Iran announced on Saturday it had successfully tested a new medium-range ballistic missile in a new challenge to US President Donald Trump’s administration that hinted at the possibility of withdrawing from the Nuclear Deal.
Iran said the Khorramshahr ballistic missile can travel up to a range of 2,000 km and carries several warheads.
The state television carried footage of the launch and showed images of the missile without specifying the exact date when the photos were taken.
However, at a military parade marking the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1980-1988 war with Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, an Iranian official said on Friday that the Khorramshahr would be capable to operate in a short time.
Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said on Saturday foreign pressures would not affect Iran’s missile program.
“On the path to improve our country’s defensive capacity we will certainly not be the least affected by any threats and we won’t ask anyone’s permission,” he said in remarks carried by state television.
The Nuclear Deal between Tehran and major powers does not ban Iran’s ballistic activities. However, UN Security Council Resolution 2231 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.
Iranian officials say all of the country’s missiles are designed to carry only conventional and not nuclear warheads and that Tehran does not have a program to develop nuclear weapons.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country refuses any restrictions on its ballistic program.
“Whether you like it or not, we are going to strengthen our military capabilities which are necessary for deterrence,” Rouhani said on Friday.
Trump is due to report to Congress on October 15 on whether Iran is still complying with the Nuclear Deal.
The US president said last Wednesday that he already made his decision in this regard but was still not ready to reveal it.
Both the European Union and Russia asked the US president not to withdraw from the deal with Tehran.
The calls did not stop French President Emmanuel Macron to assert that the deal was not sufficient anymore, adding that Iran should halt its destabilizing ballistic activities in the region, especially in Syria.
