Iran to fire long-range missiles during drill

Iran will fire long-range missiles during a naval drill in the Gulf on Saturday, a semi-official news agency reported, a show of force at a time when Iran has threatened to close shipping lanes if the West imposes sanctions on its oil exports.

Iran has long-range missile systems including the Shahab-3, which could reach Israel and US bases in the Middle East.

In the past week it has threatened to stop ships moving through the strategic Strait of Hormuz if sanctions are imposed on its oil exports over its disputed nuclear programme, increasing tension in a long-running standoff with the West.

"The Iranian navy will test several kinds of its missiles, including its long-range missiles, in the Gulf on Saturday," Admiral Mahmoud Mousavi, deputy commander of the Iranian navy, told Fars news agency.

The United States and Israel have said they do not rule out military action against Iran if diplomacy fails to resolve a dispute over the country's nuclear programme, which Tehran says is peaceful but the West says is a cover to build bomb.

Iran says it would retaliate if attacked. It started a 10-day navy drill on Saturday.

"The fire of missiles is the final part of the navy drill," said Mousavi. "The final phase of the drill is to prepare the navy for confronting the enemy in war situations."

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