An Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander said: "Iran needs no permission from foreign countries" to test missiles. The US, Britain and France claim the tests flout restrictions on Tehran's military program.
A medium-range missile Sejil 2 launched by Iranian army forces in December 2009. Image: picture-alliance/EPA/STR
Advertisement
Iran on Tuesday confirmed it had conducted a missile test earlier in December, following criticism from Western powers, including Security Council members the US, France and Britain.
"We confirm the recent test of our ballistic missiles," air force commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Amir Ali Hajizadeh said, according to the Fars news agency.
Hajizadeh said that Iran carries out around 40 to 50 missile tests each year.
The UN Security Council met last week over the test that the US, Britain and France said defied UN restrictions on Tehran's military program.
In May, US President President Donald Trump decided to withdraw from an international agreement on Iran's nuclear program and reimposed sanctions on Tehran.
Trump said the deal was flawed because it did not include curbs on Iran's development of ballistic missiles or its support for proxies in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq.
US sanctions against Iran are back in effect
The first phase of US sanctions against Iran went back into effect in early August. Here's a breakdown of what the sanctions are targeting and how Iran has reacted to the measures.
Image: Reuters/TIMA/N. T. Yazdi
Sanctions signed off
US President Trump signed an executive order on August 5 aimed at piling financial pressure on Tehran to force a "comprehensive and lasting solution" to Iranian threats, including its development of missiles and regional "malign" activities. Trump warned that those who don't wind down their economic ties to Iran "risk severe consequences."
Image: Shealah Craighead
Where's the money?
The first phase, which took effect on August 7, targets the Islamic Republic's access to US banknotes, making transactions in a US-dollar dominated financial world difficult. A ban on Iran purchasing precious metals including gold further serves as an attempt to cut the country off from global markets.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Kenare
Planes, cars and carpets
Phase one also hits key industries including the purchase of commercial planes, cars and carpets. Iranian imports of graphite, aluminum, steel, coal, gold and some software are also affected. German automaker Daimler called off the production and sale of Mercedes-Benz trucks in Iran indefinitely after the sanctions came into force.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo
Fuel to the fire
A second phase of sanctions — which is due to take effect on November 5 and will block Iran's oil sales — is due to cause more damage. Several countries, however, including China, India and Turkey have indicated they are not willing to entirely cut their Iranian energy purchases.
Image: Reuters/R. Homavandi
'Psychological warfare'
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the United States had launched "psychological warfare" against Iran to create division amongst its people. But he insisted that Iran still can rely on its allies China and Russia to keep its oil and banking sectors afloat. He has also demanded compensation for decades of American "intervention" in the Islamic Republic.
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the bloc is encouraging small and medium enterprises to increase their business with Iran. She said Tehran has been compliant with their nuclear-related commitments. The EU issued a "blocking statute" to protect European businesses from the impact of the sanctions.
Hajizadeh said that the test was "for the defense of our country, our legitimate right and as such Iran needs no permission from foreign countries."
"We will continue our missile tests and this recent action was an important test," Hajizadeh was quoted as saying by Fars.
"The reaction of the Americans shows that this test was very important for them and that's why they were shouting," he added. The commander did not say what type of missile had been tested.
Iran is refusing to negotiate with Washington over its military capabilities, including the missile program run by the IRGC. It maintains the program is defensive and denies missiles are capable of being tipped with nuclear warheads.
"The issue of missiles has never been subject to negotiations and nothing has been approved or ratified about its prohibition for the Islamic Republic of Iran in (UN) resolution 2231," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Tuesday, according to the Tasnim news agency.
Unclear language
Under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which enshrined the nuclear deal in 2015, Iran is "called upon" to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons for up to eight years.
But the resolution does not specifically bar Tehran from missile launches.
