U.S., Russia Clash Over Iran Missile Tests At United Nations

he United States and Russia clashed at a United Nations Security Council meeting on March 14 over whether Iran’s test-firing of ballistic missiles last week violated a UN resolution.

 

Russia said after the closed-door meeting that the tests did not violate a resolution adopted by the council after the Iran nuclear deal was signed last year that “called” on Iran not to launch any ballistic missiles capable of delivering a nuclear weapon.

 

But the United States insisted the tests violated the resolution and should prompt additional sanctions by the council.

 

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said the missiles “were designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons” and called the test launches “dangerous, destabilizing, and provocative.”

 

But Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Moscow has seen no proof that the missiles could carry nuclear weapons, and thus he sees no violation of the resolution.

 

Iran’s UN Mission said that the country “has never sought to acquire nuclear weapons and never will in the future.” It said the missile tests “were part of ongoing efforts of its armed forces to strengthen its legitimate defense capabilities…against security threats.”

 

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