Iran begins production of Russian anti-tank missile

MOSCOW -- Iran has been producing large quantities of a deadly Russian anti-tank missile.

Russian military sources said Iran has bought the license of the Concourse anti-tank missile. The missile has a range of four kilometers during the day and 2.5 kilometers at night.

The range is longer than many Western and Israeli anti-tank missiles, the sources said.

Iran has completed an assembly line and produced large amounts of the Concourse missiles, the Itar-Tass news agency said. The size of the contract was not revealed.

Arab diplomatic sources following the Iranian programs said some of the missiles might have been transferred to Syria, Iran's leading ally.

Russia is helping Iran develop several types of tactical and strategic missiles. In all, intelligence sources said, Iran has 18 missile programs, most of them stuck in different stages of development.

Moscow is also continuing to help Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear weapons program, the sources said. Iran has denied this and blames Israel for a reported CIA assessment that Teheran has nuclear weapons.

On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, who returned from a three-day visit to Turkey, reiterated the Islamic regime's concern over Israel's influence in the region. He said Israel's presence in Central Asia has "direct impact on our national security and security of the entire region."

Also on Thursday, Iranian authorities released German businessman Helmut Hofer after nearly two years in prison. Hofer was fined $6,600 of insulting a prison guard and would be allowed to leave Iran.