Joe Biden, the US Vice President, told a news conference in Jerusalem: “We are united in the belief that a nuclear armed Iran is absolutely an unacceptable threat to Israel to the region and to the United States”.
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Fars and Tasnim, news agencies close to the Guards, said the phrase “Israel must be wiped off the face of earth” was inscribed on the missiles, recalling a famous quote by the late founder of the Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Under a historic deal reached by United States and five other world powers to scale back Iran’s nuclear program, financial sanctions imposed by the US, the European Union and United Nations were lifted.
During his visit in Israel, Biden tried to assure those skeptical of the nuclear deal that if Iran violated the terms of the agreement, there would be consequences. If in fact they break the deal, we will act”, Biden said.
State media reported that the two Qadr H and Qadri F missiles were capable of hitting targets 1,400km (870 miles) away.
“Today Iran launched a second consecutive ballistic missile test in blatant violation of global law”, Deutch said on Wednesday.
Representative Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee, said: “Iran is making a mockery of President Obama’s vow to confront Iran’s risky and illicit acts”. It also comes after a U.S. State Department spokesman on Tuesday criticized another missile launch, saying America planned to bring it before the United Nations Security Council.
The IRGC has undertaken a number of provocative military shows of force since the nuclear deal was signed, including flying a drone near USA naval ships in the Gulf, firing rockets near the ships and briefly detaining USA navy sailors who strayed into Iranian waters.
“The more sanctions and pressure our enemies apply. the more we will develop our missile program”, Hajizadeh said on state television.
The US maintains unilateral sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile programme, while resolution 2231 stipulates that countries can not provide Iran with material for its missiles for eight years – unless the Security Council approves the transfers.
A ballistic missile is launched and tested in an undisclosed location, Iran, March 9, 2016.
“It is unrealistic to expect Iran to give up on its missile capability – considered the country’s sole meaningful deterrence – when the US continues arming Iran’s neighbors to the teeth”, Vaez added.
“The reason we have designed these missiles with such a range 2,000 kilometres is to be able to hit our remote enemies, the Zionist regime”, said General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who heads the Revolutionary Guards’ aerospace wing, referring to Israel.
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He urged Obama to “aggressively enforce all sanctions against Iran’s missile programs, support for terrorism and human rights abuses”.
