© Tasnim News Agency / Reuters
Simorgh rocket is launched and tested at the Imam Khomeini Space Centre, Iran on July 27, 2017.
Simorgh rocket is launched and tested at the Imam Khomeini Space Centre, Iran on July 27, 2017.
In fact, there are no international obligations, including UN Security Council Resolutions, under which Iran cannot develop national missile and space programs. The launch is not contrary to UNSC Resolution 2231, which only calls upon Iran "not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology."
The IAEA has concluded that Iran is not working on creating nuclear weapons. There is no evidence Iran is building an infrastructure for storage and maintenance of nuclear weapons, which could be easily spotted by existing technical means.
Iran's critics still fail to provide any reliable proof Iranian ballistic missiles, including Simorgh, are designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons. We are convinced the Iranian missile and space programs have nothing to do with nuclear weapons. For this reason, this issue is not subject to the UNSC Resolution 2231. We advise concentrating on the implementation of the JCPOA.
Dr Alexander Yakovenko, Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Deputy foreign minister (2005-2011). Follow him on Twitter @Amb_Yakovenko
