Iran test-fires new missile

08/03/2009| IslamWeb

Iranian media reported on Sunday that Iran had test-fired a new missile, but differed over its range and purpose.

 

The state-run Press TV said a long-range missile had been tested. But the semi-official Fars News Agency said it was an air-to-surface missile with a range of 110 km (70 miles) designed for use by military aircraft against naval targets.

 

That range would be far less than that of the Shahab missile, which Iranian officials say can travel about 2,000 km.

 

"Armed forces experts have managed to install missiles with a range of 110 km on Iranian jet fighters and successfully fire (them)," Fars said, without citing a source. "Now these jet fighters have acquired a new capability in confronting threats."

 

Press TV said in a scrolling headline, without giving details: "Iran test fires new long-range missile."

 

PHOTO CAPTION

 

Iran's Revolutionary Guards test a Shahab-3 ballistic missile outside Qom in 2006.

 

Reuters