WARSAW, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The installation of the U.S. anti-missile defense system will protect Poland and the Czech Republic from possible threats from Iran, U.S. officials said here Wednesday.

    The U.S. proposal to install the shield in the two Eastern European countries gave rise to different reactions in Poland, which fears that the system may only protect the United States but not Poland.

    Head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency Henry Obering and Eric Edelman from the U.S. Defense Department admitted that the anti-missile shield was primarily designed to protect the United States, but assured that the system would be able to protect part of Europe, Polish PAP news agency reported.

    Poland is Obering's latest stop in a tour aimed at convincing the European public, much of which is skeptical, of the merits of the system, Reuters said.

    Obering and Edelman met Polish lawmakers, some of whom oppose the government's plan to host the site, later on Wednesday.

    Surveys show most Poles oppose the plan, fearing to become a target of a terrorist attack.

    Polish authorities are also concerned that the system could make the country a target of attack and worsen its already taut relations with Russia.