German intelligence authorities believe Iran has now bought 18 longer-range missiles from Stalinist North Korea, giving Tehran the capability to attack targets in central Europe, the German daily newspaper Bild reported yesterday.
The study written by the foreign intelligence service BND said that the advanced BM-25 missiles were being purchased from Pyongyang in the form of kit sets.
The mobile missiles, which are based on the Russian SS-N-6 missile for submarine launch, will have a nominal range of 2,500km.
However it was possible to upgrade them to hit targets up to 3,500km away, the Munich-based BND said.
Iran already possesses the Shehab-3 missile that has a range of 1,300km.
Bild quoted the BND dossier as saying: "Germany and other parts of central Europe could be affected in the medium to long term by the Iranian missile program."
It added: "With longer ranges possible in the future, combined with the apparent concerted efforts to obtain nuclear warheads, Iran would be in a position to reach all of Israel and other parts of central Europe."
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