Iran turns the screw on Israel with firing of missiles
An Iranian surface to surface missile. Photo: Behrouz Mehri, Getty Images
Thursday July 10 2008
IRAN claimed last night that it had test-fired up to nine missiles near the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow strip of water through which much of the world's oil supplies pass.
The show of force early yesterday morning was intended to "demonstrate our resolve and might against enemies" -- including the United States and Israel -- "who in recent weeks have threatened Iran with harsh language", said General Hossein Salami, the air force commander of the Revolutionary Guards.
Israel and most US military bases in the Middle East would be within striking distance of some of the missiles fired, including the ballistic Shahab-3. Iran has repeatedly threatened to shut down the Strait of Hormuz if it is attacked.
"Our hands are always on the trigger and our missiles are ready for launch," General Salami added.
Cautiously
The Pentagon reacted cautiously, with sources describing the exercises as "troop training" similar to the exercises Iran staged two years ago.
But in an apparent swipe at Russia, Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, said anyone who thought the threat from Tehran was imaginary "perhaps ought to talk to the Iranians about their claims".
US President George W Bush hopes that tougher sanctions will weaken Iran's resolve to go ahead with its uranium enrichment programme, in defiance of the United Nations.
Israel has continued to threaten an airstrike unless Tehran ceases the work, which it fears will lead to Iran producing of a nuclear weapon.
Rehearsal
Last month, Israeli war planes flew over the eastern Mediterranean in what US officials described as a possible rehearsal for a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Shaul Mofaz, an Israeli minister, said recently that his country would have "no choice" but to attack if Iran continued its enrichment programme.
Diplomats in Washington believe that the Iranian leadership is hoping that the US election will signal a decisive shift in relations with the West.
But Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, who has promised to hold unconditional talks with Iran, yesterday strengthened his language.
"Israel has the right to protect itself from serious threats -- and Iran is a serious threat," he said.
He also spoke of the need for "direct diplomacy" to lead Iran into "standing down on issues like nuclear weapons". (©The Times, London)
- Tom Baldwin in Washington
