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France tells Iran to stop ballistic missile work designed for nuclear weapons
A boy holding a placard with pictures of (L-R) President Hassan Rouhani, the late founder of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, poses for camera in front of a model of Simorgh satellite-carrier rocket during a ceremony marking the 37th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, in Tehran, February 11, 2016. PHOTO BY REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/TIMA
11/01/2019
PARIS (Reuters) - France on Friday called on Iran to immediately stop all activities linked to ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear weapons after Tehran said it could put two satellites into orbit in the coming weeks.
"France recalls that the Iranian missile program (does) not conform with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231," Foreign ministry spokeswoman Agnes von der Muhll told reporters in a daily briefing.
"It calls on Iran to immediately cease all ballistic missile-related activities designed to carry nuclear weapons, including tests using ballistic missile technology."
Von der Muhll was responding to comments by President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday, who said two satellites would be sent into space using Iran-made missiles.
Tehran responded by telling France to avoid repeating "irresponsible and incorrect" claims about Tehran's missile work that were made by countries that were against a 2015 deal reached between Iran and six major powers, Iranian state TV reported on Friday.
"Iran's home-grown defensive missile program is the Iranian nation's natural right," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by TV.
"Iran's missile program is not in violation of U.N. resolution of 2231."
(Reporting by Parisa Hafezi in Dubai and John Irish in Paris editing by William Maclean)
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