Fox News: Iran Has Abandoned Launching a Powerful Missile

The American news network Fox News reports in an exclusive story that it has "evidence" indicating that the Islamic Republic has recently abandoned the launch of a powerful missile from a location in eastern Tehran (within Semnan province) and has "transferred it to an unknown location." This news has not yet been confirmed or denied by other sources. This Fox News report comes as American and Iranian officials continue their verbal attacks against each other following a recent missile test in Semnan. According to a U.S. military official, one of the Pentagon's concerns is Iran's Safir satellite launch vehicle, which has characteristics that are not significantly different from intercontinental ballistic missiles. Iran's ballistic missile program has developed "significantly" over the past decade. Fox News, based on satellite images from 'ImageSat International' of Iranian sites on February 3 (15 Bahman), which have also been confirmed by U.S. officials, states that Iran was preparing to launch a Safir missile. Iran has previously used these missiles to launch satellites into space. Two years ago, Iran launched its last Safir missile into space. According to U.S. officials, Iran's activities around the mentioned launch pad had increased, especially after the ballistic missile launch last week. Nevertheless, Fox News reports that Iran unexpectedly transferred its missile from the launch pad to another location on Tuesday morning (February 7). On Sunday, February 1, Iran launched a new type of its ballistic missiles from the Semnan base into space, and two days later, the United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting regarding this action by Iran. One day after that, Michael Flynn, the National Security Advisor to the U.S. President, issued a warning to Iran. Donald Trump also announced on Twitter the official warning from Washington to Tehran regarding Iran's missile test. According to Fox News, Iran was preparing another missile for launch from the same pad just days after the ballistic missile launch and the preparation of the Semnan base, located 140 miles east of Tehran, but ultimately decided against it and transferred the missile to another location. 'ImageSat International,' the producer of satellite images, stated that on February 3 (15 Bahman), with the new missile positioned on the pad, the movement of individuals to the Semnan space base was unusually high. Satellite images from this institute show another launch pad at the same base with nine vehicles parked nearby. On Friday, the same day that satellite images indicated the Safir missile was on the launch pad, the White House imposed new sanctions that included 13 individuals and 12 companies against Iran. Following this, Ayatollah Khamenei warned the White House on the eve of the 38th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, saying, "No enemy can paralyze the Iranian nation."