THE IRANIAN
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Saudi Arabia "not worried" by Iranian missile test
TEHRAN, Aug 4 (AFP) - Saudi Arabia is not concerned by Iran's recent missile test, Saudi Prince Turki ibn Abdallah, son of Crown Prince Abdallah ibn Abdel Aziz, said on his arrival in Tehran Tuesday.
"Saudi Arabia has no worries on this subject," Prince Turki said. "Iranian officials' statements on the topic have been very positive."
Last week, Crown Prince Abdallah and President Mohammad Khatami spoke on the telephone following Iran's announcement that it had tested a new missile with a range of 1,300 kilometres (800 miles).
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Mahmud Mohammadi has said his country's new missile strength was "essentially defensive and will not be used first against any other country."
Prince Turki's one-week visit will include a meeting with Khatami and former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, an Iranian diplomat based in Riyadh said.
Ties between Tehran and Riyadh have thawed since Khatami's election in May 1997 and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference's December meeting in Tehran, which Prince Abdallah attended.
Rafsanjani made an official 10-day visit to Saudi Arabia in February, followed by a visit by om Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi.
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