US Reaction to Iran's Unveiling of 'Hypersonic' Missile: Committed to Countering Iran's Missile Program

Two senior White House officials responded on Tuesday, June 6, to the Islamic Republic's claim of unveiling its 'hypersonic' missile, stating that US sanctions, in coordination with its partners and allies, will continue against Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. A spokesperson for the National Security Council stated to the Persian section of Voice of America: 'We have seen Iran's claim regarding the hypersonic missile; the United States remains committed to countering the Islamic Republic's missile program and disrupting its supply networks using all available tools.' This White House official emphasized: 'The imposition of sanctions against entities and individuals involved in the production and procurement of materials for the Islamic Republic's missile program is one of Washington's actions, and at the same time, the US is extensively engaging with its partners and allies to ensure the proper implementation of sanctions and hold Iran accountable for its actions.' He also mentioned: 'The US utilizes its presence in forums and institutions that impose restrictions on the export of nuclear weapons to raise awareness about Iran's missile program and pressure countries to take steps to prevent Iran from acquiring sensitive proliferation technologies through foreign suppliers.' Additionally, John Kirby, the National Security Council's Coordinator for Strategic Communications, commented on the hypersonic missile that the Islamic Republic claims to have unveiled during his press conference on Tuesday: 'The Biden administration has acted very transparently, precisely, and rigorously against Iran's destabilizing activities in the region, especially regarding its ballistic missile program.' Kirby added: 'I will not go into details about this alleged hypersonic missile; we have clearly imposed our sanctions and are actively countering Iran's activities in the region.' The National Security Council's Coordinator for Strategic Communications also responded to a question regarding Republican Senator Jim Risch's criticism of the lack of a strategic plan from the US government to counter Tehran, stating: 'I don't know if Senator Risch has spoken with the Iranians, because if he had, they would certainly have told him that we have not been idle.' Senator Risch tweeted today: 'We are approaching another dangerous sunset clause of the JCPOA, meaning the prohibitions against Iran's ballistic missiles will expire in October.' He continued: 'The Biden administration has been idle and has so far failed to present a broader strategy to counter Iran.' On Tuesday, June 6, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department, known as OFAC, sanctioned a network including 7 individuals and 6 entities in Iran, China, and Hong Kong related to the Islamic Republic's ballistic missile program. The spokesperson for the US State Department, on June 25, in response to the Islamic Republic's test of the 'Khyber' ballistic missile, stated to Voice of America: 'The development and proliferation of ballistic missiles by Iran pose a serious threat to regional and international stability and a major challenge to non-proliferation of weapons.' According to Matthew Miller, the US employs various tools, including sanctions, to achieve non-proliferation of weapons to counter further advancements in the Islamic Republic's ballistic missile program and its capabilities for missile proliferation and related technologies. He added: 'Despite the restrictions imposed on Iran's missile activities under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, the Islamic Republic continues to seek a wide range of missile technologies from foreign suppliers and conducts ballistic missile tests in violation of this resolution.'