Firoozabadi: Iran's Missile Tests Will Be Conducted in Due Time

The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in response to a request from a group of parliament members for ballistic missile tests, stated that these tests will be conducted in due time. This group, referred to by conservative news agencies as 'teachers and students of Qom seminary,' issued a statement in early August requesting Hassan Firoozabadi, the Chief of Staff, to approve 'the order for launching a ballistic missile in a limited exercise by the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.' They claimed the purpose of such an action was to 'prevent the Great Satan's deception and to frustrate the U.S. Congress and the Israeli Knesset and suppress their Takfiri agents in the region, and to thwart the ambitions of their domestic proxies,' who they said 'are counting on the suspension of Iran's strategic missile capabilities.' On August 15, 23 members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly supported this statement and called for the resumption of Iran's missile tests. According to Fars News Agency, Hassan Firoozabadi responded to these requests by saying: 'The missile tests of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be conducted according to the decrees of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces in due time.' The Chief of Staff did not provide further details or announce the timing of future missile tests. On August 19, 31 members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly also issued a written notice to the President of Iran, demanding 'not to accept limitations on ballistic missiles in the new UN Security Council resolution.' These representatives simultaneously urged Hassan Rouhani to support the missile exercises of the Iranian armed forces. The conservatives' reaction is to a clause in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which was unanimously adopted on July 29, requesting Iran to refrain from any activities related to ballistic missiles designed to carry nuclear weapons for eight years. This resolution was issued a week after the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers and was intended to confirm it. It was met with a response from Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who stated: 'The Security Council resolution regarding Iran's defense capabilities, especially missiles, is rejected by Iran.' The Iranian Foreign Ministry also announced in a statement that 'Iran will continue to strengthen its defensive capabilities' and that 'Iran's military capabilities, including ballistic missiles, are solely for legitimate defense and are not designed for nuclear weapon delivery, and therefore, are outside the scope or jurisdiction of the Security Council resolution.' According to the Vienna agreement reached on July 23, Iran will face five years of arms sanctions and eight years of missile sanctions.