Iran began military manoeuvres in its central desert on Monday, testing short-range missiles at a time of rising tension with the US and as President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad faces continuing criticism at home.

State radio reported that Revolutionary Guards were test-firing both the 350km-range Zelzal-1 missile and the 70km range Fajr-5 near the town of Garmsar, 80km south-east of Tehran.