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In Letter to UN, Western States Accuse Iran of ‘Violating Nuclear Deal’ | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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The Simorgh (Phoenix) rocket Iran tested on July 27. (Reuters)


London – On behalf of her country and four other western states, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley sent a letter to the international organization calling for the Security Council to discuss “appropriate responses” against Iran in reply to Tehran’s recent launch of a satellite rocket.

The US, France, Germany, and Britain also called on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to report to the council on Iran’s ballistic missile and space launch activities.

In the letter written, Haley said the launch of the rocket “represents a threatening and provocative step by Iran.”

The launch was not consistent with a UN resolution that endorsed a 2015 accord between Tehran and six world powers, including the US, which agreed to limit its nuclear and ballistic-missile programs in exchange for sanctions relief, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

The four countries also mentioned that the technology necessary for the space launch vehicle was “closely related to those of ballistic missiles, in particular to those of an intercontinental ballistic missile.”

The letter added: “Iran’s longstanding program to develop ballistic missiles continues to be inconsistent with UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and has a destabilizing effect in the region.”

The four countries plan to discuss the issue of Iran’s rocket launch during the next Security Council meeting. However, no date was yet set for such a meeting.

On July 27, Iran announced the successful launch of its rocket after the US House of Representatives voted on a new list of sanctions against Tehran.

Since the election of US President Donald Trump, the US letter is considered the first agreement written between the four states to transfer Iran’s activities to the UN Security Council.