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Iran confirms missile test, US places Tehran “on notice”
Iran’s Defence Minister confirmed yesterday that it carried out a ballistic missile test earlier this week, prompting the new US National Security Advisor to issue a warning against Tehran.
Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan told the Tasnim news agency: “The recent test was in line with our plans and we will not allow foreigners to interfere in our defence affairs.”
The announcement confirmed reports earlier this week that Iran tested a medium-range ballistic missile. It is though that the Khorramshahr missile flew 600 miles from a site near Semnan, east of Tehran before exploding, in a failed test of a re-entry vehicle.
However, in his statement, Dehghan insisted that “the test did not violate the nuclear deal [signed with the P5+1 in July 2015] or [United Nations’ Security Council] Resolution 2231”.
Shortly after Dehghan’s announcement, the new US National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn called Iran’s missile test “provocative,” adding “the Trump administration condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East and place American lives at risk”. He also commented that “as of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice,” without elaborating on what that may mean in practice.
Resolution 2231, passed the day after the nuclear accord was signed, compels Iran to refrain from any work on ballistic missiles for eight years. The missile test would also appear to be a breach of UN Security Council Resolution 1929, passed in 2010, which bans Iran from any ballistic missile development capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using ballistic missile technology.
Earlier this week, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the Iranian missile test, calling it “a blatant violation of the Security Council’s decision”.
He said that in his upcoming White House visit later this month, he will discuss with President Trump “the need for renewing the sanction against Iran, sanctions against ballistic missiles and sanctions against terrorism”.