WASHINGTON, July 9: The United States has reacted angrily to Iran’s missile tests, saying Washington retains the option to use force to prevent it from making weapons of mass destruction.

“We view force as an option that is on the table but as a last resort,” Undersecretary of State William Burns told a congressional hearing.

In a separate statement, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called the tests “evidence that the missile threat is not an imaginary one”.

Ms Rice said: “Those who say that there is no Iranian missile threat against which we should build a missile defence system perhaps ought to talk to the Iranians about their claims.”

At the White House, a spokesman called the tests “completely inconsistent” with Iran’s obligations to the world.

“The Iranian regime only furthers the isolation of the Iranian people from the international community when it engages in this sort of activity,” said Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the National Security Council.

On Capitol Hill, Undersecretary Burns called the test a “provocative” act but said the US has not yet exhausted “all diplomatic possibilities” for persuading Iran to give up its nuclear and missile programmes.—Correspondent