U.S. slams test-firing of Iranian long-range missile

BEIRUT, Lebanon — U.S. officials Wednesday condemned Iran for test-firing a long-range surface-to-surface missile, an action they said violates U.N. Security Council resolutions and threatens other countries.

Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar earlier in the day announced the successful launch of a new class of two-stage, solid-fuel rockets called the Sajjil. Iranians say the domestically manufactured weapon is more accurate than its liquid-fueled predecessors and has a range of 1,200 miles, which puts Israel and parts of Europe within striking distance.

White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the test-firing reinforced the U.S. argument that Iran can't be trusted to continue enriching uranium, a precursor to developing a nuclear weapon as well as generating civilian electricity.

The U.S. also points to Iran's growing military and technological prowess as an argument for building up a missile-defense shield in Central Europe.

A senior U.S. military official said the missile flew for just 9 seconds, covering 180 miles before veering off. The U.S. believes the launch tested the first stage of what would be a two-stage rocket.

The latest Iranian reports of missile test firings came after Iran said last week that American helicopters were spotted flying close to Iranian airspace.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent President-elect Obama a congratulatory letter last week, but Wednesday said: "It doesn't make any difference for us who comes and who goes ... It's their actions which are studied by the Iranian and world nations."

Additional information from The Associated Press and

The New York Times.