Israel Expresses Concern Over Iran Missile Test | Voice of America - English
Israeli officials are expressing concern over Iran's test firing of nine missiles on Wednesday.  VOA's Jim Teeple has details from our Jerusalem bureau.
Mark Regev, a spokesman for Prime MinisterEhud Olmert, issued a statement saying "Israel has no desire forconflict with Iran, but the Iranian nuclear program and the Iranianballistic missile program must be of grave concern to the entireinternational community." Iranian revolutionary guards whoconducted the missile test say at least one of the nine missiles firedwas a Shahab 3 with a 2,000-kilometer range capable of striking Israel.Meir Javedanfar, a leading Iran analyst in Israel, says Israeli officialsare concerned. "I think they are viewing this with muchconcern," he said. "It shows Iran has the capability to reach Israel. But for now the Israeli priority is for the negotiations to succeed sothe lower the Israeli government can keep the volume when it comes tothe Iranian military capability the more it allows people like EuropeanUnion negotiator Javier Solana to be able to negotiate with Iran andhopefully come to a peaceful conclusion." The missile tests comeamid continuing tensions in the region over Iran's refusal to abandonits nuclear program. Iranian officials say their nuclear program isstrictly for generating electricity, but the U.N. Security Council hasdemanded that Iran suspend its uranium enrichment activities. EuropeanUnion negotiator Javier Solana has submitted a package of incentivesthat would include assistance to help Iran develop a civilian nuclearprogram if Iran does suspend its enrichment activities. Iranianofficials said several days ago they are prepared to hold talks withMr. Solana and his so called five-plus-one group to resolve the crisis. Israeli officials insist that Iran is developing nuclearweapons and that pronouncements by Iranian leaders to wipe Israel offthe map mean that Iran's nuclear enrichment activities are a threat toIsrael's existence. Meir Javendanfar says Israeli officials areclosely watching recent diplomatic efforts to end the crisis, becausethey seem to be having an effect inside Iran. "I think therecent package from the EU, the five-plus-one, has actually created alot of discussion within Iran regarding what to do, regarding PresidentMahmoud Ahmadinejad's belligerent approach to the internationalcommunity," he said. "So, what I think Israel wants to do is for theEU and the United Nations to become more involved with Iran, andmeanwhile Israel can act as the international community's consciencewhen it comes to the Iranian danger." Iran has threatened thatany military action aimed at its nuclear enrichment program would leadto Iranian attacks against Israel, U.S. forces in the region, and theshut down of the Straits of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, through whichmuch of the world's oil supply passes. Israel recentlyconducted large scale military exercises over the Mediterranean whichwere described by U.S. officials as a warning to Iran. Following arecent trip to Israel, the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chief's of StaffAdmiral Mike Mullen said any attack on Iran would be stressful for U.S.forces in the region. At the same time Admiral Mullen said he was awareof what he said were very real threats to Israel from Iran. For hispart, Iranian President Ahmadinejad said Tuesday any talk of war in thefuture was "a funny joke."