Iran does not Want New Confrontation with the West

• 03.12.2016, 09:50
•  Region,  World

IRNA

Testing new ballistic missiles by Iran caused a sharp reaction in the US Congress. The speaker of the Congress Paul Ryan told that the US would continue to apply new sanctions against Tehran as long as "this regime does not abandon its aggressive and provocative behavior towards the US and its allies".

According to the representative of the US Congress, testing the ballistic missiles by Iran is a violation of international laws. US State Department spokesman Mark Toner, in turn, said that their leadership intends to investigate the incident and, if necessary, issue "unilateral sanctions" against Iran to the UN Security Council.

Recently Iranian media informed about the end of "Vilayat-1" missile exercises, in the framework of which several ballistic missiles had been tested. The Qadr-F-type missile, for instance, has a range of 2,000 kilometers.

Iranian authorities claim that the ballistic missile tests contradict neither to the joint comprehensive action program, nor the UN Security Council resolution №2231, according to which another 8 years after the nuclear agreement Iran has to refrain from testing ballistic missile which can transfer nuclear weapons. According to the Iranian authorities these missiles are not supposed to carry nuclear military warheads, and Iran has no intention to develop nuclear weapons.

The question of using ballistic missiles by Iran has been in the center of international attention since October 2015, jeopardizing the nuclear agreement between the "Six" international mediators and Iran. The United States, Britain, France and Germany appealed to the sanctions committee of the UN Security Council, asking them to investigate the latest incident of testing medium-range ballistic missiles by Iran.

However, in reality, there is no unanimity on this issue among the international community. Many countries do not want to use new sanctions thus damaging the process of normalization of relations with Iran. Iran in turn does not expect a new round of confrontation with the West.

Testing ballistic missile by Iran worries especially Israel, where people think that they are directed against them. In order to appease Israel, yesterday after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister in Jerusalem, the US Vice President Joe Biden said that if Iran violates the terms of the nuclear deal, "the US would act."