Iran test fires new air-to-sea missile

TEHRAN: Iran said on Sunday it "successfully" tested a new air-to-sea missile with a range of 110 kilometres (68 miles), an Iranian news agency reported. It did not say when the test was conducted.

"Iranian defence specialists are able to successfully install missiles with a range of 110 kilometres on fighter planes and launch them," the report said, adding that the high-precision weapon weighs about 500 kilos.

The report said the latest test showed the Islamic republic's "ability to automatically direct the missile and carry warheads to destroy large targets at sea."

The announcement comes just days after a top military commander said Iran has missiles that can reach nuclear facilities in its arch-foe Israel.

Mohammed Ali Jafari, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, said Tehran has missiles with a range of more than 2,000 kilometres, bringing all of Israel within range.

But defence analysts question the accuracy of Iran's longer-range missiles.

Jafari's comment came amid sustained speculation that Israel could target Iranian nuclear plants.

Israel has a major nuclear facility at Dimona in the Negev desert, at which it is widely believed to have developed a nuclear arsenal.

Israel maintains a policy of neither confirming nor denying a nuclear capability, but it is suspected to have more than 200 warheads.

Iran does not recognise the Jewish state and has repeatedly predicted its demise.

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