Report: Iran test fires more missiles
State media says Revolutionary Guards tested more missiles 'with special capabilities' in Persian Gulf, day after West slams test-firing of nine rockets. Rice: US won't back down in the face of Iranian threats against Israel
Iran tested more missiles "with special capabilities" in the Gulf, state media reported on Thursday, a day after drawing Western criticism for test-firing nine rockets.
The report said the weapons fired included missiles launched from naval ships in the
Persian Gulf, as well as torpedoes and surface-to-surface missiles.
Washington, which fears Tehran wants to master technology to build nuclear weapons, said on Wednesday Iran should halt further missile tests if it wanted to gain the world's trust.
Speculation that Israel could bomb Iran has mounted since a big Israeli air drill last month. US leaders have not ruled out military options if diplomacy fails to end the nuclear row.
Iran has responded by saying it will strike back at Tel Aviv, as well as US interests and shipping, if it is hit. Tehran insists its nuclear program has only civilian goals.
State TV and radio reported that the new missile tests took place during the night into Thursday.
"Deep in the Persian Gulf waters, the launch of different types of ground-to-sea, surface-to-surface, sea-to-air and the powerful launch of the Hout missile successfully took place," State radio said.
Iranian satellite channel Press TV said Hout was a torpedo.
"Iran's Revolutionary Guards test more missiles in Persian Gulf," the Press TV reported in a brief headline.
The reports followed remarks on Wednesday night by Guards air force commander Hossein Salami, who had told state television that a "night missile maneuver" was taking place. But he gave no details at the time.
Press TV said the new missile tests were part of an ongoing military maneuver.
"Iran's Revolutionary Guards test more missiles in Persian Gulf," the Iranian satellite channel Press TV reported in a brief headline. State radio gave a similar report.
'No one should be confused'
On Wednesday Iran test-fired nine long- and medium-range missiles during military exercises, including its improved Shihab-3 missiles, capable of striking Israel or US bases in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Iran on Thursday that the United States will not back down in the face of Iranian threats against Israel.
Iranian officials have strongly suggested the country's missile test on Wednesday was itself a warning to Israel not to attack Iran's nuclear facilities. Israel has left that option open.
"We are sending a message to Iran that we will defend American interests and the interests of our allies," Rice said at the close of a three-day Eastern European trip.
Rice noted US efforts to increase its own security presence in the Persian Gulf and the defense capabilities of US allies there.
"We take very very strongly our obligations to help our allies defend themselves and no one should be confused about that," she said.
Rice tied the latest Iranian missile test and rhetoric to US plans for a future missile shield, which would theoretically protect Eastern Europe from missiles launched from Iran.
The system would place radar interceptors in the Czech Republic, a former Soviet satellite, and missiles in Poland. That has drawn protests from Russia, who says that's uncomfortably close.
Such a missile defense system "will make it more difficult for Iran to threaten and ... say terrible things, because their missiles won't work," Rice said.
