US conducting ‘serious review’ of alleged Iran missile test

It cited the USA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as saying that the new test was in breach of two United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The precision-guided missile, similar to the one tested in October, is an improved version of the Shahab 3 with a 1,200-mile range. The launch took place from a known missile test site along the Gulf of Oman. He said it was a liquid-fuelled missile with a 1,900 km range and was capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

In October, the United States, Britain, France and Germany called for the Security Council’s Iran sanctions committee to take action over a missile test by Tehran that month that they said violated UN sanctions.

Sen. Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, criticized the Obama administration’s lack of response to Iran’s “repeated ballistic missile tests”. The official said other undeclared tests occurred earlier than that, but declined to elaborate. Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (also known as the Iran deal), which was agreed upon on July 14, Iran is “called upon” to cease ballistic missile testing for a period of eight years.

“We’ve got strong indications that those missile tests did violate UN Security Council resolutions that pertain to Iran’s ballistic missile activities”, said White House press secretary Josh Earnest said. He added, “If the reports are confirmed and if there is a violation of any relevant U.N. Security Council resolution, then we’re going to take the appropriations actions”.

Officials with knowledge of the process said the Iranian individuals and organizations involved with the test are already penalized under American sanctions law, and said the government was still identifying potential targets. The IAEA report on Iran’s nuclear past, which was issued last week, strongly suggested Tehran had a coordinated nuclear weapons program before 2003, but, in a sign of the shift in ties since July, Western diplomats showed no concern.

The Security Council is still debating how to respond to Iran’s last test in October.