Tehran aims to expand missile range despite US opposition

GENEVA (Reuters) – Iran wants to increase the range of its missiles, a senior military official was quoted as saying on Tuesday – a move that would irk the United States, which views Tehran’s weapons program as a regional security threat.

US President Donald Trump pulled out of an international nuclear agreement in May and reimposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic, criticizing the deal for not including curbs on Iran’s development of ballistic missiles.

“One of our most important programs is increasing the range of missiles and ammunition,” said the head of the Iranian air force, Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

“We don’t see any limitations for ourselves in this field,” he said.

Iran’s military has cited 2,000 km. as its current missile range, adding that US bases in Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as US aircraft carriers in the Gulf, were within range.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also defended the missile program in a Twitter post on Tuesday, writing that the UN Security Council resolution which endorsed the nuclear agreement did not ban Tehran from working on missiles.

“Making a mockery of the US won’t obscure failure to fulfill obligations & to hold US to account over non-compliance. Esp when even US admits that USR2231 does NOT prohibit Iran’s deterrent capabilities. Rather than undermining 2231, better to work towards its adherence by all,” Zarif wrote.

Nasirzadeh did not give details on how far Iran would like to increase the missile range, according to the Fars report.

Tehran insists its missile program is purely defensive but has threatened to disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf if Washington tries to strangle its exports.

Last weekend, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned what he described as Iran’s testing of a medium-range ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple warheads as a violation of the agreement on Tehran’s nuclear program.

Iran has repeatedly said its missile program is not up for negotiation.