Iran has confirmed it has launched a recent ballistic missile test, in what appears to be a breach of a UN resolution and Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers.
Iran was accused of launching a medium-range missile earlier this month by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, but it was denied by Tehran.
“We are continuing our missile tests and this recent one was a significant test,” the Fars news agency reported, citing Revolutionary Guard aerospace commander Brig Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, but they did not specify the type of missile tested.
“The reaction of the Americans shows that this test was very important for them and that’s why they were shouting,” Mr Hajizadeh said. He added that the country carries out up to 50 missile tests a year.
The British ambassador to the UN Karen Pierce said the test on December 1 was inconsistent with Resolution 2231, and went “way beyond legitimate defensive needs”.
Resolution 2231 requires Iran “not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology” until 2024 at the earliest.
US President Donald Trump pulled out of the JCPOA – a deal which lifts sanctions on the regime in exchange for curtailing their nuclear-weapons programme – saying they were in breach of the conditions of the deal.
The US has since reimposed sanctions on Iran, hitting the country’s financial services and energy sector.
Iran claims their missiles are for defensive purposes only and are not capable of being tipped with warheads.
In November, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned their missiles can strike US military targets in the UAE, Qatar and Afghanistan.
Iranian-made weaponry has been found across the Middle East, being used by proxies in Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria.
Last month, the US administration warned of regional conflict fuelled by the spread of Iranian weaponry.
Source » thenational