As tensions continue to rise between Tehran and Washington, General Abolfazl Shekarchi, a senior spokesman for Iran’s armed forces, denied his country had violated the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. He said:”Missile tests are carried out for defence and the country’s deterrence and we will continue this. “We will continue to both develop and test missiles. “This is outside the framework of nuclear negotiations and part of our national security, for which we will not ask any country’s permission.”
But General Shekarchi did not confirm or deny Iran had tested a new missile.
On Saturday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blasted Tehran for test-firing a medium-range missile, saying the move violated the 2015 Iran nuclear deal banning Tehran from developing their nuclear arsenal.
He wrote: “The Iranian regime has just test-fired a medium-range ballistic missile that’s capable of carrying multiple warheads. Iran’s missile testing & missile proliferation is growing.
“We condemn this act and call upon Iran to cease all activities.”
Addressing Mr Pompeo’s comments, Iran’s Foreign Ministry insisted the country’s missile programme did not violate UN resolutions and was used solely for building Tehran’s defence capabilities.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said: “Iran’s missile program is defensive in nature.
“There is no Security Council resolution prohibiting the missile program and missile tests by Iran.
“It is ironic that you cite a resolution that you have not only breached through your unilateral and unlawful withdrawal form the nuclear accord but that you also encourage others to breach or even threaten to punish and sanction them if they carry it accord out.”
According to Trita Parsi, the president of the National Iranian American Council, the UN Security Council Resolution “calls on” rather than “forbids” Iran from testing its missiles.
He said: “We had a functioning deal and you may not have agreed with all the contents of it but it actually contained this conflict.
“Trump came in, ripped it up and now we are seeing more missile tests, we’re seeing escalation and we are seeing a drift towards war.”
Earlier in May this year, US President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear agreement and reimposed sanctions on Tehran.
The 2015 Iran nuclear deal is a joint agreement between Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia – which used to include the United States – in which Tehran curbed its uranium enrichment programme in exchange for an end to international sanctions.
British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Twitter that he was deeply concerned by “Iran’s test-firing of a medium range ballistic missile. Provocative, threatening and inconsistent with UNSCR 2231”.
He added: “Our support for the Iran nuclear accord in no way lessens our concern at Iran’s destabilising missile program and determination that it should cease.”