U.S. Accuses Iran Of Ballistic Missile Test, Warns Of Regional Consequences

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday accused Iran of testing a medium-range ballistic missile “capable of carrying multiple warheads” that can target anywhere in the Middle East and parts of Europe. The top American diplomat claimed that the launch violates United Nations Security Council resolution 2231, which ostensibly prohibits Tehran from conducting activities related to the development of rockets designed to carry nuclear weapons. “As we have been warning for some time, Iran’s missile testing and missile proliferation is growing. We are accumulating risk of escalation in the region if we fail to restore deterrence,” Pompeo asserted. U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton and Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook likewise weighed in, highlighting the threat posed by the Islamic Republic’s broader territorial expansionism in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and beyond. Iran’s apparent move is being construed as a show defiance—and force—in the face of renewed U.S. sanctions on its crucial energy, shipping and banking sectors. The implementation of the financial penalties comes after President Donald Trump in May pulled out of the 2015 nuclear agreement, citing as a reason the deal’s failure to address Tehran’s ballistic missile program which the White House views as a barometer of the mullah’s nuclear progress and overall related ambitions.