Spokesman:

Iran's Missile Program Not Violating UN Resolution

Rasa - Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi underlined that Iran's missile program does not violate the Resolution 2231 of the UN Security Council.

News ID: 431268

Date: 27 July 2017 - 21:30

RNA - Qassemi's remarks came after the US House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 419-3 in favor of a bill imposing new sanctions on Iran over its missile program and alleged destabilizing role in the Middle East.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran’s missile program is in accordance with Resolution 2231 and nothing can prevent Iran from pursuing and implementing its principled policy to boost defense capabilities,” Qassemi said.

The bill must pass the US Senate before it can be sent to the White House for President Donald Trump to veto or sign into law.

The Iranian official said that if approved and implemented, the bill would undermine the successful implementation of the Iranian nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which he referred to as an international multilateral agreement.

Qassemi said that under the JCPOA, the US had obligations that needed to be fulfilled, stressing that the countries' decisions and regulations could not act as an excuse for governments to shirk their international responsibilities.

He added that the US bill was against the spirit and text of the JCPOA, stressing that Iran would reciprocate to ensure the interests of the country.

Qassemi also rejected claims in the bill that Iran destabilized the region and sponsored terrorism.

He said the American lawmakers accused Iran of destabilizing the region while the US government had played a key role in forming terrorist groups, including the ISIL, by launching military aggression against Iraq, adding that the growing insecurity and extremism in the region were the results of “unwise and irresponsible” policies of the US and its allies in the Middle East.

In relevant remarks on Tuesday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani warned that the country's legislative body will vote for reciprocal approvals in response to the US violation of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and the world powers.

"The Americans have shown disloyalty in the past and present and, specially in the current era, they think that if they fight against the nuclear deal, it will benefit them while it will harm them," Larijani told reporters in Tehran.

Stressing Iran's high potentials in the nuclear field, he said that the country can change the conditions rapidly.

Larijani warned Washington in sarcastic remarks that Tehran could narrow down the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection of Iran's nuclear installations if the Americans continue violating the deal.

"We monitor their behavior precisely and will take proper action. We adopt necessary decisions in related parliament commissions and will study them rapidly in open sessions," he said.

In relevant remarks on Monday, Qassemi blasted certain US officials' remarks against the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and the world powers, stressing that Iran has plans to reciprocate any violation of the internationally-accepted agreement.

"We don't feel worried about any kind of behavior of the US and others and we have foreseen contingency plans for any possible scenarios," Qassemi told reporters in Tehran, commenting on Iran's possible reaction to the possible approval on Tuesday of a new sanctions law against the Islamic Republic by the US House of Representatives.

"We can implement our policies based on reciprocal action and continue our path," he said, expressing the hope that the ruling system in the US would be wise enough to avoid creating new problems for the US people and themselves.

Asked if Iran would take part in talks with the new US administration over issues other than the nuclear deal, Qassemi said "the wall of mistrust between us is tall and solid" and an indicator of the two sides' behavior.

"Unfortunately or fortunately, the US has showed in practice that it cannot be trusted and they have helped this wall of mistrust grow taller by rocking the boat and disloyalty to the nuclear deal," he added.

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