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| March 14, 2010 | Iran’s secret missile-launching facility revealed | |
Tehran ( Iran ): Iran’s surge towards becoming a nuclear power has taken another stride after satellite images of a new missile-launching facility were revealed. According to Jane’s, the London-based intelligence group, new satellite images show a launch pad 6.5 miles north-east of the existing Semnan
site. Experts believe that the site could ultimately launch Tehran ’s next-generation
Simorgh rocket. The launch pad includes a gantry tower, which is 43 feet wide,
approximately 60 feet tall “and has a cliff-side flame bucket nearly as high as
the tower itself”. “It appears midway towards completion,” The Daily Express quoted
a Jane ’s report, as saying. The reports also revealed that the launch pad could
easily accommodate the 88-foot Simorgh if the gantry were to be extended by 33
feet. “The development of the Semnan facility and the Simorgh SLV both demonstrate
the likelihood of collaboration with North Korea in Iran ’s missile programme”
the report said. The respected information group also reinforced concerns that
Israel is being aided by North Korea . “The platforms seen on the new gantry tower
resemble those seen on the gantry tower at North Korea ’s new launch pad at Tongchang.
A drainage pit 570 feet directly in front of the pad also mirrors one at Pyongyang
’s new west-coast launch site. Similarly, the first stage of the Simorgh strongly
resembles the North Korean Unha-2, with four clustered engines and nearly the
same dimensions,” the reports said. “Given these investments in its missile infrastructure,
and despite the United States attempting to garner support for further sanctions
against Iran for its nuclear programme, Tehran appears determined to continue
developing its missile and rocket capabilities in the foreseeable future,” the
report concluded. Last month, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had proclaimed
that Iran was officially a “nuclear state” after allegedly producing its first
batch of uranium enriched to a higher level. Ahmadinejad reiterated that Iran
was pursuing nuclear energy, but had no intention of producing nuclear weapons. |
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