Article Posted on : - Sep 28, 2009

Iran's long-range missile Shahab 3. A File Photo

TEHRAN (AFP/PTI): Iran test-fired three short-range missiles Sunday as the Islamic republic began war games two days after the UN nuclear watchdog disclosed it was building a second uranium enrichment plant.

Hossein Salami, air force commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, said that on Monday there would also be a test-firing of the long-range Shahab 3 missile which Iran says has a range of 1,300-2,000 kilometres and could hit arch-foe Israel.

"Tomorrow we will test the long-range Shahab-3 missile," he told state television.

He also told reporters, without elaborating, that the Guards tested a "multiple missile launcher for the first time" on Sunday and that later in the day Shahab-1 and Shahab-2 medium-range missiles would be test-fired.

Iran's Fars news agency said the multiple-launcher could fire two missiles aimed at separate targets simultaneously.

Salami called the manoeuvres an "indication" of Iran's "strong will to defend our values and interests."

"This exercise has a message of friendship for friendly countries. For greedy countries that seek to intimidate us, the message is that we are capable of a prompt and crushing response to their animosity," state television website quoted him as saying.