experts say a satellite launch rocket could easily be adapted for military purposes.
“We are very happy that our Defense Ministry ... will take us to the stage that we are able to use independent satellite technology in the fields of building, launching, positioning and receiving,” Rafsanjani said.
Meanwhile, a committee of Iran’s hard-line-dominated Parliament yesterday gave preliminary approval to a bill that would force the reformist government to resume uranium enrichment in defiance of the UN nuclear watchdog. State news agency IRNA said the bill was approved by the foreign affairs and national security committee.
If eventually passed by a vote of the Majlis (parliament) and approved by legislative watchdogs, it would almost certainly prompt the International Atomic Energy Agency to refer Iran’s case to the UN Security Council. On Monday, committee chairman Allaeddin Borujerdi said 238 deputies out of a total 290 were backing the move to resume enrichment.
Many analysts have likened the parliament’s move to posturing as a means of raising the stakes in the standoff with the IAEA, and although the bill has been given preliminary approval, it was not prioritized for immediate debate in the assembly.
Under pressure from the IAEA, Tehran last year agreed to suspend uranium enrichment while inspectors probed allegations it had been seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.
