A soon-to-be-released report from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD) reveals that Iran has fired 23 missiles, at least 16 of them nuclear-capable missiles, since signing the controversial 2015 nuclear deal.
The report, acquired by Fox News, shows that Iran has fired more ballistic missiles in the years proceeding the nuclear deal than it did during the negotiations state of the deal.
“Out of all the ballistic missiles Iran fired in 2017, only four or five missiles can be considered nuclear-capable. In 2016, Iran fired 10 to 11 missiles than can be considered nuclear-capable,” the FDD study reportedly reads. “It is highly likely that the administration’s threat intimidated Tehran, altering its flight-testing calculus.”
The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was specifically designed to address Iran’s nuclear program, not ballistic missiles, because the United States and its allies were not able to negotiate a good deal on Iran’s missile program.
According to Fox News, “The report also cites an Iranian outlet quoting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as it complained of testing delays over concerns of a potential response by the United States.”
In December, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned, in a report to the Security Council, that the U.N. was investigating whether Iran transferred ballistic missiles to Houthi Shia rebels in Yemen. It is believed those missiles may have been aimed at Saudi Arabia in July and November of 2017.
According to Al Jazeera, “After the November launch, a Houthi spokesman had warnedthat the group was planning to fire more ballistic missiles, noting, “The capital cities of countries that continually shell us, targeting innocent civilians, will not be spared from our missiles.”
