Iran claims successful long-range missile test An Iranian navy ship fires a medium-range missile near the Strait of Hormuz on New Year's Day. Iran says it has successfully test-fired a long-range missile during naval exercises in the Gulf, flexing its military muscle to show it could target Israel and US bases in the region. The announcement came a day after Iran tested claimed to have successfully tested a new medium-range, ground-to-air missile. The exercises are taking place amid rising tension over Iran's disputed nuclear programme, which western powers believe is working on developing atomic bombs. Tehran denies the accusation and last week said it would stop the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz if the west carried out threats to impose sanctions on its oil exports. "We have test-fired a long-range shore-to-sea missile called Qader [which translates as capable], which managed to successfully destroy predetermined targets in the Gulf," Deputy Navy Commander Mahmoud Mousavi told the official news agency IRNA on Monday. Iran earlier said it would test-fire two long-range missiles - Qader and another system called Nour (light) - to display its resolve to counter any attack by Israel or the US. Mousavi said observers from the country's closest Arab ally, Syria, would attend the last day of the 10-day exercise. The US and Israel have not ruled out military action against Iran if diplomacy fails to resolve the Islamic state's nuclear row with the west. The US has already banned imports of Iranian crude, which the EU is also considering. The US Fifth Fleet reacted to Iran's threat to stop oil flows, saying it will not allow any disruption of traffic in the Gulf. Iran said it had no intention to close the Strait of Hormuz. No order has been given for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. But we are prepared for various scenarios," state television quoted navy chief Habibollah Sayyari as saying.