Washington, Dec 17 (DPA) Iran’s test of a medium-range missile raises questions about Tehran’s peaceful ambitions in the region and the nature of its nuclear programme, the US State Department said Wednesday.
Iran announced that it had successfully tested an upgraded Sejil 2 missile, which has a range of more than 2,000 kilometres, enough to hit Israel.

State Department spokesman Ian Kelly noted the test came as the international community has sought ways to resolve the confrontation over Iran’s nuclear activities suspected by the West of aiming to develop a bomb.

“At a time when the international community has offered Iran opportunities to begin to build trust and confidence, these kinds of tests can only undermine Iran’s claims of peaceful intentions,” Kelly said.

“These kinds of actions will only increase the seriousness and resolve of the international community in our efforts to hold Iran accountable for its continued defiance of international obligations on its nuclear programme,” Kelly added.

Iran has been non-committal about a proposal from the UN nuclear monitoring body, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), that would have Tehran ship its enriched uranium to a third country to ready it for use in medical research.