TEHRAN, July 1, (Agencies): Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced they are to fire ballistic and other missiles at desert targets during three days of war games starting Monday in a warning to threats of military action by Israel and the United States.
“Long-, medium- and short-range surface-to-surface missiles will be fired from different locations in Iran... at replica airbases like those used by out-of-region military forces,” the head of the Guards aerospace division in charge of missile systems, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, said.
“These manoeuvres send a message to the adventurous nations that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps is standing up to bullies alongside the determined and unified Iranian nation, and will decisively respond to any trouble they cause,” he was quoted as saying by the Guards’ official Sepah News website.
Although Iran frequently holds war games, these exercises appeared to underline Tehran’s threat to strike US military bases in neighbouring countries — in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia — if it comes under attack by Israel or the United States.
Tel Aviv and Washington have said that military action against Iran remains an option if diplomacy and sanctions fail to convince the Islamic republic to curb its sensitive nuclear programme.
Hajizadeh said the war games, titled Great Prophet 7, would “test the accuracy of missile warheads and systems” by hitting the mock camps in the Kavir Desert in central Iran.
He mentioned two types of ballistic missiles that would be used: the Qiam, which has an estimated range of around 500 kilometres (300 miles), or 750 kilometres according to Iranian media; and the Khalij Fars anti-ship missile, which has a range of 300 kilometres.
Tehran refers to its ballistic missiles as “long-range” although other world militaries qualify them as “short-range”.
The longest-range ballistic missile Iran possesses in its arsenal is the medium-range Shahab-3 which, with a range of up to 2,000 kilometres, is capable of hitting Israel. There was no indication in Hajizadeh’s remarks that a Shahab-3 would be used in the manoeuvres.
Meanwhile, a prominent Iranian Revolutionary Guard Commander of the Aerospace Unit warned on Sunday Israel against attacking Iranian nuclear facilities as they “will completely obliterate and wipe it out from the face of earth.”
Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh made his remarks to Iranian media, adding that “the North Atlantic Treaty Organization missile defense shields in Turkey and in region “are vulnerable to Iranian indigenous anti-radar ballistic missiles known as “Arm.” Hajizadeh also noted that Iran is finalizing “Arm” ballistic missile production which has been designed and manufactured by Iranian specialists.
“Arm is able to target any radar centers on land or sea with high accuracy and destroy it several times faster than the speed of sound,” Hajizadeh added.
In another development, Britain on Sunday urged Iran to cooperate with the international community after the EU slapped an oil embargo on Tehran designed to turn up the heat on the regime.
Foreign Secretary William Hague said the sanctions showed the European Union’s determination to get tough with Iran.
“Unprecedented oil sanctions on Iran have come into force,” Hague told BBC television.
“These are the toughest measures the EU has adopted against Iran to date. They signal our clear determination to intensify the peaceful diplomatic pressure on the Iranian government.”
The EU embargo on Iranian oil went into effect on Sunday, provoking anger in Tehran which says the measure will hurt talks with world powers over its sensitive nuclear activities.
Britain is one of the six countries dealing with Iran over its nuclear programme.
The group comprises the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — plus Germany.
Iran must make a choice in the coming weeks, Hague said.
“It can continue to obfuscate and avoid the critical issues, incurring tough sanctions and increasing international isolation.
“Or it can begin to cooperate seriously by discussing the steps it is prepared to take on its nuclear programme, and seizing the opportunity to secure a more prosperous and peaceful future for the Iranian people.
“We urge the Iranian government to reflect seriously on its position and return to the negotiating table ready and willing to make diplomacy work.”
The 27 EU nations account for 20 percent of Iran’s oil exports — which bring in 80 percent of the country’s foreign reserves — while 85 percent of marine insurance is provided by EU firms.
“We are seeking a diplomatic, negotiated settlement with Iran. We call on Iran to take concrete action to address international concerns about its nuclear programme,” Hague said.
“It is in the power of the Iranian leadership to end Iran’s current isolation, but unless they change course the pressure will only increase.”
Talks — at expert level — between Iran and the six world powers are to be held on Tuesday in Istanbul.