The Obama administration is investigating claims that Iran tested a ballistic missile in November, which would be the second since diplomats finalized the international deal on the country’s nuclear program.
State Department spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday said he could not confirm the multiple reports about the missile test, which would not violate the terms of the nuclear deal. It would, however, violate United Nations Security Council resolutions, he maintained.
{mosads}“We’re conducting a serious review of this reported incident,” Kirby told reporters on Tuesday.
“If the reports are confirmed and if there is a violation … then we’re going to take the appropriate actions, as we’ve proven we are capable of doing in the past,” he added.
According to multiple reports, on Nov. 21 Iran test-fired a medium-range ballistic missile that is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The missile is reportedly similar to the missile Iran previously tested on Oct. 10, which prompted a harsh rebuke from the U.S.
However, the United Nations Security Council is still evaluating how to respond to that initial test, despite allegations that it violated U.N. sanctions.
Critics fear the new test is just the latest sign of how the nuclear deal has emboldened Iran to flout international rules without repercussion.
The U.N.’s failure to respond makes it more likely that Iran will be willing to break its commitment to limit nuclear development under the deal, critics say, without fear that sanctions being lifted under the agreement will return.
“If we cannot respond to a clear violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution, I have no faith that the U.N. and the Obama administration will implement any form of snapback in response to Iranian violations of the nuclear agreement,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said in a statement Tuesday.