In comments published on Iran’s foreign ministry website Saturday, spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said that “Iran will strongly continue its missile program based on its own defense and national security calculations”.
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On Friday, Iran rejected as “unrealistic” a report by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon criticising its missile launches as inconsistent with its deal with world powers to curb sensitive nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief.
“The Islamic Republic has, time and again, declared that its missile program has a completely defensive nature and has, in no way, been designed [for the development of missiles capable] of carrying nuclear warheads”, he added.
“We suggest that Mr. Ban and his colleagues… produce a realistic report…”
In the first six-month report to the U.N. Security Council on the implementation of the resolution, the U.N. chief called on Iran to stop the tests and said they increase tensions in the Mideast.
A ballistic missile is launched and tested in an undisclosed location, Iran, March 9, 2016.
A Khalij Fars ballistic missile on a transporter during a military parade in Iran.
Kirby said that the International Atomic Energy Agency has reported that Iran continues to implement its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA.
The secretary general, in a confidential report that AFP saw yesterday, left it up to the Security Council to determine what, if anything, should be done in response.
A separate report from the intelligence agency in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia this week said it had registered 141 attempts to acquire technology for proliferation purposes past year, and that two-thirds of these attempts were linked to Iran.
Germany also said Friday it was closely watching Iran’s efforts to procure nuclear and missile technology, after German intelligence agencies reported dozens of attempts a year ago.
A foreign ministry official in Tehran slammed Ban’s report.
The German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) said in an annual report it has detected extensive Iranian attempts to acquire illicit materials in Germany, “especially goods that can be used in the field of nuclear technology”.
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Schaefer said that Germany and its partners would work to ensure Iran abides by the agreement signed in Vienna last July.
