TEL AVIV Ñ Iran has completed production of at least 20
Shihab-3 intermediate-range missiles, Israel's transportation minister said.
Ephraim Sneh, who is regarded as the leading expert in the government on Iranian
weapons capabilities, said Iran completed the assembly of these
missiles over the last year.
Teheran launched serial production of the Shihab in the spring of 2001, according to Western intelligence sources. The Shihab has a range of
1,300 kilometers and is said to be based on North Korea's No-Dong missile.
Sneh made the assertion as representatives of 78 nations were convening in Paris for a two-day missile nonproliferation conference.
"They have at least at least 20 long-range Shihab-3 that can strike
Israel," Israeli Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh told Israel state
radio Wednesday.
Organizers said the aim of the Paris meeting is to discuss
a proposed regime that would end missile proliferation and curb development
and deployment. The code also calls for information-sharing in missile
testing.
The code was drafted by the Missile Technology Control Regime, a 1985
international agreement that bans the export of large or medium-range
missiles. The MTCR bans export of any missile with a range of more than 300
kilometers or a payload of 1 ton.
The Israeli minister said Israel cannot play down the Iranian threat and
dismissed the prospect that the international community will suppress
Iranian strategic weapons programs. Over the last six months, Iran has
repeatedly threatened to employ the Shihab-3 against Israel.
"Nobody will protect us," Sneh said. "Nobody will fight for us. Only
what we do can provide a response. To rely on other sources, as friendly as
they are, would be a grave mistake."
Iran's delegation is headed by Hamid Eslami-Zad. In an interview with
the official Iranian news service, Eslami-Zad said the issue of missile
proliferation is one for the United Nations. He expressed what he termed was
his government's support for missile nonproliferation.
Iran's allies, North Korea and Syria, refused invitations to attend
the international conference. Western
diplomatic sources said North Korea and Syria were the only invited
countries who failed to attend the two-day parley. Iraq was not invited.
Since 1993, Sneh has warned against Iran's missile
and weapons of mass destruction programs.
