Iran's new missile test very worrying: France

PARIS, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- France is worried about Iran's new missile test and regarded it as a "very bad signal," the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday at a regular press briefing.

"The announcement of a new test of midrange missile Sejil 2 by Iran was very worrying. Such a test only reinforced the anxiety of international community as Iran is in parallel developing nuclear program, without identifiable civil objective," the ministry said.

Weeks after the International Atomic Energy Agency adopted a resolution and called for Iran's full cooperation, the missile test "constituted a very bad signal" to international community, the ministry added.

Earlier in the day, Iran has successfully test-fired a homemade Sejil 2 missile, which is capable of hitting Israel and U.S. bases in southeastern Europe with a range of about 2,000 kilometers.

The United States and other Western powers are skeptical about Iran's weaponry program, especially missile kinds which could possibly use nuclear materials. However, Tehran contends that its military program is of defensive and peaceful component.