Iranian media reported on Sunday that Iran had test-fired a new missile, but differed over its range and purpose.
Iranian media reported on Sunday that Iran had test-fired a new missile, but differed over its range and purpose.
The state-run Press TV said a long-range missile had been tested. But the semi-official Fars News Agency said it was an air-to-surface missile with a range of 110 km designed for use by military aircraft against naval targets.
That range would be far less than that of the Shahab missile, which Iranian
officials say can travel about 2,000 km, enabling it to reach Israel and American bases in the Gulf.
“Armed forces experts have managed to install missiles with a range of 110 km on Iranian jet fighters and successfully fire (them),” Fars said, without citing a source.
“Now these jet fighters have acquired a new capability in confronting threats.” Press TV said in a scrolling headline, without giving details: “Iran test fires new long-range missile.”
The Islamic Republic often stages war games or tests weapons to show its determination to counter any attack by foes such as Israel and the United States.
Israel and Washington accuse Tehran of trying to develop nuclear bombs, but Iran denies this. Israel has not ruled out military action if diplomacy fails to end the dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme, echoing US policy, though new US president Barack Obama has offered to engage Iran in direct talks if it “unclenches its fist”.
The US state department declined to comment on the Iranian press reports. A top Iranian military commander said recently that Iranian missiles could now reach Israeli nuclear sites.
Iran has often said it has missiles able to reach the Jewish state but had not previously mentioned such specific targets. Israel is believed to be the only nuclear-armed Middle East state.
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