General Hajizadeh:
U.S. Reaction Shows Missile Test Important
TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- A senior Iranian military commander confirmed that Tehran recently carried out a ballistic missile test to the anger of the United States, the Fars news agency said Tuesday.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) official's comment came after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's assertion earlier this month that Iran had test-fired a missile capable of carrying multiple warheads and reaching the Middle East and Europe.
"We will continue our missile tests and this recent action was an important test," IRGC’s airspace division head General Amirali Hajizadeh said.
"The reaction of the Americans shows that this test was very important for them and that's why they were shouting," he added, without specifying what type of missile had been tested.
U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of an international agreement on Iran's nuclear program in May and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. He said the deal was flawed because it did not include curbs on Iran's development of ballistic missiles or its support for resistance groups.
Iran has ruled out negotiations with Washington over its military capabilities, particularly the missile program. It says the program is purely defensive and its missiles are not capable of being tipped with nuclear warheads.
Hajizadeh said Iran holds up to 50 missile tests a year.
"The issue of missiles has never been subject to negotiations and nothing has been approved or ratified about its prohibition for the Islamic Republic of Iran in (UN] resolution 2231," Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif said Tuesday, according to the Tasnim news agency.
"Our defense doctrine is basically founded upon deterrence."
Under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which enshrined the nuclear deal in 2015, Iran is "called upon" to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons for up to eight years.
U.S. and European officials have admitted that the language does not make it obligatory and that Iran’s missile tests do not breach the nuclear agreement.
Last month, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Iran is not seeking war with any country, but the armed forces should develop their capabilities to deter any potential aggressor.
U.S. special representative for Iran Brian Hook later said military action against Iran could be possible should U.S. sanctions against the country fail to curb Tehran from what he called threatening Washington's interests.
"We have been very clear with the Iranian regime that we will not hesitate to use military force when our interests are threatened," Hook said. "I think right now, while we have the military option on the table, our preference is to use all of the tools that are at our disposal diplomatically," he said.
The U.S. has intensified its hostility toward Iran under the Trump administration.
IRGC head Major General Muhammad Ali Jafari said Tuesday the United States was becoming weaker.
"American power is declining," Jafari said, according to Fars. "The enemies don't dare bring up the issue of overthrowing the Islamic Republic and they will take this wish to the grave."
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) official's comment came after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's assertion earlier this month that Iran had test-fired a missile capable of carrying multiple warheads and reaching the Middle East and Europe.
"We will continue our missile tests and this recent action was an important test," IRGC’s airspace division head General Amirali Hajizadeh said.
"The reaction of the Americans shows that this test was very important for them and that's why they were shouting," he added, without specifying what type of missile had been tested.
U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of an international agreement on Iran's nuclear program in May and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. He said the deal was flawed because it did not include curbs on Iran's development of ballistic missiles or its support for resistance groups.
Iran has ruled out negotiations with Washington over its military capabilities, particularly the missile program. It says the program is purely defensive and its missiles are not capable of being tipped with nuclear warheads.
Hajizadeh said Iran holds up to 50 missile tests a year.
"The issue of missiles has never been subject to negotiations and nothing has been approved or ratified about its prohibition for the Islamic Republic of Iran in (UN] resolution 2231," Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif said Tuesday, according to the Tasnim news agency.
"Our defense doctrine is basically founded upon deterrence."
Under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which enshrined the nuclear deal in 2015, Iran is "called upon" to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons for up to eight years.
U.S. and European officials have admitted that the language does not make it obligatory and that Iran’s missile tests do not breach the nuclear agreement.
Last month, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Iran is not seeking war with any country, but the armed forces should develop their capabilities to deter any potential aggressor.
U.S. special representative for Iran Brian Hook later said military action against Iran could be possible should U.S. sanctions against the country fail to curb Tehran from what he called threatening Washington's interests.
"We have been very clear with the Iranian regime that we will not hesitate to use military force when our interests are threatened," Hook said. "I think right now, while we have the military option on the table, our preference is to use all of the tools that are at our disposal diplomatically," he said.
The U.S. has intensified its hostility toward Iran under the Trump administration.
IRGC head Major General Muhammad Ali Jafari said Tuesday the United States was becoming weaker.
"American power is declining," Jafari said, according to Fars. "The enemies don't dare bring up the issue of overthrowing the Islamic Republic and they will take this wish to the grave."