During a presser in the northwestern city of Tabriz on Saturday, Mousavi criticized some Western countries’ position on Iran’s missile tests, Tasnim reported.

He said the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has nothing to do with missile tests.

The JCPOA was struck between Iran and six world powers, including the U.S., Russia, China, France, Britain, and Germany, on July 14, 2015.

However, Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the deal in May 2018 and adopted what his administration called the policy of “maximum pressure” to force Tehran into writing another deal.

Only nuclear issues were discussed with the world powers during the negotiations that led to the JCPOA, Mousavi stated.

Noting that they unsuccessfully tried to raise the issue of missiles in the negotiations, he underlined that Resolution 2231 has not banned Iran from missile tests and they are well aware of it.

“We regard statements about Iran’s missile tests as meddlesome and reject them,” the spokesman added.

Resolution 2231, adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council in July 2015, endorsed the Iran nuclear agreement. While the resolution “calls upon” Iran not to test nuclear-capable missiles, it does not ban Iran to conduct missile tests.

Back in December 2018, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA do not restrict Iran’s missile program.

Zarif reiterated Iran’s long-held policy that Tehran does not seek to build nuclear weapons and that the country’s missiles are not designed to carry nuclear warheads.

Iran maintains that its missile program is totally deterrent in nature and is part of the country’s unstoppable defense program.

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IRAN NEWS POLITICAL DESK

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has referred to a statement issued by Washington to refute allegations made European signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal claiming Iran’s missile activities have violated the deal.

“Brian Hook (US Special Representative for Iran) has given our E3 JCPOA partners a timely reminder, openly admitting that missile testing is NOT prohibited in Security Council Resolution 2231,” the foreign minister said in a tweet on Friday.

Zarif quoted a statement made by Hook during a State Department briefing on Thursday which said, “One of the deficiencies of the Iran nuclear deal is that it ended the prohibition on Iran’s ballistic missile testing.”

Brian Hook has given our E3 #JCPOA partners a timely reminder, openly admitting that missile testing is NOT prohibited in Security Council Resolution 2231:

Zarif’s Friday remarks came in response to a letter authored by the European signatories of the deal, comprised of France, Germany and Britain, which circulated on Wednesday.

The letter, addressing UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, accused Tehran of possessing “nuclear-capable ballistic missiles”.

Britain, France and Germany claim Iran has “nuclear-capable ballistic missiles” and that its latest missile activities are “inconsistent” with a UN resolution that endorsed the accord.

The letter claimed that Iran’s latest missile activities were “inconsistent” with UN Security Council Resolution 2231 that endorsed the accord in 2015.

On Thursday, Zarif rejected the European accusations as a “desperate falsehood” seeking to cover up the EU3’s “miserable incompetence” in fulfilling their commitments under the accord.

Zarif also posted a letter written by the head of Iran’s mission to the United Nations Majid Takht Ravanchi sent to Guterres detailing a legal response to the European accusations.

Ravanchi argued that Iran’s activities “related to space launch vehicles and ballistic missiles fall outside of the purview of competence of Resolution 2231 (2015) and its annexes.”

In that letter, Iran’s ambassador to UN had rebutted claims leveled by the EU3 against Iran’s missile activities, noting that the countries activities “related to space launch vehicles and ballistic missiles fall outside of the purview of competence of Resolution 2231 (2015) and its annexes.”

The letter added, “….given the mandate set forth in the note by the President of the Security Council on Security Council tasks under Resolution 2231 …, the secretary general is therefore expected to avoid reporting on such irrelevant activities in his reports on the implementation of that resolution.”

“At the same time, the international community must be extremely vigilant regarding the politically motivated approach by the United Nations and certain other industrialized countries, which, under such absurd pretexts as proliferation concerns, attempt to demonize benign technologies such as space technology that are critical for the socioeconomic development of all nations, particularly developing countries.”

Iran’s ambassador to UN concluded by saying, “I would like to stress once against that Iran is determined to resolutely continue its activities related to ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles, both of which are within its inherent rights under international law and are necessary for securing its security as well as socioeconomic interests.

Washington withdrew from the multilateral nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in May 2018 and reimposed harsh sanctions against Iran.

The Trump administration made the move demanding a “new deal” that would limit Iran’s defensive missile capabilities and regional anti-terrorism and defense cooperation with its regional allies.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has reacted to E3 accusations, namely made by France, Germany and the United Kingdom against Iran’s missile program.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) – France, Germany and the United Kingdom, known as E3 group, have penned a letter to the United Nations, making a baseless accusation against Iran’s missile program.

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“Martyr Tehrani-Moqaddam’s jihadi efforts bore fruits and caused Iran to become the region’s number-one missile power,” Major General Baqeri said in a speech on Tuesday.

Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran has reached “sustainable power” in various military areas and also gained great achievements in the field of “soft war”, he added.

Some of the major achievements include the promotion of the 1979 Islamic Revolution’s ideology and its resistance against the world’s oppressors, the top general went on to say.

The Islamic Republic has also managed to reveal the true face of the global arrogant powers, especially the US government, Major General Baqeri stated.

Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.

Back in February 2018, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei called for efforts to maintain and boost Iran’s defense capabilities, hitting back at the enemies for disputing the country’s missile program.

“Without a moment of hesitation, the country must move to acquire whatever is necessary for defense, even if the whole world is opposed to it,” Ayatollah Khamenei said at the time.

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He added that Iran has repeatedly announced that none of its “ballistic missiles are designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons” and added that paragraph 3 of annex B to Resolution 2231 (which endorses a nuclear deal signed between Iran and major world powers) does not limit, in any way, Iran’s activities regarding the conventional ballistic missiles.

He warned that the continuation of US hostile policies and practices would further erode the Security Council’s credibility, which already faces a severe trust and confidence deficit due to such irresponsible policies of that country.

The full text of the letter is as follows:

Excellency,

I am writing to you regarding the identical letters dated 29 August 2019 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the United States Mission to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council wherein certain baseless accusations were repeated against my country S/2019/705.

As we have stated time and again, none of Iran’s ballistic missiles are “designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons” and accordingly, paragraph 3 of annex B to resolution 2231 (2015) does not limit, in any way, Iran’s activities regarding the conventional ballistic missiles.

Consequently, Iran’s related activities are not inconsistent with that paragraph. Rather, they fall outside of the purview or competence of the Security Council resolution and its annexes (S/2015/550).

We continue to firmly reject the desperate attempts by the United States for the arbitrary reinterpretation of paragraph 3 of annex B to resolution 2231 (2015), including through invoking the definition of the Missile Technology Control Regime.

There is no implicit or explicit reference in that paragraph either to the Missile Technology Control Regime itself or to its definitions and, thus, any reference thereto is totally misleading. Moreover, while the Missile Technology Control Regime criteria are not legally binding, even for its 35 members, any attempt to portray them as the universally agreed definition is definitively premature.

As stated in the report of the Secretary-General (A/57/229), “there is no universally accepted norm or instrument specifically governing the development, testing, production, acquisition, transfer, deployment or use of missiles.”

Moreover, when the previous missile launches by Iran were discussed, “there was no consensus in the Security Council on how this particular launch related to resolution 2231 (2015)” (S/2017/515).

Additionally, while the United States, by its unlawful withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and its subsequent policies and practices, has materially breached resolution 2231 (2015), its call for reimposing the restrictions contained in Security Council resolution 1929 (2010) — which is a terminated and, in fact, dead resolution — is ironic. Likewise, it is hypocritical that the United States, which arrogantly continues to threaten other States either to violate resolution 2231 (2015) or face punishment, is calling for the full implementation of that resolution. If the implementation of resolution 2231 (2015) matters for the United States, it should end violating it itself and also stop forcing other States to violate that resolution.

Additionally, the reference by the United States to “existing sanctions on Iran” is misleading and legally void as there are only certain restrictions, not “sanctions” within the context of resolution 2231 (2015).

In fact, when the United States, a permanent member of the Security Council, chooses to defy the Council’s resolutions repeatedly without consequence, it seriously undermines the fundamental credibility of the Council.

If unchecked, such policies and practices of the United States would further erode the credibility of the Security Council, which already faces a severe trust and confidence deficit due to such irresponsible policies of that country. Therefore, we once again call upon the international community to hold the United States accountable for its actions. In this context, we ask that the Secretary-General take actions of the United States as described in the present letter into account in his upcoming report on the implementation of resolution 2231 (2015).

I would also like to reiterate that Iran has not conducted any activity inconsistent with paragraph 3 of annex B to resolution 2231 (2015), and accordingly, it is determined to resolutely continue its activities related to ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles, both of which are its inherent rights under international law and are necessary for securing its security as well as socioeconomic interests, respectively.

At the same time, since Iran’s activities related to space launch vehicles and ballistic missiles fall outside the purview or competence of resolution 2231 (2015) and its annexes, the Secretary-General is therefore expected to seriously avoid reporting on Iran’s such activities in his next reports on the implementation of that resolution.

Seizing this opportunity, I would also like to categorically reject the allegations against Iran made by the Permanent Representative of the United States at the 8619th meeting of the Security Council on 16 September 2019 (S/PV.8619).

It has become a standard practice of certain officials of the United States who, following any incident — no matter where and by whom – without exception, immediately and without any investigation and evidence, declare Iran as the culprit. This “maximum deception” campaign is in line with and a living example of the so-called “maximum pressure” policy of the United States against Iran.

It is evident that no amount of smear campaign, disinformation and deception against Iran can change the realities about the illegal practices and irresponsible policies of the United States or distract attention away from its destructive policies, malign behavior and destabilizing measures, in particular in the Middle East. Instead of such futile attempts and baseless allegations, the United States must stop exporting an unprecedented amount of sophisticated weaponry to the Middle East, which are used including for death and destruction in Yemen by the closest regional allies of the United States.

I should be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as a document of the Security Council.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

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“Surely AP reporters are familiar enough with conversational English to know and understand and are able to contextualize comments on the hypothetical, as well as parrying with words to make a point. Drawing a false conclusion in pursuit of headlines, when what was said in the context was obvious, only leads to a diminution of the standing of the press with the public,” he also added.

The remarks came as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed on Tuesday that Tehran was willing to discuss their ballistic missile program. According to CNN, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus couldn’t clarify what Pompeo’s comments were based on, saying, “I think he was responding” to a media report that Iran subsequently appeared to reject.

Tehran has always stressed that its missile program along with its defense power is non-negotiable.

Also, in a Tuesday tweet, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi described Foreign Minister Zarif’s remark in the interview with NBC as ‘precise and clever’, adding that the minister’s answer “throw the ball in US’s court and also instead of having a defensive stance, challenged the issue of arms sales to regional countries. The stance of Iran and Mohammad Javad Zarif on the country’s missile capabilities are clear.”

In his interview, Zarif said that room for negotiation with US is “wide open” if US stops sanctions and comes back to the bargaining table. Then when asked about the possibility of talks over Iran’s missile program, Zarif said, “Let’s all start with we already agreed, let us see what we can do and then if you want to discuss ballistic missiles, then we need to discuss the amount of weapons sold to our region. Last year Iran spent $16bn all together on its military, we have an 82 million population …  The United Arab Emirates with a million population spent $22bn. Saudi Arabia with less than half of our population spent $67bn, most of them are American. These are American weaponry that is going into our region, making our region ready to explode. So if they want to talk about our missiles, they need first to stop selling all these weapons including missiles to our region.”

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Ulyanov begins his tweets by saying that “some subscribers insist that JCPOA is ‘a bad deal’. They ask interesting questions which should not be ignored. I will try to answer them in the form of Q&A session. I hope my clarifications can be helpful. If you have further questions or comments, I would be happy to respond.”

Here is the Russian envoy’s questions and answers:

What is the value of the JCPOA?

JCPOA is the only and the greatest achievement of diplomacy in the Middle East. Europeans rightly call it the central element of the nuclear non-proliferation regime. It’s main advantage- intrusive verification in Iran which allows to remove effectively all possible concerns.

Is the nuclear deal comprehensive? Why does not it cover the policy of Iran in the region and other matters of concern for #US and many other countries?

Deal is devoted to nuclear issues. It took 10 years to elaborate it. The aim was to remove concerns about nuclear program of Iran. Introduction of other contravertial topics would have made it mission impossible – like an attempt to hit a few birds with one stone.

Could not you at least try to address regional security problems in the course of elaboration of the JCPOA?

Nuclear deal was negotiated by Iran, China, Germany, France, Russia, UK, US and EU as coordinator. Regional security problems require a different format- participation of regional states. That is why Russia proposes to convene a regional Conference on security in the Gulf.

Why Iran was allowed to enrich uranium under the JCPOA?

Iran is an NPT State Party for whom obligations come together with rights. One of them-the right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy, incl.enrichment. Iran can’t be deprived of this right w/o damage to non- proliferation regime. Iran agreed to some temporary limits under JCPOA.

What about Iranian missile program?

There are no legal limitations on missiles, including for Iran. Russia proposed to establish global missiles non- proliferation regime but did not get support. In my view the Iranian aspect can be productively discussed in regional context only. Nuclear deal wasn’t appropriate.

What is going to happen when the nuclear deal expires?

Iran will be treated like any other non- nuclear-weapon State Party of the NPT. There will be absolute need for permanent application of Additional Protocol which provides #IAEA with all tools for intrusive control (if verification isn’t ruined together with the JCPOA).

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He went on to add, “Contrary to @SecPompeo’s claim, a. UNSC 2231: “Iran is CALLED UPON” not prohibited; b. “not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles DESIGNED to be capable of delivering NUCLEAR weapons.”

“Our missiles are not “designed” for nukes, which we’re not developing,” Zarif stressed.

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“Iran seeks peace and condemns terrorist actions against other countries and religions,” the statement added in response to Hook that had accused Iran of supporting terrorism.

It further rejected US accusations against Iran’s defensive missiles, stressing that the Iranian missile program is “completely peaceful.”

It also said that Iranian nuclear activities are completely under the supervision of the IAEA and the IAEA inspectors have many times confirmed the peaceful nature of Iranian nuclear program.

The statement also reminded that the US unlawful withdrawal from UN Security Council-approved JCPOA contrary to Iran’s compliance with the deal.

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