Iran's ballistic missile tests last week violated a United Nations Security Council resolution that pertains to ballistic missile activities, White House spokesman John Earnest said on Tuesday.
"We've got strong indications that those missile tests did violate a UN resolution that pertains to Iran's ballistic missile activities,'' Earnest told a media conference, according to CNN.
"Unfortunately, that is not new. We have seen Iran almost serially violate the international community's concerns about their ballistic missile programme,'' he added.
The ballistic test reportedly violated UN Security Council Resolution 1929, which states that Iran ''cannot engage in any activities related to ballistic missiles, including launches using such ballistic missile technology for eight years."
The White House, however, clarified that the test is not in violation of the nuclear agreement reached in July between Iran, the US and five other world powers "because that accord is focused on restricting Iran's path to a nuclear weapon."
A newer UN resolution No. 2231, implementing the deal and banning Iran from engaging in activities related to ballistic missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads is still not in effect, according to Fox News.
Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan, Iran's defence minister has touted the Emad (Pillar) surface-to-surface missile, which was designed and built by Iranian experts, as the country's first long-range missile that can be precision-guided until it reaches its target.
Dehqan also said the Emad has a range to enable it to reach its enemy, Israel, Iran's state media reported.
Dehqan said after the launch that Emad would greatly increase Iran's strategic deterrence capability.
"To follow our defence programmes, we don't ask permission from anyone," he said, according to state-run news agency IRNA.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been vocal of his opposition to the nuclear deal, calling it "dangerous'' since it "threatens all of us and could make Iran a nuclear-armed nation."
He said the deal allows Tehran to continue its civilian nuclear energy programme. Also, the money that would flow into Iran as a result of sanctions relief will allow the regime to bolster its support for terrorists like Hamas and Hezbollah in the region.
