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Iran Says Test Fires More Accurate Shahab-3 |
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Wednesday, 20 October 2004 |
Reuters
 TEHRAN - Iran said it test fired on Wednesday a more accurate version of its Shahab-3 missile, already believed capable of hitting Israel and U.S. bases in the Gulf.
Iran has previously announced that it has increased the missile's range to 1,250 miles, an upgrade from a range pencilled in at 800 miles by military experts.
"Iran test fired a more accurate version of the Shahab-3 in the presence of observers," Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani told Reuters after a weekly cabinet meeting.
Shahab is the Persian word for meteor. Based on the North Korean Nodong-1 and modified with Russian technology, the Shahab-3 was first deployed to Iran's Revolutionary Guard in July 2003.
Iran insists its missiles are for defensive purposes and would be used to counter an Israeli or U.S attack against its nuclear facilities. |
