Iran plans to build six more nuclear plants 
August 19, 208
Haaretz 
Original Source: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1013118.html	

Iran plans to build six more nuclear power plants, the deputy head of the Iranian Atomic Organization said Tuesday. 

Ahmad Fayazbakhsh told Iran's official news agency IRNA that contracts were signed with six local companies commissioned to find suitable locations for the new plants within the next 13 months. 

Iran has previously announced plans to build six more nuclear power plants by 2021. 
The country is building its first nuclear power plant in the southern port of Bushehr with the help of Russia. It is expected to begin operating later this year. 

The U.S. suspects Iran's nuclear program is a cover for developing weapons. Iran denies this, saying it's for generating electricity. 

Earlier this week, the head of the Iranian air force said that Iran has increased the range of its warplanes, allowing them to fly as far as Israel and back without refueling. 

Iranian state TV quoted air force chief General Ahmad Mighani as saying Iranian warplanes can now fly 3,000 kilometers without refueling. 

The report did not refer to Israel by name, but Mighani's remarks come at a time of back-and-forth speculation regarding a possible military confrontation between Iran and Israel, with U.S. involvement. 

Last week, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had tested a naval weapon that could destroy any vessel in a range of 300 km. Iran last month tested nine medium and long-range missiles it claimed were updated versions of its Shihab-3, capable of striking Israel. 

Also last week, Haaretz reported that the American administration had rejected an Israeli request for military equipment and support that would improve Israel's ability to attack Iran's nuclear facilities. 

The report was denied by an Israeli official, who said that U.S.-Israeli arms deals were conducted without consideration of the Iranian threat. 

Meanwhile Sunday, Iranian state television reported that Iran on Saturday had test launched a rocket it plans to use to carry a research satellite into orbit. 

Saturday's test of the two-stage rocket, called the Safir-e Omid, or Ambassador of Peace, was successful, state TV said, broadcasting images of the nighttime launch. 

The rocket released equipment that beamed flight data back to ground control, said Reza Taghipoor, the head of Iran's Space Agency, in a live television interview. 

Iran has said it wants to put its own satellites into orbit to monitor natural disasters in the earthquake-prone nation and improve its telecommunications. Iranian officials also point to America's use of satellites to monitor Afghanistan and Iraq and say they need similar abilities for their security. 

Iran hopes to launch four more satellites by 2010, the government has said. 

Iran, which refuses to recognize Israel, has missiles that can reach 2,500kilometer meaning it could hit Israel and U.S. military bases in the Gulf.