Today, we have the capability of launching missiles with a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles), and those familiar with this type of technology know that whoever has this capability can proceed to the subsequent stages, said former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

Iran seems to have learned a hard lesson from years of destructive war between 1980 and 1988, when most of its major cities, including Tehran, came under repeated attacks of Iraqi Scud missiles by Saddam Hussein's regime.

Talking at a conference on Space and National Security in Tehran, Rafsanjani said, When we came under missile attacks, we thought of building our own missiles, and we started from scratch.

Rafsanjani, who was president for two terms from 1989-1997, remains among the most influential politicians in Iran. He is the head of the powerful arbitration body, the Expediency Council.

Iran is fresh from the successful test of an upgraded version of its Shahab-3 (meaning meteor in Persian) medium-range ballistic missile in August, when the Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani told state-run television that the Iranian army had taken delivery of a strategic missile, but whose name was not unveiled for security reasons.

Iran later announced it was being deliberately ambiguous over its missile capability.

Mr. Shamkhani intentionally spoke in an ambiguous way, and we want this ambiguity to remain, replied government spokesman Abdollah Ramazanzadeh when asked by reporters to elaborate on what strategic missile was.

Initial figures had put the missile's range at between 800 and 1,060 miles, already bringing arch foe Israel within range. However, Iran has denied it is working on a Shahab-4 - an upgraded version with a two-stage propulsion system that could hit more distant targets.

The test came as Israel's Arrow missile, designed to counter threats such as the Shahab-3, passed its first live test in July by downing a Scud missile off the coast of California.

The Arrow-2 missile system, however, failed to destroy the detachable warhead of an incoming missile fired by a U.S. Air Force aircraft in a test carried out at the same area.

Rafsanjani talked of hurdles that had prevented his country from further development of missile technology, saying, We have today the ballistic technology, and if our hands had not been tied and obstacles had not been put on the way of our progress, we would have been even more advanced.

He also said Iran, thanks to its specialized forces, was on the brink of entering the club of those countries with independent satellite technology.

We must plan for a deep-rooted and enduring movement in this field in Iran, he added.

Iran's Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani also toughed on the issue, saying his country was pursuing the program for satellite launchers.

Shamkhani's comments were in line with previous announcements by some Iranian officials that the country hoped to launch its first satellite for communications in 2005.

Last month, Shamkhani talked of an effective deterrent power Iran had acquired to confront its enemies in the region.

Today by relying on our defense industry capabilities, we have been able to increase our deterrent capacity against the military expansion of regional enemies, he said in an almost clear reference to Israel, but adding, Being powerful does not necessarily mean war-mongering, neither do the roads of peace lead to concession.

Iran has stressed its missile program is defensive, with Iranian military commanders keeping warning that the consequences would be grave should Israel attack the country.

In the latest exchange of threats between the two enemies, Rafsanjani refuted on Tuesday the speculation that Israel may launch a pre-emptive strike against Iran's controversial nuclear facilities.

America and the Zionist regime are our enemies, but, given their past experience, the United States knows that they should not engage themselves in a dangerous conflict with us, he said.

Israel charges that the Islamic state is pursuing a nuclear arms program, with the potentiality of making an atomic bomb by 2007, allegations Iran vehemently rejects. Other claims by some Israeli officials even suggest that Tehran could be six months from being able to produce a nuclear weapon.

Meanwhile, earlier reports said an advanced Israeli spy satellite, Ofek-6, meant to boost the Jewish state's surveillance over Iran had plunged into the Mediterranean Sea after a malfunction on lift-off.

The crash was seen a major setback to Israel's attempts to upgrade methods of gathering intelligence on Iran.

Tehran has also repudiated U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's charges that Iran may be working to develop missiles capable of reaching the United States.

But Washington on Tuesday regarded Iran's missile program as a serious threat to the Middle East and U.S. interests.

We view Iran's efforts to further develop its missile capabilities as a threat to the region and to the United States' interests and all the more so in light of its ongoing nuclear program, U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said in Washington.

Tensions have also been heightened by the U.S. campaign to organize international pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear program, which Tehran says is strictly peaceful.

Iran further says the program is in line with the country's bid to produce 7,000 megawatts of nuclear-generated electricity by the year 2020 when the country's oil and gas reserves become overstretched.

However, the United States, like Israel, suspects Tehran's nuclear plan, maintaining it is a prelude to producing nuclear arms.

In a resolution adopted last month by the U.N. nuclear watchdog - the International Atomic Energy Agency - a Nov. 25 deadline was set for Iran to clear up suspicions over its nuclear activities or risk having the issue referred to the Security Council for possible sanctions.

The resolution further demanded that the country halt all activities related to uranium enrichment, a part of the nuclear cycle that could be used for both power generation and weapons manufacture.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2004 by United Press International. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by United Press International. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of by United Press International.

Related Links
SpaceDaily
Search SpaceDaily
Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only