Two ballistic missiles were test-fired in Iran's eastern Alborz mountain range, with one of them carrying an inscription of the Hebrew phrase "Israel should be wiped off the Earth," Iranian news media said on Wednesday.

Fars news agency reported that the missiles were fired at target 870 miles away, according to USA Today.

The aim was to show the Islamic Republic's "deterrent power" and "all-out readiness to counter any threat," the official IRNA news agency said.

The missile launch appeared to have been timed with the visit of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden to Jerusalem.

Speaking Wednesday at a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden warned the rogue nation there will be repercussions if it breaks the terms of last year's nuclear deal it reached with world powers.

"A nuclear-armed Iran is an absolutely unacceptable threat to Israel, to the region and the United States. If in fact they renege on the deal, we will act," he said, according to reports.

Biden also reportedly blasted Palestinians for their "failure to condemn" the stabbing attacks, one of which claimed the life of an American Vanderbilt University graduate student and wounded others in Israel on Tuesday.

Israel, a longtime opponent of Iran, offered no comment yet on the Iranian missile test.

A U.S. State Department spokesman said the U.S. was aware of reports of missile launches and, if the reports were true, would take "appropriate responses" if they are confirmed.

Last Jan. 17, at least 11 people and companies involved in Iran's ballistic missile program have been sanctioned by the U.S.

"It's important that Iran live up to its obligations under the (nuclear) deal," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, adding that they are looking into the reports.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard commander, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafa said: "The security of Iran is the security of the region, and we will do our utmost to ensure our country's security," Fars reported.

He added: "It is the enemies of the Islamic Revolution and regional security that should be afraid of the (Iran Revolutionary Guard) missiles."

Many international economic sanctions on Iran were lifted Jan. 16 after a landmark deal with the United States and five other world powers in July to curb Iran's nuclear programme in return for an end to sanctions.

But since sanctions have been lifted, Iran's military have made several shows of strength. In October, it successfully test-fired a new guided long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile.

Iran also has fired rockets near U.S. warships and flown an unarmed drone over an American aircraft carrier in recent months, AP reported.

In January, Iran seized 10 U.S. sailors in the Persian Gulf and held them for about 15 hours when their two riverine command boats headed from Kuwait to Bahrain ended up in Iranian territorial waters after the crews "misnavigated," the report said, citing the U.S. military.