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Copyright 2003 Agence France Presse
Agence France Presse -- English
July 7, 2003 Monday
SECTION: International News
LENGTH: 742 words
HEADLINE: Iran brings Israel within missile range, digs in on tougher UN nuclear probe
BYLINE: SIAVOSH GHAZI
DATELINE: TEHRAN, July 7
BODY:
Iran has conducted a final test of its Shahab-3 ballistic missile, the Iranian foreign ministry ,confirmed
Monday, in a move that brings arch-enemy Israel well within range of the Islamic republic's armed
forces.
The announcement sparked Immediate alarm in Israel, and also came as Iran's clerical leaders dug in on
their refusal to allow tougher UN inspections of their civil nuclear programme, seen by the United States
as a cover for nuclear weapons development.
"The test took place several weeks ago. The range of the missile is what we declared before," foreign
ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporterS, adding the test was the final one before the
missile was handed over for operation by the country's army.
Officials here have previously said the missile -- based on North Korea's No-Dong and Pakistan's
Ghauri-II -- has a range of 1~300 kilometers (810 miles). It can reportedly carry a warhead weighing up
to 1,000 kllogrammes.
In Farsi, Shahab means "meteor" or "shooting star".
Asefi was reacting to a report in the Israeli Haaretz newspaper last week which said Iran had conducted
the test just over a week ago and was now capable of hitting the Jewish state, American forces in~the
Gulf or the Indian subcontinent.
"This is nothing new," Asefi said. "Apparently the Israelis are a bit late with their Information."
In Israel, government spokesman Avi Pazner told AFP that the Jewish state was "very concerned" at the
development.
"We are very concerned, especially since we know that Iran is seeking to acquire the nuclear weapon,"
he said.
Iran has fiercely denied accusations it has a nuclear weapons programme, and asserts its missile
development is· purely for its own defence.
But confirmation of the test came as Iran was set to face more scrutiny over its nuclear programme,
with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director Mohamed EIBaradel set to visit Wednesday to
press demands for tougher Inspections. -
But Asefl again rebuffed mounting international demands to immediately and unconditionally allow
https:/Iw3.Iexis.comllawenfsolutions_securedlsearchfonns/doBrowse.asp?SearchlnfoID=... 11/18/2004