Tehran, March 10, IRNA � Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said Iran's recent maneuvers and weapons used in them are neither contradictory to the commitments made in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nor against Resolution 2231 of the UN Security Council.


Hossein Jaberi Ansari made the remarks in response to a claim made by some Western media that Iran's latest missile test was a breach of the country's July 14 nuclear deal with the world powers.

Forces of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) conducted a maneuver dubbed 'Velayat Strength' which ended on March 9.
They have successfully test fired several ballistic missiles from different places on the last day of the drills. Some Western media have claimed that the test has violated Iran's commitments based on the JCPOA.

Jaberi Ansari stressed that the drills were neither against the JCPOA commitments nor against the United Nations (UN) Security Council's Resolution 2231 which was unanimously adopted by the members of the Council in July 2015 to endorse the JCPOA.

'Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), including nuclear weapons, have no place in Iran's ideology or in its defense doctrine,' said the spokesman.

'All Iranian short-term, mid-term and long-term missiles, including the ballistic missiles a number of which were tested in 'Velayat Strength' drills, are conventional equipment for legitimate defense and none of them were designed for carrying a nuclear warhead,' Jaberi Ansari stressed.

'Therefore,' he added, 'the claim about breaching the Resolution 2231 is all denied as Iran's missile program is by no means against the Resolution 2231 or its annexes.'

The Security Council affirmed that conclusion of the JCPOA marked a fundamental shift in its consideration of the Iranian nuclear issue, expressed its desire to build a new relationship with Iran strengthened by the implementation of the JCPOA and to bring to a satisfactory conclusion its consideration of this matter.

The Security Council further affirmed that full implementation of the JCPOA would contribute to building confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran�s nuclear program and emphasized that the JCPOA is conducive to promoting and facilitating the development of normal economic and trade contacts and cooperation with Iran.

Resolution 2231 (2015) provides for the termination of the provisions of previous Security Council resolutions on the Iranian nuclear issue and establishes specific restrictions that apply to all States without exception.

So far, Jaberi Ansari added, 'Iran has made no military action against any country, but it will strongly stand against any act of aggression and will, by no means, bargain over its security or defensive power. The country will continue with its completely defensive and legitimate missile program based on the necessities of being capable to defend itself in compliance with the international regulations and without involving in the field of nuclear warheads or designing missiles which can carry such warheads.'

By IRNA