Iran tested missile in breach of U.N. resolutions

Iran tested a new medium-range ballistic missile last month in violation of two U.N. Security Council resolutions, according to U.S. officials.

Two U.S. officials speaking anonymously told Reuters that the test was held on Nov. 21, and one source confirmed the missile was fired within Iran. Fox News on Monday reported that sources said the test was held near Iran’s border with Pakistan, near a port city called Chabahr.

Rep. Lee M. Zeldin, New York Republican and member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said Monday that the tests confirm that Iran will not abide by the nuclear deal it reached in July with the U.S. and five other nations, and encouraged the administration to abandon the deal.

“Today’s reports by senior U.S. officials confirming that Iran has violated two U.N. resolutions is further evidence that there really is no deal between the United States and Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran is already violating the agreement,” Mr. Zeldin said. “It’s not too late yet for the administration to come to terms with this reality and move forward in a better direction for American security and the security of the free world.” 

Ballistic missile tests by Iran are banned under a 2010 U.N. Security Council resolution that the country remains bound to until a nuclear deal between Iran, the U.S. and five other world powers goes into effect.

Under the terms of the deal reached on July 14 by a delegation including U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry, that deal lifts many sections on Iran, but according to a July 20 resolution endorsing the deal, Iran would still be unable to work on ballistic missiles that could deliver nuclear weapons for up to eight years.

As news of Iran’s breach spread Monday, the U.S. joined five other world powers in urging the U.N. to cease the long-term investigation into Tehran’s work on nuclear weapons, reports The Associated Press.

The U.S. joined Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany in pushing an end to the probe, even though the International Atomic Energy Agency issued a report last week that concluded Iran was working on nuclear arms until 2009, according to the AP. Tehran denies the accusations.

The six-nation call to end the probe into Iran’s nuclear weapons development is part of a draft resolution for next week’s meeting of the IAEA, and was shared with the 35 member nations on Monday.