U.S. State Department: Iran's 2000-kilometer Missile Range is Significant

The spokesperson for the U.S. State Department responded to Iranian officials' statements regarding the 2000-kilometer range limit of Iran's missiles, stating that this range is still significant and puts U.S. allied countries within its reach. The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had said on November 1 that, according to the policies described by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, the range of Iran's missiles has been limited to 2000 kilometers. Mohammad Ali Jafari stated, 'This range is currently sufficient, as Americans are present within a 2000-kilometer radius around our country, and a response will be given in the event of an attack.' During a press conference on Tuesday, Heather Nauert, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, was asked about these remarks by the IRGC commander. Nauert responded that a 2000-kilometer range is indeed a significant range and 'certainly other countries that are our allies fall within this range.' The spokesperson for the U.S. State Department indicated that she does not intend to respond to every statement made by an Iranian official or others on this subject. She further added, 'We all know, and our allies in the region also know, that Iran's ballistic missiles are not only a threat to the U.S. but also a threat to our allies in the region, including many Arab countries.' According to the U.S. State Department spokesperson, 'Iranian-made missiles have long contributed to increasing tensions and crises in the region. And as you know, ballistic missiles violate United Nations Security Council resolutions.' A reporter asked the U.S. State Department spokesperson whether the United States wants to 'see the range of the missiles reach zero'; Heather Nauert responded, 'We want to see them comply with Security Council resolutions, and we consider these (missiles) to be a violation of Security Council resolutions.' U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration have repeatedly described Iran as a violator of the spirit of the nuclear agreement reached in July 2015, particularly due to the country’s missile tests. Trump eventually refrained from certifying the JCPOA. Iran claims that missile tests are aimed at testing and enhancing its defensive capabilities and do not contradict the provisions of the JCPOA and Security Council Resolution 2231, which supports the nuclear agreement between Tehran, the Obama administration, and five other world powers. Iranian officials have repeatedly emphasized that these tests will not cease. In a six-month report by the United Nations Secretary-General regarding the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2231 and Iran's nuclear agreement with six world powers, published last July, Iran was asked to refrain from missile tests as they could lead to increased tensions. At that time, the U.S. representative to the United Nations stated that this report shows Iran has 'continuously and deliberately' violated Resolution 2231, and the Security Council has taken no action in this regard. The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations stated that letters have been received on this matter from Iran or Israel, and also four countries, the U.S., France, the U.K., and Germany, which were also parties to the nuclear talks with Iran, expressed concern over Iran's missile testing. He mentioned a specific instance of these tests in March 2016, adding that there was no consensus among Security Council members on whether this test violated Resolution 2231. Security Council Resolution 2231, issued after the nuclear agreement was reached in Vienna and aimed at confirming it, called on Iran to refrain from developing ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. In this context, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill to impose sanctions on Iran's missile program.