Iran Testing Missiles That Can Carry Nuclear Weapons

A ballistic missile is launched during the second day of military exercises codenamed Great Prophet-6, for Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards at an undisclosed location. Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards fired 14 missiles in the exercise. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

Iran Testing Missiles That Could Carry Nuclear Weapon, UK's Hague Says -- CNN

London (CNN) -- Iran has been carrying out covert tests of missiles capable of delivering a nuclear payload, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said Wednesday, in contravention of a U.N. resolution.

It has also said it wants to enrich uranium to "levels far greater than is needed for peaceful nuclear energy," Hague said.

Iran's development of missile and nuclear fuel technology has led to U.N. sanctions and accusations from the United States that the clerical regime is trying to develop nuclear weapons.

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The West fears Iran is developing ballistic missiles to enable it to launch atomic warheads (AFP/Graphic)

More News On Iran's Missile Tests

Iran secretly tested 'nuclear-capable missiles' -- AFP
Iran Conducting Secret Nuclear Missile Tests, UK Secretary Says -- FOX News/AP
William Hague concerned over Iranian missile tests -- BBC
UK: Iran conducting secret ballistic missile tests -- Seattle Times/AP
Britain Says Iran Conducting Secret Missile Tests -- Radio Free Europe
Iran conducting secret nuclear tests, Britain says -- New York Post
Iran testing missiles with nuclear capability - UK -- Reuters
Iran test-fires missiles, shows secret silos -- Washington Post
Iran missiles hidden deep underground -- Sydney Morning Herald
Iran denies British nuclear missile claim -- Reuters
Iran's war games go underground -- Robert Fisk, The Independent

Are The Russians And Chinese Helping The Iranians In Their Missile Program?

The Mullahs' Missile: Iranian clerics watch a test of a Shahab-3 ballistic missile, with a 2,000 km range, in the desert outside Qom, Iran. AFP-Getty Images

From The Washington Times:

A researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reports that he has acquired internal Iranian documents showing China and North Korea's close involvement in Iran's missile program.

Geoffrey Forden, a research associate at MIT's Science, Technology and Global Security Working Group, stated in a Sept. 14 post on the Web site armscontrolwonk.com that he obtained "internal secret Iranian documents" showing how several countries are helping Tehran develop missiles or are providing technology for them.

"If my understanding is correct, they indicate that representatives from North Korea and China have been present at all phases of production and flight testing," Mr. Forden stated. "Iran has also gotten important help from Russia, though Russians do not appear to have been as ubiquitous as the Chinese and the North Koreans."

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Previous Post: Secret Iranian Missile Memos

My Comment: I posted a comment at Arms Control Wonk on the day that he published his post that outlines my doubts that the Russians were helping the Iranians in their missile program. The Russians have too much to lose, including any hope of convincing the Americans to abandon their anti-missile program in Europe if it became public that they were involved in helping the Iranians. I also remarked that if there was Russian assistance, it would be coming through backdoor channels or a former Soviet Republic.

Since that posting, and with the main stream media now looking at the story more seriously, I further investigated through my Russian contacts on the idea that maybe this was a covert Russian program. All my contacts said the same thing .... no. The Russian Government has no interest to assist or boost Iran's WMD program. Russian officials have already been burned by slow Iranian payment for services rendered in the construction of their nuclear plant ..... they do not have the stomach to repeat the same story on missile technology.

However .... one of my sources thinks that if the Iranians are getting Russian missile tech it is probably coming from either Belarus or the Ukraine, and from a non-government enterprise. This is just one source .... and he himself is speculating .... but if true one can then argue that Iran is indeed getting assistance from Russian professionals, and we in the West must put Russia on guard for not properly supervising their technology.

As to the Chinese .... I am 99% sure that they are providing some form of assistance. They have been consistently reckless when it comes to WMD systems .... selling and/or demanding quid pro quos for any service or product that is exchanged. Their assistance in Pakistan's nuclear bomb program has been particularly galling .... so if they were willing to do that .... missile tech is just one more product to sell.

Secret Iranian Missile Memos

The Mullahs' Missile: Iranian clerics watch a test of a Shahab-3 ballistic missile, with a 2,000 km range, in the desert outside Qom, Iran. AFP-Getty Images

From Arms Control Wonk:

I have been given access to a series of what appeared to be internal secret Iranian documents by sources I trust. If authentic, and I believe they are, they provide important insights into Iran’s missile development program and have important implications for North Korea’s as well. Unfortunately, to protect my sources and the Iranians who spirited these documents out to the West, I cannot be too explicit about their contents. The following examination of these memos contains both information from and my analysis of them. I have tried to explicitly point out what is my speculation.

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My Comment: A fascinating read on Iran's missile program. I do not know if the information is accurate or not .... but if true, the implications would/are troubling for all.

It is a long post, but I found it easy to read and even easier to understand. If this is a topic that interests you .... read it all and comment at Arms Control Wonk.

Advances In Iranian Misile Technology Is Starting To Worry Some In Israel And Europe

Iran Missile Said To Pose Europe Threat In 3-4 Years -- Reuters

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama (Reuters) - Iran could have the ability to strike most of Europe with a ballistic missile within three or four years if it made an all-out push, the former head of Israel's missile defense program said on Thursday.

If correct, the timeline cited by Uzi Rubin, a leading authority on Iran's program, puts a fresh note of urgency into a diplomatically thorny debate over building a multibillion-dollar anti-missile shield in Europe.

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My Comment: A lot of ifs and maybe's in this article. I am sure that if Iran does a full court press to develop its missile technology, they may be able to accomplish something in a few years. But at the moment, it seems that the Iranians have far more pressing problems at home than to be concerned about having a missile that can strike Sweden.