. | . |
US asks UN Security Council to meet on Iran missile tests Monday by Staff Writers United Nations, United States (AFP) March 11, 2016
The United States has asked the UN Security Council to discuss Iran's recent ballistic missile launches during a meeting on Monday, the US ambassador said. The United States is "deeply concerned" about the missile tests "which are provocative and destabilizing," Samantha Power said in a statement on Friday. Iran fired two long-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday and similar tests were carried out on Tuesday, less than two months after the Iran nuclear deal was implemented. Power said Iranian military leaders had claimed that the missiles were designed to be a direct threat to Israel and added: "We condemn such threats against another UN member-state and one of our closest allies." Under the nuclear deal with Iran that came into force January 16, most sanctions resolutions against Tehran were annulled. But an arms embargo and restrictions on ballistic missile technology capable of carrying a nuclear warhead remain in place, under Resolution 2231. Iran has maintained that its missile program is not aimed at developing a nuclear capability. "We will raise these dangerous launches directly at council consultations, which we have called for, on Monday," said Power. "These launches underscore the need to work with partners around the world to slow and degrade Iran's missile program," she added. On Wednesday, Iran fired two Qadr-H and Qadr-F precision missiles fired from launcher trucks tucked in a mountain range in northern Iran, hitting targets about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) away in the southeastern Makran area, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said. A day earlier, state media announced that short-, medium- and long-range precision guided missiles were fired from several sites to show the country's "all-out readiness to confront threats".
Israel wants Iran to be punished for missile tests Netanyahu "instructed the foreign ministry to contact the P5+1 countries and demand that immediate punitive measures be taken in the wake of Iran's repeated and gross violations on the missiles issue", it said in an English-language statement. "This is an important step in and of itself and is also a test of the major powers in enforcing the nuclear agreement," it added. An agreement between Iran and the permanent five members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (P5+1) lifts international sanctions in return for Tehran ensuring that its nuclear programme remains purely for civilian use. Israel strongly opposed the deal with its arch-foe, with Netanyahu warning that it would not block Iran's path to nuclear weapons. Iran says it fired two long-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday and similar tests were carried out on Tuesday, less than two months after the Iran nuclear deal was implemented. On Thursday, an Israeli foreign ministry statement condemned the launches. "The development of ground-to-ground missiles with nuclear warhead capability calls into question Iran's intentions to comply in full with the nuclear agreement," it said. Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the United Nations, said on Friday that she had asked the Security Council to discuss the matter on Monday. The United States is "deeply concerned" about the missile tests "which are provocative and destabilizing", she said in a statement. Under the deal with Iran that came into force on January 16, most sanctions resolutions against Tehran were annulled. But an arms embargo and restrictions on ballistic missile technology capable of carrying a nuclear warhead remain in place, under Resolution 2231. Iran has maintained that its missile programme is not aimed at developing a nuclear capability.
Related Links Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |