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Iran test-fires new version of ballistic missile
at 19:25 on August 11, 2004, EST.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran test-fired a new version of its ballistic Shahab-3 missile Wednesday.

The Shahab-3, which Iran last successfully tested in 2002 before providing it to the elite Revolutionary Guards, is the country's longest-range ballistic missile, with a range of about 1,300 kilometres. It has since been modified to improve its range and accuracy. Iranian Defence Minister Ali Shamkhani said last week the modifications were in response to efforts by Israel to improve its own missiles.

No details on the changes, including the new range, were provided.

"The Defence Ministry conducted the field test today to assess the latest modifications as a result of research carried out on Shahab-3," Iranian radio said without elaborating if the test was successful.

The Iranian missile, whose name Shahab means shooting star in Farsi, can reach Israel and several other countries in the region, fanning fears in the Jewish state that Tehran may strike it.

Israel has jointly developed with the United States the Arrow anti-ballistic missile system in response to Shahab-3.

Developed jointly by Israel Aircraft Industries and Chicago-based Boeing Co. at a cost of more than $1 billion US, the Arrow is one of the few systems capable of intercepting and destroying missiles at high altitudes. Its development followed the 1991 Persian Gulf War, when Iraq fired 39 Scud missiles at Israel.

The commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Rahim Safavi, warned Iran will crush Israel if it attacks the Persian state, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported Wednesday.

"If Israel is mad enough to attack Iran's national interests, we will come down on them like a hammer and will crush their bones," IRNA quoted Safavi saying.

It was unclear what prompted Safavi to make his remarks.

Iranian Defence Ministry spokesman Mohammad Reza Imani said Wednesday more details on the modified Shahab-3 will be released in the coming days after the test's results are studied.

Iran had been unsuccessfully testing the missile since 1988 before its success in 2002.

The missile's latest test came at a time when the United States is accusing Iran of working to build nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the claims, saying its nuclear program is to produce electricity.

Iran said the missile is entirely Iranian-made but U.S. officials said the missile is based on the North Korean No Dong missile design and produced in Iran. The United States also accuses China of assisting Iran's missile program.

U.S. intelligence officials have previously said Iran can probably fire several Shahab-3's in an emergency but it has not yet developed a completely reliable missile.

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, armoured personnel carriers, missiles and a fighter plane.

http://www.940news.com/news/news.cfm?dir=world&file=w081155A&n=1

Iraq detains Iranian journalists
From correspondents in Tehran, Iran
12aug04
IRAN said today that Iraqi police have detained several journalists from the Baghdad bureau of the Persian state's official Islamic Republic News Agency.

IRNA quoted the Iranian charge d'affaires in Baghdad, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, saying the agency's bureau chief in the Iraqi capital, Iranian citizen Mostafa Darban, and three "local staff" had been arrested on Monday by Iraqi police.

Mr Qomi said Iraqi police arrested the reporters at their Baghdad offices before taking them to the Interior Ministry, adding that police have not said why they arrested the IRNA staff.

The Iranian Embassy in Baghdad was investigating the matter and trying to release the reporters, Mr Qomi said, adding that his staff had contacted Iraq's foreign and interior ministries.

There has been tension between Iraq and Iran in recent weeks.

Last month, Iraqi Defence Minister Hazem Shaalan said Iran was Iraq's "first enemy" because it was allegedly playing a role in arming Iraqi Shiite militants battling US-led coalition forces.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi later distanced his government from the remark.

Iran, a Shiite Muslim country with close ties to Iraq's majority Shiite population, is suspected of using money to influence the political field in Iraq.

A small number of foreign fighters detained in Iraq have Iranian nationality.

The Iranian government has denied interfering in Iraq, including allowing money transfers. It says it does not allow fighters to cross into Iraq, but it does not rule out that such people might cross the long border illegally.

Separately, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said today that latest reports suggested that a kidnapped Iranian diplomat, Faridoun Jihani, may be released in the coming days.

Mr Jihani was kidnapped on July 4 while travelling from Baghdad to Karbala, a holy city in southern Iraq.

http://www.themercury.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,10420444%255E401,00.html