US agency chief: Iran speeding up development of missiles

Iran has sped up efforts to develop long-range missiles, demonstrating the need for a proposed missile defense system in Europe, the head of the US missile defense program said Wednesday.

''They are developing missiles today in an accelerated pace,'' Lt. Gen. Henry Obering said about Iran in remarks at the Czech Foreign Ministry. He said Iran was the third most active country in flight testing missiles last year, behind Russia and China.

''They're developing ranges of missiles that go far beyond anything they would need in a regional fight, for example, with Israel,'' Obering said.

''Why are they developing missiles today that ... will be possible to reach Europe in few years?'' he asked.

Defense shield in Europe

The US is in talks with the Czech government about plans to place a missile tracking radar system at a base in a military area near Prague as part of the system.

Washington also wants to place 10 interceptor missiles in Poland as part of a defense shield that US officials say is needed to protect the US and its European allies against a possible threat from Iran.

The Czech government has been receptive to the proposal, which Russia has strongly opposed.

Iran recently announced it manufactured a new missile, the Ashoura, with a range of 1,200 miles that was capable of reaching Israel and US bases across the Middle East.

''They also made statements that once you reached that range, getting beyond that is fairly easy,'' Obering said. He stressed that the proposed missile defense installations could counter such a threat.

Obering spoke at the start of a two-day meeting on possibilities for Czech companies and researchers to participate in building the system.