Iran tests longest-range missiles

[The Grim Squeaker]

Iran tests longest-range missiles

Iran has successfully test-fired some of the longest range missiles in its arsenal, state media says.

The Revolutionary Guards tested the Shahab-3 and Sajjil rockets, which are believed to have ranges of up to 2,000km (1,240 miles), reports said.

The missiles' range could potentially reach Israel and US bases in the Gulf, analysts say.

The tests come amid heightened tension with the big international powers over Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Last week, Iran disclosed it was building a second uranium enrichment plant, despite UN demands that it cease its enrichment activities.

ANALYSIS

Jon Leyne, BBC Tehran correspondent

The big fear is that ultimately Iran will have a fully-fledged inter-continental ballistic missile.

These missiles already cover pretty much the whole of the Middle East and a good chunk of Turkey as well, and maybe the fringes of Europe.

I think Iran would say with some justice its missile programme is the strongest deterrent it has got.

It probably cannot prevent Western jets getting through and Western missiles getting through.

But it could - and I think Israel knows for example - that if it did strike Iran, it would have to take into account the possibility of really substantial casualties if Iran did unleash its long-range missile pack.

Iran is due to hold crucial talks with the five UN Security Council members plus Germany on Thursday on a wide range of security issues, including its nuclear programme.

"An improved version of Shahab-3 and the two-stage Sajjil, powered by solid fuel, were fired," the Guards' air force commander Hossein Salami was quoted as saying by the state-owned Arabic language Al-Alam television channel.

These tests are part of several days of military war game exercises known as Sacred Defence Week.

On Sunday, the medium-range Shahab-1 and 2 missiles with a range of 300 to 700km (186 to 434 miles) were tested.

The short-range Tondar-69 and Fateh-110 type, with a range of up to 170km (100 miles), were also tested.

The Shahab-3 and Sajjil rockets are believed to be capable of reaching not only Israel and US bases in the Gulf, but also parts of Europe.

MAXIMUM MISSILE RANGE
# Shahab-3b: 2,500km
# Sajjil-1 and 2: 2,000km
# Shahab-3a: 1,800km
# Shahab-3: 1,300km
# Shahab-2: 500km
# Zelzal: up to 400km
# Fateh: 170km
# Tondar: 150km Sources: GlobalSecurity.org, AFP, Jane's, Arms Control Association

The BBC's Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne says Iran's enemies might be most worried by the test-firing of the Sajjil missile.

The Sajjil is a new, two-stage missile using solid fuel, which is considered to give a more accurate delivery than liquid fuel rockets.

Although the tests are likely to have been planned in advance, Iran will not be unhappy if they are seen as a gesture of defiance by the West, our correspondent adds.

Iran is under increasingly pressure to co-operate fully over its nuclear ambitions - particularly since the revelation of a previously undisclosed uranium enrichment plant.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has insisted that the plant, near the holy city of Qom, does not breach UN regulations and says it is open for inspection by UN experts.

But leaders of the US, Britain and France accuse Tehran of keeping the plant secret in breach of UN rules.

They have raised the prospect of new, tougher sanctions against Iran if Thursday's meeting with the so-called P5+1 (US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany) yields little progress.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/m ... 278026.stm

Published: 2009/09/28 09:11:32 GMT

© BBC MMIX

But remember, Israel and the US are just scaremongering about Iran destabilizing the region even further and using the missiles as a nuclear stick over the region and interests. Hardened underground nuclear facilities where the inspectors are kept out of are purely defensive measures, of course.

[Sarevok]

Untill Iran develops nuclear weapons and has advanced enough to deliver them via missiles what is the worst their missiles could do to Israel ? Would the damage be limited to purely terror value like WW 2 V2 rockets ?

[Dave]

Untill Iran develops nuclear weapons and has advanced enough to deliver them via missiles what is the worst their missiles could do to Israel ? Would the damage be limited to purely terror value like WW 2 V2 rockets ?

Even that can be hellish if you use chemical, biological or radiological (dirty bomb) payloads, which Iran surely has.

[Samuel]

biological or radiological (dirty bomb) payloads,

I doubt they would be insane enough to do the first and dirty bombs are over rated. Isreal also has extensive preperations for gas attacks. The US on the other hand... how much poison gas can you fit in that and how many people could it kill?

[The Grim Squeaker]

biological or radiological (dirty bomb) payloads,

I doubt they would be insane enough to do the first and dirty bombs are over rated. Isreal also has extensive preperations for gas attacks. The US on the other hand... how much poison gas can you fit in that and how many people could it kill?

They wouldn't be stupid enough to use poison gas (or any nonconventional weapons which could be traced back to them) on the USA. They'd be wiped out. Now, support of terrorist groups and smuggling/supplying parts for a dirty bomb or the like is much more likely.
Israel has shelters for a very high percentage of the population (it's mandatory in new buildings/houses, and there are community shelters), but it would still do a lot of damage (The ABM systems working could reduce the damage, but I doubt Israel will ever get enough of an advantage in ABM systems to really eliminate the threat of full scale bombardment by a country as large and relatively advanced as Iran) .

[Vympel]

But remember, Israel and the US are just scaremongering about Iran destabilizing the region even further

They are. There's no threat there whatsoever.

Hardened underground nuclear facilities where the inspectors are kept out of

You make it sound like Iran is under some sort of Iraq-like weapons inspections regime. It ain't. If you can actually detail how Iran is in substantial violation of its obligations with the IAEA, do so - I suspect you will merely recite Israeli/American bullshit pearl-clutching about it's second enrichment plant or some such - which was properly disclosed.

In any event, I've said before that I don't give a shit if Iran gets nuclear weapons, and the efforts to stop Iran from acquiring them are doomed to fail, but the hyperventilating hysteria about Iran is just as bullshit as that about Iraq 6 years ago.

[Winston Blake]

You know what should be done? Russia should say to Iran "If anyone attacks you, we'll attack them, so you can safely stand down now". Then Iran would have no need for developing advanced weapons as a 'deterrent'.

If they continue, then that makes the case against them unambiguous. If they cease, well, problem solved, stability achieved.

[Kane Starkiller]

Somehow I doubt Iran trusts Russia enough to seriously consider such a deal. That is assuming Russia would ever offer it. Why would they? Iran is a perfect thorn in US side and Russia's leverage against US influence in Eastern Europe.
Say that US attacks Iran: Iran doesn't get nuclear weapons which is fine with Russia and strait of Hormuz likely gets closed and the price of oil shoots sky high. It's a win-win situation for Russia.

[Bluewolf]

Frankly I think Iran is boasting a bit on the range of the missile yet at this rate they probably wont need to. I expect to see them develop an even longer range and as long as it works as a way to sabre rattle and to aid with its likely goal of nuclear detterent, it will probably work.