The White House warned that it would not rule out additional steps against Iran over the test of the medium-range Emad rocket.
The Security Council's Panel of Experts on Iran said in a confidential new report, first reported by Reuters, that the launch showed the rocket met its requirements for considering that a missile could deliver a nuclear weapon.
'On the basis of its analysis and findings the Panel concludes that Emad launch is a violation by Iran of paragraph 9 of Security Council resolution 1929,' the panel said.
Editor's Note:
- The Iran deal terminates resolution 1929: "In accordance with the UN Security Council resolution endorsing this JCPOA, the provisions imposed in UN Security Council resolutions 1696 (2006), 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008), 1835 (2008), 1929 (2010) and 2224 (2015) will be terminated...(Annex V, para. 18.1)
- The Iran deal (JCPOA): ""ANNEX B: (3) Iran is called upon not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology, until the date eight years after the JCPOA Adoption Day [October 18, 2015] or until the date on which the IAEA submits a report confirming the Broader Conclusion, whichever is earlier."
Iran has said that any new sanctions would jeopardize the nuclear deal but if Washington failed to call for sanctions over the Emad launch it would likely be perceived as weakness.
Diplomats say it is possible for the U.N. sanctions committee to blacklist additional Iranian individuals or entities, something Washington and European countries are likely to ask for. However, they said Russia and China, which dislike the sanctions on Iran's missile program, might block any such moves..."