TEHRAN: Iran said it had delayed promised long-range missile tests in the Gulf on Saturday and signalled it was ready for fresh talks with the West on its disputed nuclear programme.
Iran's state media initially reported early on Saturday that long-range missiles had been launched during naval exercises, a move likely to irk the West, which is concerned over threats by Tehran to close off a vital oil shipping route in the Gulf.
But Deputy Navy Commander Mahmoud Mousavi later went on the English language Press TV channel to deny the missiles had in fact been fired: "The exercise of launching missiles will be carried out in the coming days."
Ten days of Iranian naval drills have coincided with increased tension over Tehran's nuclear programme with Washington and its allies. The European Union said it was considering a ban already in place in the United States on imports from the major oil producer.
A spokeswoman for Germany's Foreign Ministry said Berlin was following events carefully, adding: "Foreign Minister (Guido) Westerwelle is concerned that the verbal escalation of the last few days does not lead to logic of actual escalation."
Analysts say the conflicting reports on the missile test were intended to make the West think twice about ratcheting up pressure on Iran over its nuclear work which the West says, and Tehran denies, is aimed at building nuclear bombs.
"The location and the timing of the drill were very shrewd then came reports on launching missiles that can target America's bases in the region and Israel," said analyst Hamid Farahvashian.
"One of the messages was that you mess with Iran, then you stand to suffer from economic havoc," he said. "Iranians have always used this method of carrot and stick first they used the stick of closing Hormuz and now the carrot is its willingness for talks."
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