Iran violated nuclear deal with second ballistic missile test last month, U.S. officials say

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (UPI) — For the second time since reaching a landmark nuclear agreement with the United States over the summer, Iran has test fired a ballistic missile — a violation of the accord — officials reportedly said Tuesday.

Sources told news media Tuesday that U.S. officials believe the test was conducted Nov. 21 from the city of Chabahar — which would be a violation of a 2010 United Nations Security Council resolution.

The resolution still stands as an international law until the nuclear deal that was reached in June is implemented.

Government officials are still trying to determine the circumstances surrounding the Ghadr-110 missile test, The Wall Street journal reported. The Ghadr missile is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

The missile did not, however, leave Iranian airspace, the officials said.

If true, the missile launch is Iran’s second since the June agreement that restricted Tehran’s nuclear work to the laboratory in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions against Iran.

The deal specifically bars Iran from conducting such tests for nearly a decade. Officials say the first test occurred in October.

“The U.S. is conducting a serious review of the reported incident,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power told reporters Tuesday. She also said if the test is confirmed, the United States will ask the Security Council to take action against Tehran.

No action was taken against Iran following the first reported test — a fact that has only emboldened Iranian officials, some say.

“Iran violates U.N. Security Council resolutions because it knows neither this administration nor the U.N. Security Council is likely to take any action,” Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said in a statement.

The Obama administration suggested Tuesday that a new round of sanctions could be levied against Iran if the missile test is proven.

“We still have, and will remain capable of having, unilateral sanctions of our own to deal with the kinds of destabilizing things that Iran is capable of, to include … a ballistic missile program,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said.