Iran has no intention of manufacturing a missile more powerful than the Shahab-3, a medium-range missile with a touted range of over 1,500 kilometers that recently went into service, the defence ministry said in a statement carried Wednesday by the student news agency ISNA."As we have said on several occasions and contrary to certain statements, Iran has no programme to build a Shahab-4 missile," the statement was quoted as saying.
It was not clear what provoked the defence ministry to issue such a statement.
During a major military parade on September 22, Iran showed off six of its Shahab-3 missiles which were decorated with anti-Israeli and anti-US slogans.
According to a commentary given over loud-speakers lining the parade route, the missiles have "a range of 1,700 kilometers" (1,060 miles) and "are capable of hitting the heart of the enemy".
The development of these missiles has sparked widespread alarm in Israel.
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