Iran sends missile test warning firing 9 missiles

[Afshin]

Watch video of missiles being fired here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7496875.stm



BBC - Iran has test-fired what it called a new version of the Shahab-3 missile, which is capable of reaching its main regional enemy Israel, state media say.
The missile, said to have a range of 2,000km (1,240 miles), was one of nine launched from a remote desert site.

Iran has tested the Shahab-3 before, but the latest launch comes amid rising tensions with the US and Israel over the country's nuclear programme.

The US denounced the test and called on Iran to abandon its missile programme.

Iran should "refrain from further missile tests if they truly seek to gain the trust of the world," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

'Aggressive language'

The aim of the early morning launch of the "upgraded" Shahab-3 missile was to demonstrate Iran's "determination and power to the enemies who have used aggressive language during recent weeks", state media reported.

"We are ready to defend the integrity of the Iranian nation," said the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' air force, Brigadier General Hoseyn Salami.

Two other types of missile with shorter ranges were also fired as part of the Great Prophet III war games being staged by the Guards.

"Our missiles are ready for shooting at any place and any time, quickly and with accuracy," Gen Salami added. "The enemy must not repeat its mistakes. The enemy targets are under surveillance."

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says this is a clear warning from Iran.

It is a response to a recent military exercise by Israel, which was seen as a rehearsal for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, he says.

On Monday, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader said it would respond to any military attack by hitting the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.

Other commanders have threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which a large part of the world's oil flows, and to target the US and its allies around the world if Iran comes under attack.

However, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad later insisted his country had no intention to attack Israel. He also said Iran did not fear an attack by the US or Israel over its nuclear activities, dismissing the possibility as a "funny joke".

Mr Ahmadinejad said the economic, political and military situation would dissuade US President George W Bush from any such move.

"I assure you that there won't be any war in the future," he said during a visit to Malaysia on Tuesday.

New sanctions

The missile test came shortly after the US Treasury announced new financial sanctions on Iranian officials it suspected of involvement in the country's nuclear programme.

Among those targeted were a senior scientist at the defence ministry, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh-Mahabadi, and three companies believed to be related to the arms industry.

It came as G8 leaders called for Iran to halt uranium enrichment.

Western leaders have been attempting to convince Tehran to stop enriching uranium, which it has continued despite the imposition of sanctions by the UN and the European Union.

Iran denies Western assertions that it is developing nuclear weapons and insists its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful purposes.

The US also signed on Tuesday an agreement with the Czech Republic to build a radar station near Prague as part of a defence shield to shoot down incoming missiles from what Washington calls "rogue states" such as Iran.

The move drew immediate criticism from Russia, which warned that it would proceed with its own military deployments.

[aliirooni]

interesting how US asks Iran to abandon its missile program while they just signed a contract with the Europeans to start a new missile program...

Amercian hypocrisy as its best!

[BrankoWasTheBEST]

Well? Spot the fake missile. Infact how about spot the difference?  lol

Not only the missile has been added, it seems the smoke and fire that was created has been copiy / pasted also. Just check it and you will see them to be two images from other missiles superimposed. loooool

You would have thought the IRI hezbollah imbeciles would have more sense than to do it so obviously.

What a joke, who is going to take these dickheads seriously now? Do you think Israel or USA are really afraid of these shit eaters? It is so unfortunate that they have made their stupidity so public. Now we really have to be worried about Israel and USA, thanks to the pig shit rulers in Tehran 




Iran 'faked missile test image'

Iran has been accused of altering an image of a missile test, possibly to exaggerate its military capabilities.

Iran announced on Wednesday it had test-fired nine missiles, including one it said was capable of reaching Israel.

Four missiles appear to take off from a desert launch pad in one image of the test published on the Iranian Revolutionary Guards website.

But a similar image has emerged that shows one missile still in its launcher after apparently failing to fire.

Analysts said that in the image apparently showing four missiles taking off, one of the projectiles was added using elements from the smoke trail and dust clouds from two of the other successfully launched missiles.

'Doctored'

The image said to have been digitally altered was disseminated by the AFP news agency and reproduced by media organisations around the world - including the BBC News website, which removed it from pages when doubts about its authenticity were raised.

AFP said it had obtained the image from the website of Sepah News, the media arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the Associated Press news agency distributed what appeared to be a nearly identical photo from the same source, but without the fourth missile firing.

AFP subsequently issued a warning to its clients.

The BBC News website's picture editor, Phil Coomes, said: "Having examined the photograph from AFP, it can be seen that parts have been edited, with smoke trails and parts of the foreground being cloned."

Defence analyst Mark Fitzpatrick of the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies told AFP: "It very much does appear that Iran doctored the photo to cover up what apparently was a misfiring of one of the missiles.

"The whole purpose of this testing was to send a signal so Iran both exaggerated the capabilities of the missile in their prose and apparently doctored the photos as well."

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[BrankoWasTheBEST]

Tests show US shield 'not needed'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said the results of Iran's missile tests prove that US plans for a defence shield in Europe are unnecessary.

Mr Lavrov said the tests confirmed Tehran had missiles with a limited range of up to 2,000km (1,240 miles).

The US says it wants shield sites in Poland and the Czech Republic to defend it and its allies from rogue states.

Following widespread condemnation over the recent tests, Iran said it was open to talks about its nuclear programme.

The official news agency, Irna, said the chief Iranian nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, would meet the European Union's envoy, Javier Solana, on 19 July in Geneva - although this has not yet been confirmed by Mr Solana's office.

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says that although Iran seems willing to talk, it is unclear whether it is willing to give any ground.

Iran denies Western assertions that it is developing nuclear weapons and insists its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful purposes.

Some analysts saw this week's missile tests as an attempt by hardliners to discourage compromise.

The EU urged Iran to suspend uranium enrichment within its nuclear programme, saying that the missile tests "can only reinforce the international community's concerns".

"The EU calls on Iran to respond to the demands of the entire international community... and achieve a negotiated solution to the nuclear issue," a statement issued in Paris said.

The tests are said to have included the Shahab-3 missile, which is capable of reaching Israel and a number of US allies in the region, but not the proposed US shield bases in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Earlier this week, the US signed an agreement with the Czech Republic which would allow the Americans to build a tracking radar station there as part of the system they hope will be operational by 2012.

Washington also hopes to place 10 interceptor missiles in Poland but has yet to reach agreement with the government there.

'Imagined' threat
The BBC's James Rodgers, in Moscow, says repeated assurances from senior figures in Washington have failed to convince Moscow that the proposed shield represents no danger to Russia.

Mr Lavrov told reporters on Friday the tests showed that "a missile defence shield with these parameters is not needed to monitor or react to such threats".

He said Moscow was convinced that what he called the imagined nature of the Iranian missile threat was a pretext for the missile shield.

"We believe that any issue related to Iran should be resolved through negotiation, through political-diplomatic means... and not through threats," he said.

Moscow fears locating the system near its borders could weaken its own defences or be used to spy on Russia. It has previously threatened to aim its own missiles at any eventual base in Poland or the Czech Republic.




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