US Representative: Iran's Missile Test Deserves Security Council Response

As the UN Security Council prepares for a consultative meeting to discuss Iran's recent missile test, the United States announced it will continue to push for action from the Security Council, accusing Russia of ignoring Iran's violations of the resolution. According to a Reuters report, Samantha Power, the US representative to the UN, stated that Iran's actions "deserve a response from the Security Council." Power added that Russia is seeking a legal justification to refrain from action, but despite hints to the contrary, the US will not be discouraged in its efforts at the Security Council. The US called for the consultative meeting because it believes Iran's missile tests are "destabilizing and provocative." Just hours before Power's remarks, Vitaly Churkin, Russia's representative to the UN, stated that his country does not believe Iran's recent missile test constitutes a violation of the Security Council resolution. Churkin responded to reporters regarding the need for sanctions against Iran by saying, "The clear and short answer is 'no.'" He also mentioned that Russia has no evidence to suggest that the short-range ballistic missiles tested by Iran are capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Security Council Resolution 2231, issued after the Vienna nuclear agreement to endorse it, calls on Iran to refrain from developing ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. However, Iran claims that its missile tests do not contradict the nuclear agreement and that "the tested missiles were not designed to carry nuclear warheads." In this context, Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, stated after a meeting of EU foreign ministers that Iran's missile tests do not violate the nuclear agreement but do escalate tensions in the region. According to reporters at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Mogherini said that none of the EU member states have requested sanctions against Iran for its missile tests, but she did not rule out the possibility of future discussions on this matter. Previously, the foreign ministers of the US and France warned Tehran after their meeting in Paris that it may face new sanctions related to the recent missile test. The Israeli representative to the UN also called for "punitive actions" against Iran. Danny Danon told reporters that we cannot bury our heads in the sand and "hope that the Ayatollahs will act responsibly." In response, the Iranian delegation to the UN issued a statement opposing the discussion of the recent missile test in the Security Council, asserting that comments made regarding Israel are "only a response to Israel's threats against Iran."