Iran tests ballistic missile, possibly breaching UN council resolutions!

-Dr. Abdul Ruff

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Iran tested a new medium-range ballistic missile in November in a breach of two UN Security Council resolutions. Media reports suggest that a new Iranian precision-guided ballistic missile has been  launched as it is tested at an undisclosed location October 11, 2015.

Western intelligence says the test was held Nov. 21 near Chabahar, a port city in southeast Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan Province near the border with Pakistan.  The launch took place from a known missile test site along the Gulf of Oman. The missile, known as a Ghadr-110, has a range of 1,800 – 2000 km, or 1200 miles, and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. He said it was a liquid-fuelled missile with a 1,900 km range and was capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The missile fired in November is an improved version of the Shahab 3, and is similar to the precision guided missile tested by Iran on Oct. 10, which elicited strong condemnation from members of the UN Security Council.

The US officials said the Iranian missile action would backfire the  nuclear deal outomces. However, the missile travelled within Iranian territory and did not hit any outside  targets. A United Nations Security Council resolution adapted a few days after the nuclear agreement bars Iran from developing missiles "designed to carry nuclear warheads".

All ballistic missile tests by Iran are banned under a 2010 UN Security Council resolution that remains valid until a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers is implemented. Under that deal, reached on July 14, most sanctions on Iran will be lifted in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. According to a July 20 resolution endorsing that deal, Iran is still "called upon" to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons for up to eight years.

In October, the United States, Britain, France and Germany called for the Security Council's Iran sanctions committee to take action over a missile test by Tehran that month that they said violated UN sanctions. So far, no action has been taken by the committee. Several Security Council diplomats said on Monday they had received no official notification of a new alleged violation of the UN missile sanctions against Iran since the October notification. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity.

Samantha Power, US Ambassador to the UN, said in a statement after the last Iranian ballistic missile test in October that that the United States is deeply concerned about Iran's recent ballistic missile launch. President Obama mentioned the Iranian missile test during a press conference on Oct. 16 and said the United States was preparing to brief the UN sanctions committee. He added that it would not derail the nuclear deal.  "I think what we'll be doing is we'll review, as we have in the past, any violations of U.N. resolutions, and we'll deal with them much as we have in the past," Obama said of the October incident.   A senior administration official said the White House was "aware" of reports of the missile test, but had "no further comment

Iran appears to be in a race against the clock to improve the accuracy of its ballistic missile arsenal in the wake of the nuclear agreement signed in July. Earleir in October  Iran announced it had successfully tested a new domestically produced long-range missile, which it said was the first that could be guided all the way to targets. The defense ministry posted pictures of the launch of the missile, named Imad, on its website but no details were given about its maximum range or other capabilities. "This is Iran's first long-range missile that can be guided and controlled until hitting the target," Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan was quoted as saying.  "We don't seek permission from anyone to strengthen our defense and missile capabilities," Dehghan said.

The launch comes months after some Iranian officials voiced concern that the Islamic republic's recent nuclear deal with world powers could place limits on its missile program. Iran has said its missiles would never carry a nuclear warhead as it has no plans to develop atomic weapons, but military officials have insisted on expanding the country's missile program devoid of nukes. 

One day after Tehran and six world powers signed that nuclear accord, the UN passed resolution 2231, which compels Iran to refrain from any work on ballistic missiles for 8 years. UN Security Council Resolution 1929 was passed in 2010 and bans Iran from conducting ballistic missile tests. The deal reached with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States aims to limit Iran's nuclear program in return for lifting international sanctions.

The Security Council is still debating how to respond to Iran's last test in October.