Voice of America:
UNITED NATIONS—
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Tuesday his country’s missile tests last week did not violate the nuclear agreement Iran signed with a group of world powers last year.
Speaking during a visit to Australia, Zarif reiterated that Iran sees the missiles as a key measure of self defense and that they are not meant to deliver nuclear warheads.
“We do not design any missiles to carry things that we do not have,” he said.
He also challenged “those who are complaining about Iran’s missile program” to join Iran in declaring they will only use force in self defense.
His comments followed U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power saying Monday the launches were “dangerous, destabilizing and provocative” and “undermine the prospect for peace” in the region.
Washington says the launches violate language of a U.N. resolution adopted in July, which “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.”
“We are comfortable that we have a strong case,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said. “These launches are clearly in defiance of that resolution. There is no question about it.”
When asked if U.N. sanctions should be imposed against Iran, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin categorically ruled that out, responding, “The clear and short answer is no.” Churkin told reporters that there was no “legal” violation of the Security Council resolution. “A call is different from a ban. Legally you cannot violate a call,” Churkin said.
“You can comply with a call or ignore a call, but you cannot violate a call. Some may say it’s a bad thing anyway, and I would not necessarily dispute that; the legal distinction is there,” he added.
“Russia seems to be lawyering its way to look for reasons not to act, rather than stepping up and being prepared to shoulder its collective responsibility,” Ambassador Power said.
