Western leaders reacted warily to Iran's announcement Saturday that it had successfully tested a new medium-range ballistic missile.
U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday, “Iran just test-fired a Ballistic Missile capable of reaching Israel. They are also working with North Korea. Not much of an agreement we have!”
Trump was referencing the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that lifted U.N. economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for its cessation of some of its nuclear activities.
France, another signatory to the deal, reacted in a foreign ministry statement. “France demands that Iran halt all destabilizing activities in the region and to respect all provisions of Resolution 2231, including the call to halt this type of ballistic activity,” it said.
Israel, frequently the target of Iran’s rhetorical aggression, also weighed in.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman called the test a “provocation” aimed at the United States, Israel and their allies. He added that the test was “proof of Iran’s ambition to become a world power in order to threaten the countries of the Middle East and democratic states around the world.”
Iran’s state media on Saturday aired footage of the test and in-flight video from the nose cone.
It was not clear, however, when and where the test launch of the Khorramshahr missile was conducted. The missile has a range of 2,000 kilometers and can carry several warheads.
President Hassan Rouhani said Friday at a military parade that Iran would strengthen its missile program without seeking any country's permission.
