US sees Iranian missile test as unacceptable, promises response

The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Tuesday that Iran's ballistic missile test on the weekend was "absolutely unacceptable" and promised that Washington would respond to it.

"The United States is not naïve. We are not going to stand by. You will see us call them out," warned Haley after a closed-door Security Council meeting, adding that "we are committed to making them understand that this is not anything that we will ever accept."

The new US envoy to the international body said that it had been "confirmed" that Tehran on Sunday tested a ballistic missile, adding that this runs counter to Security Council Resolution 2231 approved in 2015.

"They know that they are not supposed to be doing ballistic missile testing" of anything that can carry nuclear warheads, Haley told reporters regarding the launch of a missile able to carry a payload of 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) a distance of 300 kilometers (about 186 miles).

"That is more than enough to be able to deliver a nuclear weapon," she asserted.

Haley, however, did not provide any details as to what the United States intended to do in response to the Iranian test.

Resolution 2231, whereby the Security Council ratified the nuclear pact negotiated among Iran and several world powers, calls upon Tehran not to launch missiles capable of carrying atomic warheads.

The Iranian government on Tuesday insisted that the missiles that it is testing are defensive, conventional and will not be used to carry nuclear warheads, but the US warned that those missiles are perfectly capable of being fitted with such weapons.

Russia, meanwhile, said that Resolution 2231 "does not prohibit" Iran from engaging in this kind of activity, but rather only contains a "call" for them not to do so.

"A call is different from a ban. Legally you cannot violate a call. You can comply or not, but you cannot violate it," said Russia's UN ambassador, Vitaly Churkin.

Other members of the Security Council, such as the United Kingdom, referred to the rests as "not consistent" with the resolution, but avoided speaking about "violations."

According to diplomatic sources, the 15 Security Council members agreed on Tuesday that the committee tasked with monitoring the sanctions on Iran should thoroughly analyze the missile test.

Source: EFE