Four Global Powers: Iran Has Taken a Provocative Step with Missile Test

On Wednesday, August 2, the United States, Britain, France, and Germany warned the United Nations that Iran has taken a "provocative and threatening step" by testing a satellite-carrying missile capable of reaching space, and called for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to address the issue. According to Reuters, these four countries stated in a report to the Iran sanctions committee in the Security Council that Iran's satellite launch on July 27 is in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 regarding the JCPOA. Representatives of these four countries have requested Guterres to provide a "comprehensive report on Iran's ballistic missile activities and space program" to the 15 members of the Security Council. Many sanctions related to Iran's nuclear program were lifted 18 months ago as a result of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by global powers and the UN, but Iran remains under arms embargoes and other restrictions that are technically unrelated to the nuclear agreement of July 2015. The UN Secretary-General submits a report every six months on the implementation of sanctions and restrictions imposed on Iran to the Security Council. According to the Reuters report, which claims to have seen the text of the letter from the four global powers, they wrote: "The technology required for the design, construction, and launch of satellite launch vehicles is closely related to ballistic missile knowledge, especially intercontinental ballistic missiles." The letter adds: "The mentioned satellite launch is considered a provocative and threatening step by Iran." According to these four global powers, "Iran's longstanding program to develop ballistic missiles is in violation of (the UN resolution) and has a destabilizing effect in the region." On July 27, Iran announced that it had successfully launched the "Simorgh" satellite launch vehicle into space. According to Iranian media reports, the "Simorgh" launch vehicle can place satellites weighing up to 250 kilograms into an orbit 500 kilometers above the Earth. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the UN, presented the report prepared by the four countries. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif rejected the claim last Friday that Tehran has designed missiles intended to carry nuclear warheads. According to Reuters, the four mentioned countries intend to raise the issue of Iran's satellite launch at the upcoming Security Council meeting regarding the implementation of the UN resolution, so that the council can consider possible responses to Iran's actions. It is still unclear when this meeting will take place. However, Reuters writes that the Security Council's response is likely to be difficult. UN Security Council Resolution 2231 calls on Iran to cease work on ballistic missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads for eight years. Some countries have stated that the tone of this resolution is not binding. Iran claims that "the tested missiles are not designed to carry nuclear warheads" and therefore its missile tests are not in violation of the nuclear agreement. The U.S., France, Britain, and Germany added in their letter to the Iran sanctions committee: "We urge Iran to immediately cease activities related to ballistic missiles designed to carry nuclear weapons, including the launch of those satellite launch vehicles that utilize ballistic missile technology." The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on six companies related to Iran's ballistic missile activities one day after the launch of the Simorgh satellite launch vehicle.