Iran has rejected a warning from US President Donald Trump’s administration over its latest ballistic missile test.

A senior Iranian official has said that Iran will not bow to US threats in response to White House statements.



In reaction to comments by American officials on Tehran’s latest missile tests, the foreign policy adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader emphasized that the Islamic Republic does not wait for permission from any foreign state to defend itself.

He said “the missiles, which were put to test were defensive,” adding that Iran will continue its missile work with full strength.

Bahram Ghasemi, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, also slammed the US over their warning.

“Instead of thanking Iran for its continued fight against terrorism … the American government is practically helping the terrorists by claims about Iran that are baseless, repetitive and provocative,” he said

Speaking to reporters, Ali Akbar Velayati, the Ayatollah’s foreign policy adviser, said that Iran would continue building its defensive capabilities regardless of any warnings from Washington.

“This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran,” Velayati told Fars News Agency, without naming anyone specific.“The American government will understand that threatening Iran is useless.”

“Iran does not need permission from any country to defend itself,” he added.

On Monday, US officials told Fox News that Iran had tested a Khorramshahr medium-range ballistic missile, which flew 600 miles before exploding.

This was followed on Wednesday by National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and US President Donald Trump announcing that Iran had been put “on notice,” without specifying what this meant.

On Wednesday, Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan confirmed that Iran did indeed test the missile. “The recent test was in line with our programs, and we will not allow any outsider to interfere in our defense affairs,” Dehqan told Tasnim News Agency.

Dehqan insisted that the launch did not violate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a deal signed between Iran and six major world powers (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France, and Germany) in July 2015, which curbs Tehran’s nuclear program.

In an interview on Tuesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that Moscow also considered Iran’s missile tests to be in line with the JCPOA.

“Resolution 2231 of the UN Security Council does not contain a prohibition on the Islamic Republic of Iran from carrying out such activities,” Ryabkov told Interfax. “The resolution only and exclusively calls on Iran to refrain from missile launches… which would allow them the means to deliver a nuclear weapon. This call, as we all understand, does not logically correspond to a ban. It’s not the same thing, and trying to present this as a ban is a distortion of the truth.”

On Thursday, President Trump tweeted that Iran should be ‘grateful’ for JCPOA, which he referred to as “the worst deal ever negotiated” during his campaign. </s> Iran confirms it recently carried out a missile test within the framework of its defense program, saying the Islamic Republic does not allow any foreign intervention in affairs concerning its defensive prowess.

“The recent test has been in line with our [defense] program, and we do not let any foreigner intervene in our defense affairs,” Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said on Wednesday.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a government meeting in reaction to US calls on Tuesday for a UN Security Council (UNSC) emergency meeting on a missile launch by Iran.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Iran had “a medium-sized missile launch testing on January 29.”

Dehqan reaffirmed assertions made by several Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, that the test had not violated UNSC Resolution 2231.

The Resolution was adopted on July 20, 2015 to endorse a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Under the resolution, Iran is “called upon” not to undertake any activity related to missiles “designed to be capable of” delivering nuclear weapons. Iran says it is not involved in any such missile work and has no such warheads.

“The test is in no way in contravention of Resolution 2231,” Dehqan likewise said.

“We have always stated that we never abandon developing and reinforcing our defense foundation in line with our interests,” said the Iranian defense chief, adding that the Islamic Republic does not “require anyone’s permission” in this regard.

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On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi also defended the country’s missile tests as the “inalienable and absolute” right of the nation, saying the Islamic Republic would never seek permission from anyone to defend itself.

Elsewhere in his comments, the Iranian defense chief also addressed the issue of the military maneuvers underway in the Persian Gulf.

The US, the UK, France and Australia started a three-day joint naval exercise called Unified Trident in the region on Tuesday. The exercises reportedly simulate a potential confrontation with the Islamic Republic.

With the inauguration of the new US administration, the Persian Gulf states are worried about their future, and seek to strengthen their position in the region, Dehqan said.

“These [efforts], however, are of no avail. Countries which do not rely on their own people’s will cannot advance any goals.” </s> Iranian Foreign Minister dismissed US National Security Advisor Michael Flynn’s remarks about Iran’s recent missile test as “baseless”, media reports said.

“Iran’s missile test does not contradict the UN Security Council Resolution 2231,” Xinhua news agency quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying on Thursday.

The remarks by Flynn are “baseless and provocative”, Qasemi said, adding that “none of the Iranian missiles has been designed for delivering nuclear weapons”. Flynn said on Wednesday that Iran’s recent ballistic missile launch is in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

Resolution 2231, adopted on July 20, 2015 to endorse a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology, IRNA news agency reported.

You may also like to watch this video </s> A top aide to Iran's supreme leader blamed the "inexperienced" Trump administration for apparent U.S. threats and vowed his country would continue testing ballistic missiles.

Ali Akbar Velayati, who advises Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on foreign affairs, said that Iran had not breached a nuclear deal reached with six major powers in 2015 or a U.N. Security Council resolution that endorsed the accord. The White House has accused Tehran of acting "in defiance" of a separate U.N. Security Council resolution on ballistic missiles, as opposed to the nuclear agreement.

"This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran," Velayati said. "Iran is the strongest power in the region and has a lot of political, economic and military power ... America should be careful about making empty threats to Iran."

He added: "Iran will continue to test its capabilities in ballistic missiles and Iran will not ask any country for permission in defending itself."

Velayati did not identify any U.S. official specifically.

On Wednesday, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said the White House was putting Tehran "on notice," an apparent threat of retaliation for Sunday's ballistic missile test.

Flynn, a retired Army general and former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, delivered his remarks in a surprise appearance at the daily White House press briefing. He cited other examples of what he called Iran's "destabilizing behavior across the Middle East," including reported attacks on U.S. allies by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

National security officials told reporters later Wednesday that the administration was considering a range of options, including economic sanctions and supporting forces that counter Iranian action in the region.

Iran used to be prohibited from test-firing ballistic missiles under previous U.N. resolutions. However, these were superseded by a new resolution passed alongside the nuclear deal.

This only "called upon" Iran not to test-fire missiles that could be used to deliver nuclear weapons. Critics of the deal say this wording is effectively a loophole meaning the missile-testing restrictions are not obligatory.

The government in Tehran says that because it doesn't have a nuclear-weapons program, its missile tests are not violations of this clause.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif didn't confirm or deny the launch during a press conference Tuesday but said, "The missiles aren't part of the nuclear accords," Reuters reported. "Iran will never use missiles produced in Iran to attack any other country."

The United States deemed the launch to be a failure, after the missile flew more than 500 miles before crashing, according to two officials who spoke to NBC News on Monday on condition of anonymity.

However, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan told the semi-official Tasnim news agency on Thursday that the missile test was "successful" but also insisted it "was not a violation of a nuclear deal with world powers or any U.N. resolution." </s> US president Donald Trump said on Thursday he had put Iran “on notice” after it conducted a ballistic missile test earlier this week and Tehran-backed rebels in Yemen targeted a Saudi frigate in the Red Sea.

“Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the US made with them!” Mr Trump tweeted, adding that “Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the US came along and gave it a lifeline”.

Mr Trump’s remarks came as Germany’s Die Welt newspaper cited German intelligence sources as saying that Iran had also test-fired a new cruise missile called the Sumar on Sunday that is believed to be capable of carrying a nuclear weapon and has an upper range of 3,000 kilometres. The missile’s technical capabilities were not possible to verify.

Cruise missiles can be controlled in flight, and also fly at lower altitudes than ballistic missiles, making them a much harder target for missile defence systems. According to a Reuters translation, a security expert told Die Welt that cruise missiles are not covered by UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the nuclear deal agreed between Iran and world powers in July 2015.

Mr Trump’s tweets on Thursday reiterated a message delivered by his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, on Wednesday night. Sunday’s “provocative” ballistic missile test and the Houthi ship attack, which was announced by the Saudi-led coalition on Monday, underscore “Iran’s destabilising behaviour across the entire Middle East”, Mr Flynn said.

The national security adviser also claimed the administration of Barack Obama had “failed to respond adequately to Tehran’s malign actions, including weapons transfers, support for terrorism and other violations of international norms”.

Senior White House officials said later that Iran was providing weapons, financing and training to the Houthi rebels in order to “build a long-term presence in Yemen”.

Mr Flynn did not say the latest Iranian ballistic missile test was a violation of the nuclear accord, but that it was “in defiance” of it. Resolution 2231 only “calls upon” Iran to refrain from ballistic missile activity designed to be capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. Iranian officials claim the missiles are not designed for this purpose and are purely defensive. Previous Iranian missile tests carried out since the nuclear deal took effect in January last year have been found by the Security Council to not be in breach of the accord.

Neither the US president nor Mr Flynn provided details of what exactly putting Iran on notice meant in practice, or if there would be a new strategy of containing Tehran’s regional ambitions – something that Washington’s Gulf partners have long called for.

Mr Trump spoke with Saudi and Emirati leaders last week, and the new US defence secretary, James Mattis, spoke with his Saudi counterpart on Tuesday.

Russia, with whom Mr Trump wants increased cooperation to fight extremists in the Middle East, is a partner of Tehran and does not consider the missile tests a violation.

White House national security officials would not rule out any response, including military action, saying only that “a range of options” are being considered, including economic sanctions and increased support for Iran’s adversaries.

“We do not want to be premature or rash or take any action that would foreclose options or unnecessarily contribute to a negative response,” one of the officials said.

Also on Thursday, defence minster Hossein Dehghan provided Iran’s first confirmation that a new medium-range ballistic missile was tested on Sunday. He said it was successful, contrary to US claims that it malfunctioned and detonated prematurely.

“The test was not a violation of a nuclear deal with world powers or any UN resolution,” Mr told Iranian state media.

Mr Dehghan’s confirmation came as a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, responded to the US warnings.

“This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran … the American government will understand that threatening Iran is useless,” Ali Akbar Velayati told Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, referring to Mr Trump. </s> DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Donald Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, has said the U.S. is "putting Iran on notice" after it test-fired a ballistic missile earlier this week. It is the latest launch in a long-standing development program that Iran boasts has produced missiles capable of traveling 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) — a range that can reach much of the Middle East, including Israel.

Here is a look at issues surrounding the missile launch:

FILE -- In this Dec. 29, 2016 file photo, released by the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), a long-range S-200 missile is fired in a military drill in the port city of Bushehr, on the northern coast of Persian Gulf, Iran. President Donald Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, has said the U.S. is "putting Iran on notice" after it test-fired a ballistic missile earlier this week. Iran has test-fired various ballistic missiles since the July 2015 nuclear deal and it's unclear, from a technological standpoint, what is different about the latest launch. (Amir Kholousi, ISNA via AP, File)

Iran has test-fired various ballistic missiles since its July 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and it's unclear, from a technological standpoint, what is different about the latest launch. The U.S. says it was a medium-range ballistic missile, and an American defense official described it as failing re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Iranian officials have acknowledged carrying out a test but have not provided details.

The sharp U.S. response appears to reflect the fact that it's the first Iranian ballistic missile test under President Donald Trump's watch. Trump has vowed repeatedly to take a tougher line toward Iran than President Barack Obama, threatening at various times to renegotiate or even dismantle the nuclear deal, and shoot Iranian boats out of the water if they provoke U.S. naval vessels. American officials say they're considering various options to respond to Iran's missile test. Putting Iran "on notice" is the first manifestation of the new, toughened-up approach.

The landmark nuclear deal does not strictly prohibit Iran from test-firing missiles. When the deal came into effect last year the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution calling on Iran not to take any actions related to ballistic missiles "designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons" for eight years. Iranian officials have argued that the measure only applies to missiles specifically designed to carry nuclear warheads. They say theirs aren't. The U.S., under Obama and Trump, and other Western nations say the Iranian tests are violations. </s> With these concerns in mind, the U.S. State Department said Thursday that Iran’s test launch violated UN Security Council resolutions, as well as the spirit of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran, the U.S., and five other world powers. Under the agreement, the U.S. administration is required to report to Congress on the status of Iran’s nuclear program every 90 days. A day before the rocket launch, Trump warned Iran that it could face “big, big problems” if it violated the deal.

The U.S. has imposed a new round of sanctions on six Iranian firms with ties to Iran’s ballistic-missile program, the Treasury Department announced Friday. The sanctions arrived one day after the Iranian state media said Iran had successfully launched an advanced satellite-carrying rocket into space—one that uses much of the same technology as a long-range ballistic missile. Last month, Pentagon experts claimed the rocket used Thursday—known as the Simorgh—could “shorten a pathway” to developing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

While announcing the sanctions on Friday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called the rocket launch “provocative,” adding that the U.S. held “deep concerns with Iran’s continued development and testing of ballistic missiles.” All six firms sanctioned on Friday are either owned or controlled by the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, an organization described by Treasury Department as “central” to the Iranian missile program. The department said the firms are responsible for manufacturing missile components—including liquid propellant, airframes, engines, and guidance and control systems—and conducting missile-related research.

While the U.S. has long feared that Iran is using its missile technology to advance its nuclear capabilities, the JCPOA does not expressly prohibit Iran from conducting missile tests. On Friday, the nation’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, defended the actions of the Iranian space program on Twitter, arguing that it does not develop missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons. “Iran—unlike the U.S.—has complied in good faith with the letter and spirit of JCPOA,” Zarif said, adding that the nation “is not and will not be developing nuclear weapons; so by definition cannot develop anything designed to be capable of delivering them.” The United States’s “rhetoric and actions” on Friday “show[ed] bad faith,” he said.

Indeed, the Trump administration carries a number of reservations about whether Iran has been fully compliant with the JCPOA. Earlier this week, Trump certified that Iran had not violated the deal, but suggested to his aides that he might deny the certification in the future. He later told the Wall Street Journal he would be “surprised” if Iran passed its next review, saying: “If it was up to me, I would have had them noncompliant 180 days ago.” Senior U.S. officials recently told the Associated Press that the Trump administration is pushing for inspections of Iranian military sites, but must first obtain convincing evidence of illicit activity. Trump has also expressed interest in extending the JCPOA—which he once called “the worst deal ever”—beyond its expiration date.

In the meantime, the administration has communicated its concern in the form of sanctions. Earlier this month, the U.S. sanctioned a group of 18 Iranian entities and individuals, including two organizations with alleged ties to the nation’s ballistic-missile program. This week, Congress also approved a sanctions bill targeting Iran, Russia, and North Korea. In order to pass the bill, Trump must agree to a large check on his power that prevents him from loosening or rolling back sanctions without Congress’s approval. The bill now awaits the president’s signature, with the White House offering mixed signals as to whether Trump will sign. </s> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States imposed sanctions on Friday on six subsidiaries of a company key to Iran’s ballistic missile program, citing continued “provocative actions” like Tehran’s launch of a rocket capable of putting a satellite into orbit.

Simorgh rocket is launched and tested at the Imam Khomeini Space Centre, Iran, in this handout photo released by Tasnim News Agency on July 27, 2017. Tasnim News Agency/Handout via REUTERS

Iranian state television reported on Thursday that Iran had successfully tested a rocket that can deliver satellites into orbit, an action the United States and others say breaches a U.N. Security Council resolution because of its potential use in ballistic missile development.

A joint statement on Friday from the United States, France, Germany and Britain said the launch was inconsistent with a U.N. Security Council resolution calling on Iran not to conduct such tests.

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on six Iranian firms owned or controlled by the Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group. The move enables the U.S. government to block any company property under its jurisdiction and prevents U.S. citizens from doing business with the firms.

“These sanctions ... underscore the United States’ deep concerns with Iran’s continued development and testing of ballistic missiles and other provocative behavior,” Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said in a statement.

“The U.S. government will continue to aggressively counter Iran’s ballistic missile-related activity, whether it be a provocative space launch ... or likely support to Yemeni Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia such as occurred this past weekend,” Mnuchin said.

The six Shahid Hemmat units targeted by the U.S. sanctions manufacture missile components, missile airframes, liquid-propellant ballistic missile engines, liquid propellant, guidance and control systems. They also do missile-related research and maintenance.

The Treasury move was announced just hours after the U.S. Senate voted almost unanimously to impose new sanctions on Iran, Russia and North Korea.

The measure put President Donald Trump, who has sought better ties with Russia, in a tough position, forcing him to either sign the bill into law or anger his party by vetoing it.

The sanctions in that bill also target Iran’s missile development programs as well as human rights abuses.

The State Department charged on Thursday that Iran’s test of the satellite launch vehicle was a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions as well as the spirit of the multinational Iran nuclear deal, under which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear programs in exchange for a lifting of some economic sanctions.

Washington’s ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said the Trump administration would continue to impose consequences on Iran until it complied fully with U.N. resolutions.

“The issue with Iran always comes back to mistrust. Iran’s widespread support for terrorists tells us we can’t trust them. Iran’s breaking its obligation on missile testing tells us we can’t trust them. Yesterday’s launch proves that yet again,” she said in a statement.

The Trump administration certified Iran as being in compliance with the nuclear deal last week, even though Trump has called the agreement negotiated by his Democratic predecessor “the worst deal ever.”

Trump issued a veiled threat against Iran earlier this week, warning Tehran to adhere to the terms of the nuclear accord or face “big, big problems.” He said in a speech in Ohio that the deal had “emboldened” Iran and added “that won’t take place much longer.” </s> The United States is imposing new sanctions against 18 individuals and entities over their support for Iran's ballistic missile program and other military-related activities.

The sanctions come one day after Washington certified that Iran is complying with the 2015 nuclear deal and will continue to receive nuclear-related sanctions relief.

The U.S. Department of Treasury said in a statement on July 18 it was targeting 16 entities and individuals for ”engaging in support of illicit Iranian actors or transnational criminal activity.”

Those sanctioned have supported Iran's military or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by developing military equipment, producing and maintaining fast-attack boats, and procuring electronic components, the treasury said.

"This Administration will continue to aggressively target Iran's malign activity, including their ongoing state support of terrorism, ballistic missile program, and human rights abuses," Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin was quoted as saying in the statement.

The State Department also said it is designating two Iranian organizations involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Iran was testing and developing ballistic missiles "in direct defiance" of a UN Security Council resolution.

The new sanctions were "in response to these continued Iranian threats," she said in a July 18 statement.

The State Department called on Iran to release U.S. citizens including Baquer Namazi, Siamak Namazi, and Xiyue Wang whose arrest and prison sentence on espionage charges was announced by a judiciary spokesman over the weekend.

With reporting by Reuters and dpa
Iranian Minister of Defence Hossein Dehghan confirms Iran tested a new missile, claiming that the test did not violate the 2015 nuclear deal nor UN resolution 2231.