Iran flexes muscle ahead of talks with major powers

By Fredrik Dahl and Hossein Jaseb

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran test-fired missiles on Monday which a commander said could reach any regional target, flexing its military muscle before crucial talks this week with major powers worried about Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

The missile drills of the elite Revolutionary Guards coincide with escalating tension in Iran's nuclear dispute with the West, after last week's disclosure by Tehran that it is building a second uranium enrichment plant.

News of the nuclear fuel facility south of Tehran added urgency to the rare meeting in Geneva on Thursday between Iranian officials and representatives of six major powers, including the United States, China and Russia.

The White House called the missile tests "provocative" and reiterated demands by President Barack Obama at the Group of 20 summit in Pittsburgh last week that Iran come clean on its disputed nuclear program.

"They can agree to immediate unfettered access (to the newly disclosed nuclear facility)," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters when asked what Washington wants from the talks. "That would be the least that they could do."

"There has never been a stronger international consensus to address Iran and its nuclear program than there is right now," he added.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said there was no link between the missile maneuvers and the nuclear activities.

"This is a military drill which is deterrent in nature," spokesman Hassan Qashqavi told a news conference. "There is no connection whatsoever with the nuclear program."

Press TV said the Shahab 3 surface-to-surface missile, with a range of up to 2,000 km (1,250 miles), was "successfully" test-fired on the second day of an exercise that began on Sunday, when short and medium-range missiles were launched.

Such a range would put Israel and U.S. bases in the region within striking distance. Television footage of the launches showed missiles soaring into the sky in desert-like terrain, to shouts of Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest).

"All targets within the region, no matter where they are, will be within the range of these missiles," General Hossein Salami, commander of the Guards' air force, was quoting as saying on the Guards website.

Salami later told Iranian state television: "All of our enemies must know that we constantly envision ourselves to be in an atmosphere of threat. And we have prepared ourselves for the worst case scenario."

WIDE CONDEMNATION

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the missile test was "part of an annual provocation" by Iran and should not distract from the pending Geneva talks.

"On Thursday (Iran will) need to ... show that they are serious about ensuring that their civilian nuclear power program does not leak into a military program," Miliband told Britain's Sky News.