Iran "making missiles that could hit Europe" Thu 2 December, 2004 15:13
By Madeline Chambers
LONDON (Reuters) - Iran is working on long-range missiles capable of hitting European capitals, as well as nuclear and chemical warheads, an exile group has said.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which has in the past given accurate information on some of Iran's nuclear facilities, said Tehran was working on missiles with a range of 2,500 to 3,000 km (1,600 to 1,900 miles), capable of hitting cities such as Berlin.
Iran denies any intention of making long-range ballistic missiles and says its existing medium-range missiles are purely for deterrence.
The NCRI told reporters on Thursday Iran was carrying out research, testing and making the Ghadr 101 and Ghadr 110 missiles, comparable to advanced Scud E missiles, at the Hemmat Missile Industries Complex.
Ghadr means value or merit in Farsi and Shab-e Ghadr refers to the night the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
The NCRI is a coalition of exiled opposition groups fiercely opposed to Iran's clerical rulers. The U.S. State Department lists the NCRI and its armed wing, the People's Mujahideen, as a terrorist organisation.
The exiles also said Tehran had in August tested a Shahab-4 missile with a range of 1,900 to 3,000 km (1,200 to 1,900 miles), depending on the weight of the warhead. Shahab means meteor in Farsi.
Iran has acknowledged it can make large numbers of medium-range Shahab-3 ballistic missiles, capable of hitting Israel or U.S. bases in the Gulf, but has repeatedly denied Israeli accusations it is developing Shahab-4.
"Militarily speaking, by obtaining long-range and medium-range missiles, the clerics are trying to put many regions of the world, including all of Europe, within their range," NCRI's Ali Safavi told reporters.
The NCRI acknowledged that the missile programmes did not contravene international law. It provided site maps and detailed explanations but had no blueprints of the work.
Safavi also said Iran's Shahid Karimi Industrial Group was pursuing nuclear and chemical warheads, but he gave few details.
Last month U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell suggested Iran was working to fit missiles with nuclear warheads but Iran says its atomic plants are solely for power generation.
Earlier this week the United Nations' nuclear watchdog decided against referring Iran to the Security Council after Tehran agreed to freeze all activities which could be used to make bomb-grade material.
Iran and Hezbollah trying to undermine renewed peace efforts
By Ze'ev Schiff
Iran and Hezbollah have intensified their efforts to operate in the territories and in Israel so as to undermine the possible renewal of the diplomatic process between Israel and the Palestinians by ensuring that no cease-fire agreement takes effect.
The two recently have focused on recruiting dozens of individuals from West Bank groups like Tanzim and Gaza Strip groups like the Popular Resistance Committee.
Israel has arrested 19 Palestinian activists recruited or controlled by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. In addition, security services have identified Hezbollah's smuggling weapons and other military equipment through tunnels connecting the Sinai to the Gaza Strip.
The General Security Services has followed for some time activities by Iran, and its proxy, Hezbollah, in the territories and Israel. The security services attribute 21 attacks in which 50 Israelis have been killed and 216 injured to Tanzim cells controled by Iran.
Following the death of PA chairman Yasser Arafat, Iranian and Hezbollah activities have intensified, and it is believed that the two have penetrated cells in the northern West Bank and in Bethlehem.
According to intelligence estimates, Iran and Hezbollah will concentrate their efforts in undermining any chance of renewing the peace process, and if a cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinians is achieved, they will seek to destroy it.
Reports of the possibility of renewed negotiations between Syria and Israel also have led Iran to prepare its own diplomatic initiative in Damascus to get clarifications from its occasional ally.
Iran is opposed to negotiations between Israel and Syria and the possibility that an interim agreement may result in Hezbollah's withdrawal from Lebanon's southern border with Israel.
Iran and Hezbollah also are focusing attention on intelligence gathering. Among equipment confiscated from one of the group's operatives was a GPS-equipped cellular telephone device that pinpoints the position of structures and locations for targeting. The device was delivered in Damascus to Haldoun Ruhi Barghouti of the northern West Bank village of Kubar.
Hezbollah agents worked with partial success on the development of a "bomber kite" capable of carrying several kilograms of explosives with which they planned to target a Gaza Strip settlement. The testing of the kite was halted when a number of cell members were arrested.
Intelligence information also suggests that Iran is passing over millions of dollars to Palestinians via Hezbollah contacts. Iran, in effect, is a replacement for former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, who subsidized families of Palestinian suicide bombers or those injured in the fighting.
In the territories, the funding is being managed by various Islamic welfare organizations. Three brothers belonging to the Abdu family in Nablus were arrested for their role as money handlers on behalf of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah.
The local organization with which Iran has the closest affiliation is Islamic Jihad, while Hamas maintains a permanent representative in Iran. The larger Hamas wants to retain a degree of independence with Iran, but accepts financial and technical assistance from Tehran and its agents.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, is focusing its efforts on Tanzim. Several of the West Bank group's operatives have visited Lebanon and participated in training exercises there.
The Lebanese Shi'ite organization also is trying to foster ties with Israeli Arabs primarily via contacts abroad.
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