Tehran, Iran – Determined not to budge under pressure, Iran announced new tests of short-range missiles Sunday, and hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed criticism that the country’s economy has been hurt by U.N. sanctions imposed for its suspect nuclear program.
The missile tests come as the U.S. Navy is sending a second aircraft carrier to the volatile Persian Gulf. U.S. officials said the USS John C. Stennis, which arrives in Mideast waters in a matter of weeks, is meant as a warning to Iran.
The deployment appeared to alarm some in Iran’s hard-line leadership, including a member of a powerful cleric-run body who warned last week that the U.S. plans to attack, possibly by striking Iranian nuclear facilities.
U.S. officials have long refused to rule out any options in the faceoff with Tehran but say military action would be a last resort.
Stressing Iran’s preparedness, state television said the Revolutionary Guards planned to begin three days of testing the short-range Zalzal and Fajr-5 missiles Sunday.
Though U.S. officials suggest Iran exaggerates its military capabilities, Washington is very concerned about Iranian progress in developing missiles. Some of its missiles are capable of hitting U.S.-allied Arab nations and Israel, which Ahmadinejad has called to be wiped off the map.
Iran’s new maneuvers are the first since the U.N. Security Council imposed sanctions last month over Ahmadinejad’s defiance of its demand that Tehran suspend uranium enrichment.
