Iran confirms ballistic missile test

By Ahmet Dursun

ANKARA

A senior Iranian commander confirmed Tuesday that Tehran has recently carried out a ballistic missile test.

“We will continue to conduct our missile tests and this latest one was particularly significant,” Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Aerospace Division, said.

Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused Tehran of violating UN Security Council resolution 2231 by test-firing a medium-range ballistic missile.

“The U.S. reaction shows how important this matter is for them," Ali Hajizadeh said.

Without giving details about the type of the tested missile, the Iranian commander said the Islamic Republic test-fires up to 50 missiles a year.

In May, the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from a 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran and imposed two rounds of sanctions on Tehran.

UN resolution 2231 bans Iran from testing ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Tehran, for its part, defends the tests, arguing that it is test-firing conventional missiles and that the tests were not in violation of UN resolution.

*Ali Murat Alhas contributed to this story from Ankara.