U.S. Sees ‘Serious Threat' To Regional, International Security As Iran Unveils New Missile — State Department

The United States on Thursday called Iran’s missile program a “serious threat to regional and international security” amid reports that the Islamic Republic unveiled a new model with its longest range to date, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"Iran’s development and proliferation of ballistic missiles poses a serious threat to regional and international security and remains a significant nonproliferation challenge," State Department's Spokesperson Matthew Miller told a daily press briefing.

"We continue to use a variety of nonproliferation tools, including sanctions, to counter the further advancement of Iran’s ballistic missile program and its ability to proliferate missiles and related technology to others," he added.

Miller emphasized that despite the restrictions on Iran’s missile-related activities under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, Iran continues to seek a range of missile technologies from foreign suppliers and to conduct ballistic missile tests in defiance of the resolution.

"And as we’ve said before, an Iran with a nuclear weapon would likely act even more provocatively, and that’s why we are so committed to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon," he added.

Asked by TURAN whether the Biden administration considered any change in its approach to nuclear talks with Iran's human rights abuser regime, Miller said, "diplomacy is the best way" to verifiably and durably ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon.

"And it is a priority of this [Biden] administration to ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon," he concluded.

Alex Raufoglu