Translation result
[Herald Economy=Kim Eun-hee]Iran fired ballistic missiles at the joint U.K.-U.S. military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, roughly 2,485 miles (4,000 km) from Iran, U.S. and international media reported.The Wall Street Journal, citing officials, said Iran launched two ballistic missiles at the base on the morning of March 20 local time. One missile failed in flight, and a U.S. warship’s air defenses appear to have intercepted the other.Diego Garcia, in the Chagos Archipelago, is a strategic hub capable of supporting B-2 stealth bomber operations.The Telegraph reported this is the first confirmed instance of Iran launching a medium-range ballistic missile with an estimated 4,000 km (about 2,485 miles) range. Analysts believe the weapon was a 20-ton-class Khoramshahr-4 rocket—roughly 22 U.S. short tons—capable of carrying as many as 80 submunitions.Iran’s state-affiliated Mehr News Agency on March 21 said the military fired two ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia and called the strikes “an important step proving that the range of Iran’s missiles exceeds what enemies previously imagined.”Bloomberg noted a 4,000 km range would put major Western European cities, including London and Paris, inside Iran’s strike envelope. It added, however, that it is unclear whether Iran has additional medium-range ballistic missiles in service.The launches also suggest Iran maintains facilities able to modify or upgrade missiles. Observers say Tehran may have extended range by reducing overall missile weight or by removing warheads.Western governments have long pushed to inspect Iran’s ballistic missile program, warning that pairing long-range delivery systems with nuclear warheads would threaten Western Europe and potentially the U.S. mainland.Tehran has rejected those concerns, saying it technically could develop medium- and long-range missiles but had voluntarily limited range to 2,000 km (about 1,243 miles), arguing that distance is sufficient to reach Israel.This latest strike, however, indicates Iran has been developing longer-range systems domestically.AFP reported the launches occurred just hours before the U.K. government on March 20 authorized U.S. forces to use Diego Garcia and the Fairford air base in southwest England. Iran had warned that Britain’s decision to allow U.S. basing amounted to joining attacks against Iran. The U.K. government said it granted access only for defensive, limited, and specific purposes.
Most Commented