Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, who was in Tehran on Tuesday for talks Iranian deputy ministers Abbas Araqchi and Majid Takht-Ravanchi, has said that Moscow categorically disagrees with the U.S. claims that Iran’s missile program contravenes the UN Security Council resolution endorsing the July 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and great powers.

The resolution 2231, adopted immediately after the conclusion of the nuclear deal, 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.” 

Under the nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Iran only accepted limits to its nuclear program not its missile defense program.

“Neither JCPOA nor SC Res prohibits Iran from missiles not designed for nuke warheads,” Zarif wrote in March 2016. 

According to Sputnik, Ryabkov said some Western countries, including the U.S., are attempting to paint the Iranian missile program in a false light, “present the case in such a way that this program, including test launches of ballistic missiles, does not meet the requirements of resolution 2231.”

The new U.S. administration imposed a new round of sanctions against Iran in February 2017 over its January medium-range ballistic missile test.

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved in May the most sweeping sanctions against Iran since the nuclear deal was reached in 2015.

The measure is claimed to be punishing Iran over its ballistic missile program, alleged support for terrorism and human rights violations.

NA/PA