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LONDON - WITH Washington working to close a deal on a missile defence system in Europe, the head of the US programme has warned that Iran is within years of producing a missile that could reach most European capitals.
'They are already flying missiles that exceed what they would need in a fight with Israel. Why? Why do they continue this progression in terms of range of missiles? It is something we need to think about,' Lieutenant-General Henry Obering III, director of the US Missile Defence Agency, told a conference here on missile defence.
The message was aimed at staving off scepticism in Europe and clinching a deal for radar and interceptor sites in the Czech Republic and Poland.
It underscored increasing concern among defence experts that while attention has focused on nuclear proliferation, countries such as China, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan and India have made significant strides in developing missiles that can reach far beyond their immediate neighbours.
'Our short-range defences could protect Rome and Athens,' Gen Obering said, but warned that London, Paris and Brussels would remain vulnerable 'against an Iranian (intermediate-range missile) threat'.
Many in Europe have expressed doubts that Iran would target European cities.
But Gen Obering said it was possible to imagine as early as seven years from now a nuclear-armed Iran shutting off oil shipments in the Persian Gulf, or Al-Qaeda militants seizing freighters off Europe and arming them with nuclear-tipped Scud missiles 'to punish the West for invasion of Muslim holy lands'.
The timing of the warning was hardly coincidental, as US officials this week were attempting through talks in Washington to clear the last hurdles for agreements with Poland and the Czech Republic on a US-run system of interceptor missiles and radar in Europe.
But Russia remains vigorously opposed to what it sees as permanent new US military infrastructure near its borders, and there are concerns on the continent about further alienating Iran and Russia.
Some Europeans have accused the Bush administration of undermining existing arms control agreements by proceeding unilaterally on missile defence.
Ms Jane Sharp, senior research fellow in defence studies at King's College in London, said the Bush administration has cost the West a once-cooperative relationship with Russia.
'Even if ballistic missile defence did look credible to a potential adversary, they're still destabilising because the logical response for any adversary for a credible defence is to acquire more offensive capability - this is what the Russians are telling us every day,' she said.
The US has not reached an agreement with either Poland or the Czech Republic on the proposed system.
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek met President George W. Bush at the White House on Wednesday. But Mr Topolanek withheld his approval, citing remaining differences on environmental standards.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is scheduled to visit Mr Bush on March 10.
LOS ANGELES TIMES
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