Iran sent a bellicose message to the West on Sunday amid the delicate diplomacy surrounding its suspected nuclear weapons programme, by firing what it called the world’s fastest underwater missile.
Coming amid a week of Iranian war games in the Gulf, Sunday’s test appeared to raise the stakes in the nuclear stand-off, which entered a new phase last week after the United Nations security council gave the Islamic regime 30 days to halt uranium enrichment activities or face possible punishment. Iran says it will not abandon its nuclear programme, which it says is peaceful.
State television footage showed a missile, fired from a ship, obliterating a target after travelling rapidly just below the water’s surface.
The missile, said to have a top speed of 360kph, carries a powerful warhead designed to destroy large submarines, said General Ali Fadavi, deputy head of Iran’s navy. He added: ”Even if enemy warship sensors identify the missile, no warship can escape from this missile because of its high speed.”
Last Friday, Iran test fired a stealth missile with a range of 40km which its defence chiefs claim has the ability to hit multiple targets and avoid radar.
The US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, insisted on Sunday that the US was committed to resolving the nuclear row diplomatically. ”Iran is not Iraq. I know that’s what’s on people’s minds. The circumstances are different,” she said. ”However, the president of the United States doesn’t take his options off the table.” – Guardian Unlimited Â