Iran’s Missile Test Not a Breach of UNSC Resolution

Over the past few days, the US has been trying to increase pressure on Iran by complaining that the Islamic Republic’s recent missile tests have violated the UNSC Resolution 2231. But is that really the case?

This is while, a careful look at the UNSC Resolution indicates that Iran has definitely not breached any of the resolution’s terms and conditions.

According to a Farsi report by Tabnak news website, the US complaint about Iran’s recent missile test mainly arises from Washington’s concern that whether the missile was capable of carrying nuclear warhead or not.

While Iran’s answer to this concern is definitely “no”, the response given by the White House officials [and of course Israel] is “maybe”.

Iranian Defence Minister confirmed on February 1 that the country had test-fired a new ballistic missile, but also made it clear that the missile test-launches do not pose a threat to any country in the region and are solely conducted to bolster Iran’s defence capabilities and protect its regional allies.

Apparently, US President Donald Trump is looking for an excuse to adopt a hostile and violent approach towards Iran by using a distorted interpretation of the UNSC Resolution.

It is crystal clear that the US is absolutely indifferent to the fact that Iran’s missile program and ballistic missile tests are, in no way, related to the July 2015 nuclear accord, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed between Iran and P5+1.

The commotion and tumult caused by the Trump administration over Iran’s missile program only pertains to a distorted interpretation of the UNSC Resolution 2231 which was approved by Iran and the sextet on July 20, 2015, and then signed by them. It is clearly stipulated in the resolution that, as per its content, the UN restrictions imposed earlier on Iran will be lifted entirely and all the previous resolutions will be rejected.

What Trump is using as a pretext to exert pressure on Iran, is, nevertheless, related to a sentence of the resolution prohibiting Iran from carrying out any activity in relation to ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warhead, particularly testing missiles equipped with ballistic technology.

This sentence [of the resolution] is, however, not available on the UN’s official website, but stipulated in the page 99 of the 104-page official document of the Resolution 2231, in the appendix section.

Of the utmost importance is that the agreement, by no means, prohibits Iran from developing conventional weapons or carrying out missile tests. The resolution only requires Iran to refrain from developing and designing missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. It has not even clearly and precisely banned Iran from developing or designing such technologies.

The phrase “Call Upon” has been precisely and carefully selected to be used in the resolution, as none of the signatories to the JCPOA consented to clearly ban such activities by Iran. In addition, under the terms and conditions of the resolution, there is no explicit and clear instruction for punishing Iran in case of its failure to comply with the conditions.

All nuclear inspectors and experts acknowledge that Iran has never had nuclear weapons and does not plan to build one. Perhaps, as always practiced by the US Congress radicals, the Trump administration is striving to find an excuse to provoke and express hostility towards Iran.

Even the most optimistic observers would agree that Trump’s new round of sanctions against Iran would fail to prove effective. Similar restrictions [by Washington against Tehran] have always been in place. Even the former US president, Barack Obama, had imposed such embargoes against the country. Iran does not view US new restrictions as a harsh punishment.