Commentator:

Trump govt. seeking new pretext to pressurize Tehran

Rasa - US President Donald Trump says "nothing is off the table" against Iran's missile program. Trump's comments on Thursday came when asked whether he would consider military options against Iran for testing a ballistic missile.

News ID: 427092

Date: 03 February 2017 - 23:22

RNA - There are also reports that Washington is weighing fresh sanctions on Tehran in breach of a nuclear agreement. Iranian officials have dismissed US threats, stressing that the country will keep boosting its defensive capabilities.

Former Iranian nuclear negotiator Hossein Mousavian told Press TV late Thursday that Iran's missile program does not breach the nuclear accord, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

He said there is "total consensus" among other members the P5+1 group of countries - France, Germany, Britain, the US, Russia and China - and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran's missile tests do not violate the JCPOA.

“I want to refer you to the report of the (former) United Nations Secretary General on the implementation of Resolution 2231," Mousavian said.

"He (Ban Ki-moon) clearly said the missile test will be deemed to be not consistent with the constructive spirit of resolution 2231 [and] not violation," he said.

"Therefore, even if we accept the interpretation of the United Nations Secretary General, it is not consistent with the constructive spirit. It is not violation of the resolution,” Mousavian added.

This comes as Washington has repeatedly violated the spirit of the nuclear deal through congressional sanctions, administrative sanctions, visa waiver, and even the recent Muslim ban, the analyst urged.

"Therefore, definitely there is no violation. However, this administration, I have said from the beginning, would find excuses to go after pressure against Iran and they are going to change Obama's engagement policy," he said.

"They would go under the umbrella of the missile issue or human right issue or terrorism issue to impose new sanctions and pressures on Iran in order to satisfy Saudi Arabia, in order to satisfy Israel, in order to satisfy hawkish neocons in the US," Mousavian added.

Iran’s defensive ballistic missile program has been a bone of contention with the West during the recent years. Tehran says its missile tests do not breach the UN resolutions because they are solely for defense purposes and not designed to carry nuclear warheads.

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