UN Secretary-General Calls on Iran to Avoid Escalating Tensions in the Region

On Thursday, March 10, in response to the new missile tests by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the UN Secretary-General urged Iran to act with moderation and restraint and to avoid escalating regional tensions. According to Reuters, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for Ban Ki-moon, told reporters: "In the current political climate of the Middle East, as well as the positive news regarding the lifting of sanctions against Iran, the Secretary-General calls on Iran to prevent an escalation of tensions due to hasty actions by exercising moderation, caution, and wisdom." The IRGC announced this week that it conducted the "Valayat 94" missile exercise, testing short, medium, and long-range missiles. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, stated on Tuesday that "in recent days, various ballistic missiles with ranges of 2000 km, 800 km, 500 km, and 300 km have been launched, and a diverse range of Iranian missiles have roared to life." Iran's new missile tests have raised concerns in the US, UK, and France, which accuse Tehran of violating UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting such tests. The West claims these missiles have the capability to carry nuclear warheads, but Iranian officials argue they have no plans to produce nuclear weapons and that these missiles are of a defensive nature. The US has stated that if reports of Iran's missile tests are confirmed, it will bring the matter to the UN Security Council for an appropriate response. A US State Department spokesperson announced on Wednesday evening that John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, had discussed the IRGC's new missile tests with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. However, an unnamed Iranian official told Iranian media that such a conversation did not take place. Some Republican members of the US Congress are calling for new sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Hillary Clinton, the leading Democratic candidate in the party's presidential primaries, has also made a similar request. The Secretary-General stated in his remarks on Thursday that it is up to the Security Council to determine whether Iran's missile tests violate its resolutions. According to AFP, UN diplomats have said it is still unclear when this issue will be raised in the Security Council. In January, the US imposed sanctions on Tehran in response to Iran's "Emad" missile test conducted in October of this year. Under the Vienna agreement in July, many international sanctions against Iran were suspended or lifted, but Iran's arms and missile sanctions will remain in place for five and eight more years, respectively.