Iran made clear on Sunday that it would continue its missile tests to build up its defenses and once again denied this was in breach of UN resolutions, Reuters reported.
The statement came a day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Tehran had tested a new missile capable of carrying multiple warheads in violation of the 2015 nuclear agreement.
“Missile tests ... are carried out for defense and the country’s deterrence, and we will continue this,” Brigadier- General Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for Iran’s armed forces, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
“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,” Shekarchi added.
He did not confirm or deny Iran had tested a new missile.
Earlier, according to Reuters, US National Security Adviser John Bolton tweeted, “Iran just test-fired a ... ballistic missile capable of reaching Israel and Europe. This provocative behaviour cannot be tolerated.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi also said Iranian missiles were purely defensive and added, “There is no Security Council resolution prohibiting missile programme and missile tests by Iran.”
The Islamic Republic has come under fire for its test-firing ballistic missiles. The United States has several times imposed sanctions on Iran over the tests, saying its missile tests violate UN resolutions.
UN Security Council resolution 2231 enshrined Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States in which Tehran curbed its disputed uranium enrichment program in exchange for an end to international sanctions. READ MORE
