Iran said they only want nuclear power for peaceful purposes, so why are they testing missiles?

Question

Iran said they only want nuclear power for peaceful purposes, so why are they testing missiles?

Answer 1

What are you taking about? Unclear power and missiles are totally two different things.

Answer 2

They blew it when they vowed to "destroy Israel in one storm".  How can you expect anyone's trust after such comments?  Especiall regarding the one thing that could actually accomplish it?

Answer 3

To send payload in case the US and Israel play their load against Iran.

Answer 4

Iran is being threatened by the US and Israel, so why can't they get ready just incase.  I think Iran has every right to have nuclear weapons.  Who is the US to tell anyone not to have weapons?

Answer 5

What a surprise!

To show he can put two fingers up to the rest of the world and get away with it.

Answer 6

Because when you have a percieved threat of power, you have more respect.

Also, we sent the first men into space aboard an intercontinental ballistic missle that was actually designed to carry a nuclear payload.

Missles can be used to lauch sattelites, for recon and surveillance, weather operations and defense. Plus, who doesn't enjoy building rockets?

Answer 7

Hitler said, "Just one more country and I'll quit."

I have the same belief in both these men's statements.

Answer 8

First, missiles can be used for conventional purposes, and to date, although numerous countries have missiles and have tested them, no one has used them in any other way.

Second, since the US has seen fit to park a couple of carrier battle groups off the coast of Iran, and has been making threatening statements about Iran for years, it only makes sense that Iran would want to demonstrate that they are not helpless.  I am not trying to defend Iran here, but am merely pointing out that from their point of view what they're doing makes sense.

Finally, contrary to what Dylan asserts, Ahmadinejad never threatened to "wipe Israel off the map," or anything  similar.  That is an intentional mistranslation of what he actually said, which was something to the effect that he would be glad to see the current Zionist regime in Israel pass into history.  He was referring here to the hardline Israeli idea that the land which Israel occupies, both legally and illegally, is due them because it was given to them by God.  That makes for some difficulties when it comes to negotiating some kind of settlement with the Palestinians.