Iran confirms missile test, denies breach of nuclear deal

TEHRAN — Iran confirmed on Wednesday that it had tested a ballistic missile, but denied that was a breach of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

“The action was in line with boosting Iran’s defense power and is not in contradiction with the JCPOA (the nuclear deal) or Resolution 2231,” Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said.

He was referring to a UN Security Council resolution that bans Iran from developing missiles that can carry nuclear warheads. Iranian officials have previously claimed the country cannot violate the resolution, as it has no intention of developing nuclear weapons.

“This test was in line with our ongoing program,” the ISNA news agency quoted Dehghan as saying.

“We have previously announced that we will execute the programs we have planned in production of defense items meant for our national interests and objectives. Nobody can influence our decision.”

The missile test, which Fox News reported took place on Sunday, was unsuccessful; the Khorramshahr medium-range ballistic missile flew 600 miles and then exploded, it said, citing US officials. Israel’s Channel 10 television said the failed test actually took place nearly two weeks ago. It said the Iranians were plainly “testing Trump,” who last week, in a phone conversation with Netanyahu, said the two would consult closely to address “the threats posed by Iran.”

Fox said the missile was launched from Semnan, outside Tehran, and that the failure involved “a reentry vehicle.” It noted that Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier Gen. Hossein Dehqhan said four months ago that Iran would start producing the missile.

Channel 10 said the Khorramshahr is a Russian-developed missile originally intended for submarine launch that is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. It said North Korea has successfully tested it from a ground launch.

Terming the test a “flagrant breach” of UN Security Council resolutions, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promptly demanded the reimposition of sanctions against Iran and said he would discuss with Trump a reevaluation of the “entire failed nuclear accord” that the Obama Administration and other P5+1 countries agreed with Iran in 2015.

Tehran on Tuesday warned Washington against fueling tensions.

“We hope that Iran’s defense program is not used by the new US administration… as a pretext to create new tensions,” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said.

His comments came ahead of emergency consultations at the UN Security Council on the missile test convened at Washington’s request.

US ambassador Nikki Haley told the meeting that the test-firing of the medium-range missile was “absolutely unacceptable.”

“The United States is not naive. We are not going to stand by. You will see us call them out,” she said.

The row comes against a backdrop of already strained relations between Washington and Tehran over US President Donald Trump’s travel ban on citizens from Iran and six other Muslim-majority countries.

Eric Cortellessa contributed to this report.