Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (AP/Karim Kadim)
Iran claims that its reported ballistic missile tests are conducted for defensive purposes only, rejecting assertions that they violated a UN Security Council resolution.
Iran denied on Tuesday that it violated its obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the Iran nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany), after it was reported that Iran conducted a missile test over the weekend.
“We have always declared that we will never use our weapons against others except in our defense,” said Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif during a press conference on Tuesday with visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.
Essentially, Zarif contended that Iran did not violate the principle in UN Security Council Resolution 2231 that explicitly prohibits the launching of tests and activity on ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.
Netanyahu said on Monday that he would discuss the renewal of sanctions against Iran during his upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump, in light of the report on Iran’s most recent missile test. For his part, Zarif cautioned the Trump administration against responding in such fashion.
“We hope that Iran’s defense program is not used by the new US administration as a pretext to create new tensions,” Zarif stated.
Ayrault however, conveyed his objections to the continuation of ballistic missile tests by Iran.
“France has expressed its concern at Iran’s continuation of its ballistic missile tests on several occasions,” said Zarif’s French counterpart, who contended that such tests are at least “contrary to the spirit” of UN Security Council Resolution 2231.
European Union foreign affairs spokesperson Nabila Massrali echoed the remarks of the French foreign minister.
“The EU reiterates its concern about Iran’s missile program and calls upon Iran to refrain from activities which deepen mistrust, such as ballistic missile tests,” she said.
Recently, former US President Barack Obama’s ambassador to the UN Samantha Power and the previous UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon each warned that Iran does not appear to be fulfilling its obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 2231.
By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News
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