sarettah
09-22-2003, 12:16 PM
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...ran_missiles_dc (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=586&ncid=586&e=8&u=/nm/20030922/wl_nm/iran_missiles_dc)
Iran Shows Off Missile Might Amid Nuclear Fears
By Christian Oliver
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran, under pressure to dispel fears it is developing nuclear arms, Monday paraded six of its newly deployed medium-range missiles, which military analysts say could reach Israel or U.S. bases in the Gulf.
It was the largest number of Shahab-3 ballistic missiles put on public display since Iran announced in July it had finished testing the weapon and deployed it to the Revolutionary Guards.
The sand-colored Shahab-3 ballistic missiles, towed along to the accompaniment of rousing military music, were the climax of a lengthy parade to commemorate the start of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq (news - web sites) war.
Iran's reformist President Mohammad Khatami (news - web sites) said the show of strength should not be read as saber-rattling.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran's policy is based on detente," he said at the parade led by disabled war veterans.
"We are opposed to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons but we insist on our absolute right to be powerful in the scientific and technological arena."
Uzi Rubin, former director of Israel's Arrow anti-ballistic missile system program, said Iran's Shahab-3 was a clear threat to the Jewish state.
"The (Shahab's) increased range covers the whole of Israel, north to south, from deployment areas deep within Iran, and thus increases concern as to what would happen if such missiles were armed with WMD warheads," he told Reuters.
Iran Shows Off Missile Might Amid Nuclear Fears
By Christian Oliver
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran, under pressure to dispel fears it is developing nuclear arms, Monday paraded six of its newly deployed medium-range missiles, which military analysts say could reach Israel or U.S. bases in the Gulf.
It was the largest number of Shahab-3 ballistic missiles put on public display since Iran announced in July it had finished testing the weapon and deployed it to the Revolutionary Guards.
The sand-colored Shahab-3 ballistic missiles, towed along to the accompaniment of rousing military music, were the climax of a lengthy parade to commemorate the start of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq (news - web sites) war.
Iran's reformist President Mohammad Khatami (news - web sites) said the show of strength should not be read as saber-rattling.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran's policy is based on detente," he said at the parade led by disabled war veterans.
"We are opposed to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons but we insist on our absolute right to be powerful in the scientific and technological arena."
Uzi Rubin, former director of Israel's Arrow anti-ballistic missile system program, said Iran's Shahab-3 was a clear threat to the Jewish state.
"The (Shahab's) increased range covers the whole of Israel, north to south, from deployment areas deep within Iran, and thus increases concern as to what would happen if such missiles were armed with WMD warheads," he told Reuters.