Iran Tests Missiles After EU Oil Embargo

2012-07-07 362

Iran has threatened to destroy U.S. military bases across the Middle East and target Israel within minutes of being attacked, Iranian media reported on Wednesday.
The report comes as Revolutionary Guards extended test-firing of ballistic missiles into a third day.

The commander of the Revolutionary Guards was quoted by the Fars news agency as saying that 35 U.S. bases were within reach of Iran's ballistic missiles and Israel could be targeted as well.

Israel has hinted it may attack Iran if diplomacy fails to secure a halt to its disputed nuclear energy program.

The U.S. has also suggested military action as a last-resort option, but has frequently nudged the Israelis to give time for intensified economic sanctions to work against Iran.

The Islamic Republic announced the "Great Prophet 7" missile exercise on Sunday after a European embargo against Iranian crude oil purchases took full effect, following another fruitless round of big power talks with Tehran.

Iran denies Western accusations that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons capability and it is enriching uranium only to generate more energy for a rapidly growing population