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As Iran’s leaders boast of progress on their nuclear program, the regime in Tehran reminded the world this month that the Islamic Republic has a dangerous long-range missile arsenal.
On July 9 and 10, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a series of long- and medium-range missiles capable of striking Israel and American forces across the Middle East. The most advanced weapon tested, the Shihab-3, can reach as far as southern and eastern Europe.
The televised display of force, which featured exaggerated Iranian statements claiming “thousands” of Shihab missiles and the alteration of missile-launch photos, aimed to intimidate the United States and its allies as they continue to press Tehran to halt its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
The provocative launch was instead met with stinging rebukes from across the globe. “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,” said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe.
The French Foreign Ministry echoed the White House statement, warning that Iran’s “missile tests can only reinforce the international community’s concerns at a time when, in parallel, Iran is developing a nuclear program.”
While the test revealed little new information about Iran’s burgeoning missile program, it served to validate concerns that Iran is proceeding aggressively with the development and upgrade of a wide range of rockets and missiles.
“I personally believe, based on what I’ve seen, that right now Iran has the ability to reach most of Europe. And they just haven’t demonstrated it yet,” Lt.-Gen. Henry Obering, the Pentagon’s missile defense chief, said following the test.
In the last few months, the Iranians have unveiled plans for a number of long-range missiles, based on Russian and North Korean designs, all with the capability of delivering a nuclear warhead.
Furthermore, concerns continue to mount over Iran’s work on an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching American shores. U.S. intelligence assesses this development to be a possibility some time within the next decade. •NER•
