- Preparing for a possible American or Israeli strike on
its nuclear installations, Iran has developed a remote-controlled
launch system that can be used to operate dozens of unmanned Shihab ballistic
missile launchers in underground bunkers, The Jerusalem Post
has learned.
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- Behind a poster of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei reading: "Missile maneuver of the Great Prophet,"
Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards tests the long-range Shihab-3 missile
in a central desert area of Iran.
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- IAfter recent upgrades, the Shihab-3 ballistic missiles
are believed to have a target range of 2,000-kilometers. The missile was
initially developed with a 1,300-km. range.
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- According to informed Western sources, the remote-controlled
launch system was developed by the Iranians in conjunction with North
Korea and by employing Chinese technology. Iranian Revolutionary Guards
Commander Yayha Rahim Safavi said recently that Iran had equipped
its Shihab missiles with an advanced guidance system that can control them
after they are launched.
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- Israeli defense officials recently said if Iran were
attacked, it would most likely respond by launching Shihab missiles at Israel or
US targets in the region. The officials said Israel's Arrow missile defense
system was capable of intercepting all of Iran's operational missiles.
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- Also Tuesday, senior Israeli defense officials expressed
doubt that another round of sanctions would be imposed on Iran, which
continues to enrich uranium and develop its nuclear program in defiance
of the United Nations Security Council.
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- "The economic sanctions have proven themselves as
having an impact on Iran," a senior official said. "But
without Russia or China, it is doubtful that the UN will
succeed in passing another round of sanctions."
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- Ahead of this possibility, Iran's top nuclear negotiator,
Ali Larijani, warned Tuesday that any new UN sanctions would doom Iran's
cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and render
talks with it "fruitless."
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- According to state television, Larijani also accused
the United States of trying to undermine the progress made so far between Iran and
the IAEA, to increase tensions and pave the way for new sanctions.
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- The comments came as senior IAEA and Iranian officials
reported progress after a second day of key talks in Teheran, in efforts
to resolve the remaining issues surrounding Iran's nuclear enrichment program.
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- AP contributed to this report.
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