From: William Gladys <william.gladys@tiscali.co.uk>
Date: Mon, Jul 11, 2011 at 11:06 PM
Subject: Fw: Iran 'fired two long-range missiles into the Indian Ocean'... right under the noses of the U.S.
To: world_Politics@googlegroups.com
Iran 'fired two long-range missiles into the Indian Ocean'... right under the noses of the U.S.
Last updated at 5:35 PM on 9th July 2011
A senior Revolutionary Guard commander has revealed Iran secretly conducted missile tests earlier this year as 'American spy planes' turned a blind eye.
Speaking on state TV Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the Guard's aerospace force, claimed Iranian rockets hit targets at the 'mouth of the Indian Ocean'.
It was an apparent reference to areas near the Strait of Hormouz at the southern end of the Gulf.
Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards tested a Shahab-3 ballistic missile
Hajizadeh said two missiles with ranges of 1,140m were fired from Semnan province in northern Iran during the Iranian month of Bahman, which runs from January 21 to February 19.
He added: 'This took place with the Americans present in the area ... We allowed the American spy planes to be in the area but so far they have not said anything about it.'
The commander gave no further details, but at maximum range the missiles could have reached deep into the Arabian Sea.
Hajizadeh also threatened U.S. aircraft carriers saying the 'moving targets' would be fired at if Iran came under attack.
In April, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard said Iran's arsenal is capable of striking 'remote regions outside the Persian Gulf'.
Iran says its longest-range missiles, Shahab-3 and Sajjil-2, can travel up to 1,240m - putting Israel, U.S. bases in the Gulf region and parts Europe within reach.
Meanwhile, Iran has tried to project its military might outside the Gulf, where the U.S. has several air bases and the home port of the Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain.
Iran has said its missiles can reach Israel and U.S. military bases in the region.
'Moving target': The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier steaming on the Arabian sea
Two Iranian warships entered the Mediterranean in February for the first time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and an Iranian submarine returned this week after a journey that included the Red Sea.
Hajizadeh also claimed Iran has acquired technology to build supersonic surface-to-sea missiles.
He didn't elaborate, but defence analysts believe China has helped develop the anti-ship weapons.
Iran also says it has the ability to produce missiles with an even greater range than those currently in its arsenal, but won't manufacture them because Israel and U.S. bases are already within reach.
Last month, Foreign Secretary William Hague told the House of Commons Iran has conducted covert tests of ballistic missiles since October in addition to the publicly announced military manoeuvers.
Hajizadeh only confirmed that missile tests were carried out. It was not clear if the covert tests in February were the same as claimed by Hague.
The Islamic Republic remains locked in a stand-off with the West over its nuclear program, which the U.S. and its allies suspect is aimed at developing atomic weapons.
Iran denies the charges, and says the program is only for peaceful purposes.
Iran conducts several war games every year as part of its military self-sufficiency program that started in 1992, and frequently unveils new weapons and military systems during the drills.
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Palash Biswas
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