Iran's breakthrough in Energy Research

#1

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer
35 minutes ago

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran successfully test-fired Friday a missile with the ability to avoid radar and hit several targets simultaneously, the air force chief of the elite Revolutionary Guards said.

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"Today, a remarkable goal of the Islamic Republic of Iran's defense forces was realized with the successful test-firing of a new missile with greater technical and tactical capabilities than those previously produced," Gen. Hossein Salami said on state-run television.

Salami said the Iranian-made missile was test-fired as large military maneuvers began in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian sea.

"This missile can simultaneously hit several targets, has near stealth capabilities with a high maneuverability, pin point accuracy and radar avoidance features," Salami said.

The general said the range of the missile would depend on the weight of its warhead.

The television, however, described it as a "ballistic" missile, suggesting it was of comparable range to Iran's existing ballistic rocket, the Shahab-3, which can travel 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) and reach Israel and U.S. bases in the Middle East.

The Shahab-3 is also capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

The new missile is called Fajr-3, the television reported, screening a brief clip of its launch. Fajr means victory in Farsi.

"It can avoid anti-missile missiles and strike the target," Salami said.

Last year, former defense minister Ali Shamkhani said that Iran had successfully tested a solid fuel motor for the Shahab-3, a technological breakthrough in Iran's military industries.

Iran launched an arms development program during its 1980-88 war with Iraq to compensate for a U.S. weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles and a fighter plane.

The military maneuvers are scheduled to last a week and will involve 17,000 members of the Revolutionary Guards as well as boats, fighter jets and helicopter gunships.

As Iran is a major oil producer, the war games have contributed to the anxiety on world oil markets over the confrontation between the U.N. Security Council and Iran over its nuclear program.

Crude oil futures in London remained above US$66 a barrel on Friday as speculators expressed concern about Iran's refusal to accept the Security Council's call for it to cease uranium enrichment.

"We've seen the market pause a little, but these war games in the Persian Gulf will be watched very closely for any escalation in tension," an oil broker told Dow Jones Newswires.

Meanwhile, former President Hashemi Rafsanjani said Iran is willing to sell the weapons it produces at competitive prices.

Addressing tens of thousands of worshippers at Friday prayers in Tehran University, Rafsanjani said the country's 1980-88 war with Iraq had made it self-reliant in armaments.

"Today, our military requirements †™ ¢‚¬„¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¢†™‚¢‚¢¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¬¦‚¡¢‚¬Å¡‚¬†™‚¢‚¢¢¢¬…¡‚¬? from jet fighters to bullets †™ ¢‚¬„¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¢†™‚¢‚¢¢¢‚¬Å¡‚¬¦‚¡¢‚¬Å¡‚¬†™‚¢‚¢¢¢¬…¡‚¬? can be produced inside the country," he said.

"We can provide low-priced weapons to many countries," he added.

#2

I think I'll start digging my bunker in the back yard, starting tomorrow.

#3

Ditto...

#4

does one have to be a country to benefit from these "low-priced weapons"? I would be interested in picking up a couple to keep around the house....

Bot · #5

It seems to me like Iran really wants a nuke. I think the U.S. should give them on, and they should drop it off on Tehran...

#6

ahh damn. I think I'll start on my bunker also

Bot · #7

Is it me or is Iran preparing for a fucking war... :?

Iran: High-speed underwater missile test-fired

#8

I also wonder how many of these stories are made up by our government to get Americans ready to go kick some Iraian ass

#9

um, trash, these are based on OFFICIAL reports from iran's defense department.

like "this week we will be mobilizing our largest coordinated military activity in our country's history"

(which is happening this week)

said exercises include scenario drills for shooting underwater missiles to sink ships in the gulf.

happy april, Aries and war, (Nissan, or the Ram, for the Hebrew - Symbolized by the Shophar which was the horn blown to destroy Jericho)
Ch