U.S. State Department Says It is 'Closely' Monitoring Iran's Missile Program

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department stated, without providing details, that the department is 'closely and accurately' monitoring Iran's ballistic missile program. The question raised on June 20 during a press conference related to Iran's ballistic missile program. A reporter, referencing a press conference held by 'a group of opponents of the Islamic Republic' in Washington, asked if anyone at the State Department had seen the press conference and made any comments about it. Heather Nauert, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said, 'We are aware of the press conference. I know some in the department have seen it.' She then added, 'We continue to monitor Iran's ballistic missile program. We are watching this program very closely and accurately.' Nauert emphasized that she could not provide details on current monitoring and intelligence and security issues. Earlier, several U.S. media outlets, including Fox News, reported that the 'National Council of Resistance of Iran' claimed that Iranian officials had established '12 secret centers' for developing the missile program with the help of North Korean experts. These statements have not yet been confirmed by U.S. officials or other countries. These developments follow the announcement by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on June 18 that, in retaliation for attacks on Tehran carried out by a group known as 'the Islamic State,' it had launched medium-range ballistic missiles at the group's positions in Deir ez-Zor, Syria. The statement regarding the missile launch was accompanied by threats to countries that the IRGC labeled as 'regional and trans-regional supporters of Takfiri terrorists.' Shortly after, reactions to these attacks emerged both inside and outside Iran. Among these reactions was a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said, 'We are monitoring their actions and statements. I have a message for Iran: Do not threaten Israel.' The IRGC's missile launch to Deir ez-Zor, Syria, marks Iran's first missile operation on the territory of another country in the region since the end of the Iran-Iraq War.