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Lawmaker Warns of New Plot Over Missile Program

Lawmaker Warns of New Plot Over Missile Program
Lawmaker Warns of New Plot Over Missile Program

A senior lawmaker warned that western countries are hatching a "new plot" against Iran over its missile program, stressing that the Islamic Republic will wisely respond to such moves.

Chairman of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi made the statement on Saturday in response to recent remarks by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and German Chancellor Angela Merkel against Iran's ballistic missile launches, Press TV reported.

Reuters on Thursday quoted the UN chief as saying in a confidential report that Iran's ballistic missile launches "are not consistent with the constructive spirit" of last year's nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, between Iran and major powers.

Ban said it is up to the UN Security Council to decide if Iran's missile launches violated the resolution the Security Council adopted last July to endorse the nuclear agreement.

Iran and the six major powers (the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany) started implementing the JCPOA on January 16.

After the JCPOA went into effect, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the UN Security Council and the US were lifted. Iran, in return, has put temporary curbs on its nuclear activities.

Meanwhile, the German chancellor said on Thursday "Iran continued unabated to develop its rocket program in conflict with the relevant provisions of the UN Security Council resolution."

Merkel said NATO's anti-missile mechanism was targeted against Iran's missile program and had been "developed purely for defense".

  Unprofessional, Political

Boroujerdi dismissed the remarks by Ban and Merkel as "unprofessional and political" and said Iran's missile tests do not violate any international resolutions.

The legislator said simultaneous comments made by the UN chief and the German chancellor portend a new plot against Iran.

"Western leaders resort to political and unprofessional remarks to promote themselves. However, Iran's diplomatic officials have given and will respond to them with vigilance," he said.

The lawmaker emphasized that Iran's missile program has nothing to do with the JCPOA, saying, "Iran's missiles are not able to carry nuclear warheads and are merely [aimed at] increasing the country's defensive power."

Boroujerdi added that Iran has showed its goodwill in implementing its obligations under the JCPOA and will use its weapons to defend its territorial integrity against threats.

Last March, Iran successfully test-fired two ballistic missiles during a military drill to assess its defense capabilities. The missiles dubbed Qadr-H and Qadr-F were fired during large-scale drills code-named Eqtedar-e-Velayat. A day earlier, the Armed Forces had fired another ballistic missile called Qiam from silo-based launchers in different locations across the country.

The US claims that Iran's missile tests violate UN Security Council Resolution 2231 that "calls upon" Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

Iran says its missiles are not nuclear-capable and only used as a conventional deterrent.

Financialtribune.com