Iran remains defiant on issue of nuclear weapons

By Dan Sandiford
Collegian Reporter
August 30, 2006

Iran test-fired a submarine to surface missile on Sunday, creating even further tension in its standoff with the West.

The Thaqeb or Saturn long-range missile was fired at a target on the water’s surface less than a mile away from the launch site. This was part of a large scale military exercise started by Iran on Aug. 19.

“The army successfully test-fired a top speed, long-range sub-to-surface missile off the Persian Gulf,” said Iranian Navy Commander Gen. Sajjad Kouchaki.

Iran has been carrying out similar military exercises for the past decade in order to improve its combat readiness. These particular exercises have the West concerned since they were carried out five days before a deadline set by the U. N. Security Council, demanding that Iran suspend its uranium enrichment program.

Iran has been defiant in the face of the United Nation’s demands. The country has expressed its desire to negotiate; however, Tehran refuses to budge when it comes to ceasing uranium enrichment. The country claims that the United Nation’s demands are illegal.

The West’s main concern is that Iran will enrich uranium to make a nuclear weapon. Iran, on the other hand, claims that it is only trying to develop the technology to generate energy.

The Thaqeb missile is the first successful test of such a weapon for Iran. This will improve the country’s ability to destroy surface ships.

This particular missile does not appear to have the ability to carry a nuclear warhead. Iran already has several types of torpedoes able to cause massive amounts of damage.

The arsenal includes the “Hoot” torpedo, which is able to move 223 miles per hour, four times faster than the normal torpedo.

Kouchaki said that the missile could be fired from almost any of the Iranian ships and it can be undetected by enemy radar. He claims that the missile was created from domestic know-how; however, experts believe that Iran gets much of its military technology from China and Russia.

Iran already possesses a long-range ballistic missile, capable of hitting Israel and other U.S. forces in the Middle East.

Former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami places the blame on the West. At an international gathering at the U.N. University in Tokyo, Khatami said that the west is creating another Middle East crisis. He claims that Iran has a legal right to develop a nuclear program as it is peaceful and poses no threat to anyone.

“Our nuclear program is a peaceful one completely,” Khatami said. “We are not trying to create an international crisis, though some countries are trying to do that.”

Khatami was Iran’s leader from 1997 until 2005 when the extremist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became president.

Khatami was known for being a moderate by Iranian standards on politics and his views on the United States, while he was president.

“Many of the policies that the big powers are promoting violence, although in the name fighting terrorism,” he said. “This is like pouring gasoline on a fire.” Source: foxnews.com

sandifordd1@lasalle.edu