(CNSNews.com) – Striking a defiant pose after being confronted by the West about more clandestine nuclear activity and just days before important international talks, Iran on Sunday began a series of fresh missile launches.

Sunday’s tests included the firing of medium-range rockets at targets up to 420 miles away, while on Monday morning the more sophisticated Shahab-3 missile was launched, Iranian media said.

State television said the surface-to-surface missiles hit their intended targets. They were fired as part of war games known as “Great Prophet IV,” a follow-up to “Great Prophet III” in July 2008...