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- Third step: Iran officially informs EU of plan to expand nuclear R&D
- Iran expands nuclear R&D program: Rouhani
- Iran goes ahead in space tech, despite US sanctions: ISA
- Resistance Front undermining Israeli regime power: Top commander
- Iran: 7 crew members of detained UK ship freed
- US addiction to sanction threaten its power: Iran’s Zarif
- Dutch role in 2007 Stuxnet attack on Iran’s nuclear site under scrutiny: Iraian FM Spox.
- Iran: ‘Sustainable Security 2019’ kicks off in Caspian Sea
- Iran’s Zarif leaves Tehran for Moscow
- Shiraz University ranked 1st in liver transplantation: Iranian health official
- Japan’s Abe to meet Iran’s president to discuss easing tension in region
- Downing of US spy drone shattered war threats against Iran: Top IRGC commander
- IAEO head reports development of first ion-therapy hospital in west of Asia
- Iranian Taekwondo team wins 2019 World Cup championship
- US sanctions failed to force Iran to buckle: Report
- Crew fixing Iran oil tanker broken down in Red Sea
- As Iranians hold nerves, US seeks to scare off trade
- Leader expresses concern about Kashmir, urges India to follow fair policy toward Muslim-majority region
- Iran saffron exports down due to smuggling, government restrictions: Exporter
- Iran FM warns US against ‘serious miscalculation’ in Persian Gulf
- Iran’s resistance policy led to release of oil tanker: MP
- Iran in reverse brain drain as top students come home in rising numbers
- Iran official calls for compensation for tanker seizure
- Iran hails N Korea for standing against ‘unilateral’ US demands
- Shia Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Ghadir
- North Korea praises Iran’s anti-US struggle
- Zarif says to meet French president Friday
- Iranian court hearing case of UK oil tanker
- Over half of Japanese voters oppose joining US-led anti-Iran coalition in Persian Gulf: Poll
- IME trade ups by 21 percent in July
- Finland backs INSTEX in defiance of US
- US anti-Iran policy in high seas harms Europeans: LA Times
- Iran, China confer on Syria
- Iran, Finland share views on Persian Gulf dialogue forum: Zarif
- Iran warns US against seizure of oil tanker
- Iraq eager to benefit from Iranian Police’s experience
- Iran planning 3rd step to reduce nuclear commitments: Spokesman
- Leader grants clemency to over 1,000 Iranian inmates
- Registration for Arbaeen Pilgrimage to begin in Iran on Friday
- Iran, Iraq agree to reopen Khosravi border crossing
- Iran deplores suicide attack at Kabul wedding hall
- Iran to hold int'l hand-woven carpets expo
- Zarif meets with Iran-Kuwait Friendship Group members
- Adrian Darya oil tanker not under any sanctions, says Iran envoy
- ‘Iran to stay in nuclear deal as long as its interests are met’
- India envoy happy with positive trend of trade with Iran
- Iran’s annual export of white meat tops 2.5m tons: Minister
- Iranian scientist discovers new state of matter
- Iran, Japan diplomats discuss bilateral ties
- Iran, Ansarullah, European representatives Yemen developments
- ‘Iran to become self-sufficient in producing aircraft engines'
- US issues seizure warrant for Iranian supertanker 'Grace 1'
- Neanderthal tooth unearthed near Iran’s Zagros mountain
- Iran’s Zarif due in Kuwait on Saturday
- US faces humiliating defeat after Gibraltar releases Iranian tanker: Envoy
- Spokesman rejects claim on Iran’s commitment in exchange for tanker release
- Zarif reacts to release of Iranian tanker in Gibraltar
- Israel, UAE engaged in secret talks on Iran arranged by US: Report
- US threatens visa ban as Iranian-operated tanker sets to sail from Gibraltar
- Enemies must factor Iran's global power in their calculations: IRGC's chief commander
- Trump’s administration conflicting messages to Iran baffle go-betweens: Report
- Gibraltar releases Iran-operated tanker despite US pressure
TEHRAN, December 05 - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has rejected allegations by US officials that Iran’s missile program violates Security Council Resolution 2231, saying the UN document does not ban Tehran’s missile activities.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - “What has been obvious and acknowledged by the Americans themselves both in the current administration and the previous one is that neither the JCPOA (the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) nor (UN Security Council) Resolution 2231 ban Iran’s missile activities,” Zarif said on Wednesday.
He made the remarks while speaking to reporters after a weekly cabinet session, in response to allegations raised by US officials about Iran’s missile program.
He added that former US Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman, during the nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers, and US special envoy for Iran Brian Hook, two weeks ago, said that UN Resolution 1929 forced Iran to limit its missile program, but Resolution 2231 had such a demand from Iran on a special type of missile.
The top diplomat said that Iran was not seeking nuclear capable missiles as it did not pursue a nuclear weapons program.
He said “the Islamic Republic of Iran’s missiles have pin-point accuracy” and are solely designed for conventional weapons.
“Considering that the US has pulled out of the JCPOA and been reneging on its promises enshrined in Security Council Resolution [2231] and the JCPOA itself, it has no choice but to provide a cover-up for its breaches [of the deal] and raises such allegations. And as you saw the Security Council did not address such baseless allegation,” he said.
Zarif’s remarks come as the US is calling on the European Union to enact its own set of sanctions targeting Iran following Tehran's alleged latest missile test.
“We would like to see the European Union pass sanctions that would designate the people and the organizations that are facilitating Iran’s missile testing and missile proliferation,” Hook told Reuters on Tuesday after meetings with European powers in Brussels.
Hook claimed Iran’s tests violated UN Security Council Resolution 2231 that supported the nuclear accord. He also called on Tehran to stop all its ballistic missile-related activities which he alleged were designed to carry nuclear weapons.
The Security Council also met behind closed-doors on Tuesday to discuss the alleged missile test, but the session ended with no joint statement.
Iran’s UN mission said in a statement on Tuesday that Tehran was not in breach of the resolution and that all ballistic missile-related activities of the country were in full conformity with the relevant provisions of Resolution 2231.
Resolution 2231 was adopted by the UNSC in July 2015 to endorse the JCPOA.
The document terminated the provisions of previous UNSC resolutions against Iran, some of which had imposed restrictions on Iranian missile activities. Such activities are not prohibited under Resolution 2231, which merely calls on Iran “to refrain from any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.”
Iran has stressed that its missile program is non-negotiable as it is part of the country’s deterrence.
Source: Press TV
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