Defiant Iran angers US with missile test

NUKEWARS

US-Iran not on brink of conflict: Gates
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday the United States and Iran were not close to a military confrontation, and understood the consequences of any kind of conflict. Gates comments came on a day in which Iran test-fired a medium range missile that it said could reach Israel, and followed an Iranian warning Tuesday that any US attack would be met with a "crushing response." Asked if the two countries were closer to a military confrontation in light of the escalating rhetoric, Gates said, "No I don't think so." "The reality is there is a lot of signalling going on, but everybody recognizes what the consequences of any kind of a conflict would be," he said. "And I would tell you that this government is working hard to make sure the diplomatic and economic approach to dealing with Iran and trying to get the Iranian government to change its policy is the strategy and is the approach that continues to dominate," he said. "At this point, I'm comfortable that that remains the case," he said.

by Staff Writers
Tehran (AFP) July 9, 2008
Iran on Wednesday test-fired a missile it said is capable of reaching Israel, angering the United States amid growing fears that the standoff over the contested Iranian nuclear drive could lead to war.

But as oil traders fretted over the mounting tensions, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates insisted that the United States and Iran were not closer to a military confrontation.

The Shahab-3 was among a broadside of nine missiles fired off simultaneously from an undisclosed location in the Iranian desert during war games being staged by the Revolutionary Guards, state television showed.

"The aim of these war games is to show we are ready to defend the integrity of the Iranian nation," state-run Arabic channel Al-Alam quoted Revolutionary Guards air force commander Hossein Salami as saying.

The United States led Western condemnation of the tests, saying it would reinforce suspicions over Tehran's military ambitions at a time when world powers are seeking to resolve the long-running nuclear standoff.

Iran insists its nuclear drive is aimed solely at generating energy but the West fears it could be aimed at making an atomic bomb and has called for a freeze of uranium enrichment.

Al-Alam said the missiles test-fired by the Revolutionary Guards included a Shahab-3 with a one-tonne conventional warhead and a 2,000-kilometre (1,240-mile) range.

"Our missiles are ready for shooting at any place and any time, quickly and with accuracy. The enemy must not repeat its mistakes. The enemy targets are under surveillance," Salami added.

The United States, which has never ruled out military action against Iranian atomic facilities, condemned the missile tests.

"Iran's development of ballistic missiles is a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and completely inconsistent with Iran's obligations to the world," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

News of the tests caused record high oil prices to rebound after recent falls, with the market fearing supply disruptions from the OPEC cartel's number two producer in the event of any conflict.

There has been concern an attack against Iran could be imminent after it emerged Israel had carried out manoeuvres in Greece that were effectively dry runs for a potential strike against Iranian nuclear facilities.

But in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman said Israel -- which is believed to be the Middle East's only if undeclared nuclear-armed state -- is not seeking war.

"Israel seeks neither conflict nor hostilities with Iran, but no one in the international community should remain indifferent to Iran's nuclear programme and Iran's ballistic missile programme," Mark Regev said.

And in Washington, the US defence secretary played down the risks of conflict. Asked if a military confrontation was now closer, Gates said: "No I don't think so.

"The reality is there is a lot of signalling going on, but everybody recognizes what the consequences of any kind of a conflict would be," he said.

The Islamic republic test-fired the Shahab-3 for the first time in November 2006, but launching its longest-range weapon amid the current tension added to Western concerns.

Germany -- one of the six nations along with permanent Security Council members Britain, China France, Russia and the United States which have drawn up a new offer to try to end the crisis, called on Iran to refrain from "sabre-rattling."

On Tuesday, an aide to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Iran would "set fire" to Israel and the US navy in the Gulf as its first response to any American attack.

But diplomatic efforts are also continuing. Iran has responded to an offer from world powers to end the nuclear crisis, and diplomats are analysing what is said to be a complex answer from Tehran.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana will travel to Tehran on July 19 for talks with Iranian nuclear negotiator Said Jalili on the latest proposals, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Solana's spokeswoman Cristina Gallach would confirm only that a meeting was expected "before the end of the month," adding that "neither the date nor the meeting's location" had been set.

"For the moment a trip to Iran is not planned," she stressed.

The offer proposes that Iran suspend uranium enrichment -- the key sticking point in the crisis and the process which the West fears could be used to make a nuclear weapon -- in exchange for technological incentives.

However, France says Iran does not say in its response that it is prepared to suspend uranium enrichment.

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NUKEWARS

Iran president says US attack 'political suicide' for Bush

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) July 8, 2008
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday downplayed the threat of an attack on his country by the United States, saying it would be "political suicide" for US President George W. Bush.

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