Iran Confirms New Missile Test

Source: Tasnim

Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan confirmed on Wednesday that the country has carried out a missile test recently, stressing that the Islamic Republic will not allow others to interfere in its defense affairs.

“The recent (missile) test was in line with our programs, and we will not allow any outsider to interfere in our defense affairs,” Dehqan told reporters in Tehran.

He underscored that Iran’s missile tests are by no means in contravention of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or the UNSC Resolution 2231.

The minister also made it clear that missile tests are part of Iran’s defense plans aimed at fulfilling its national interests, saying no one could affect the country’s plans and decisions.

His comments came after US officials criticized Iran on Tuesday for what they called “provocative” and “irresponsible” measure by conducting its first missile test since Donald Trump took office.

After achievement in July 2015 of the JCPOA, a nuclear agreement between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany), the 15-memebr United Nations Security Council passed a resolution to endorse the accord.

Resolution 2231 calls upon Iran “not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.”

Iran, however, maintains that none of its missiles have been designed to be capable of carrying nuclear warheads, because nuclear weapons have basically no place in the Islamic Republic’s defense doctrine.