IN THE NEWS - Iran Launches a Missile and a Presidential Race

Broadcast date: 5-23-2009 / Written by Brianna Blake

From http://www.unsv.com/voanews/specialenglish/

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

This week, Iran test-fired a new missile. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced the
launch to a crowd in Semnan province, his birthplace and a base for missile launches.

MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD (translator): "The Sejil-2 missile,

which has very advanced technology, was launched from
Semnan and it landed precisely on the target."

Officials say the solid-fuel rocket could reach Israel,

southeastern Europe and American bases in the Middle East.

American Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the Iranian

missile will be able to travel up to two thousand five hundred
kilometers. But because of engine problems, he says, the range
right now is probably closer to two thousand kilometers.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Wednesday's test came two days after Benjamin Netanyahu, during his visit to Semnan
the new Israeli prime minister, visited President Obama. It was
their first meeting as leaders. Next week, the Palestinian and Egyptian presidents visit the White
House.

President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu both spoke of the threat of a nuclear-armed
Iran.

BARACK OBAMA: "I firmly believe it is in Iran's interest not to

develop nuclear weapons, because it would trigger a nuclear
arms race in the Middle East and be profoundly destabilizing in
all sorts of ways."

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: "If Iran were to acquire nuclear

weapons, it could give a nuclear umbrella to terrorists, or
worse it could actually give terrorists nuclear weapons, and
that would put us all in grave peril."
President Obama with Israeli Prime
Iran says its nuclear program is for energy. But the latest test
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the
White House
only added to concerns about missiles that could one day carry
nuclear weapons. Israel points out that President Ahmadinejad
has said the Jewish State should be "wiped off the map."

President Obama still has to decide the future of a Bush administration plan to put a missile
defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia objects. But the United States says
the system would protect Europe from a possible attack by Iran.

President Obama says he is trying to reach out to the Iranians with diplomacy. But he says
there must be a "clear timetable" for talks about protecting their security without threatening
other people's security.

There should be some sense by the end of the year, he says, whether or not serious progress is
being made.

BARACK OBAMA: "We are not going to have talks forever. We are not going to create a
situation in which talks become an excuse for inaction while Iran proceeds with developing a
nuclear and deploying a nuclear weapon."

Iran's presidential election is June twelfth. President Ahmadinejad is seeking a second term. He
will face three other candidates chosen this week from more than four hundred fifty who
entered the race.

One of those he will face is Mir Hossein Mousavi. The former prime minister along with former
parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi are both seen as reformist. Iran's Guardian Council also
approved the candidacy of President Ahmadinejad and Mohsen Rezai, former head of the
Revolutionary Guards. Both men are conservative.

The president's opponents have criticized his handling of the economy -- inflation is high. But
he has won praise at home for his support for developing satellite and rocket technology. Iran
launched its first satellite into orbit in February -- the thirtieth anniversary of the Islamic
revolution.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. I'm Steve Ember.