Foreign Affairs

Iran Warns The US Not To Cross ‘Red Line’ On Its Missile Program

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Borrowing from President Barack Obama’s own rhetoric, Iranian leaders have warned the U.S. not to cross its own red line regarding Tehran’s ballistic missile program.

Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazzayeri, deputy chief of staff of the Iranian military, claimed the Obama administration has been intentionally prolonging the removal of sanctions as outlined by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly referred to as the Iran nuclear deal. He believes that the U.S. is trying to connect the terms of JCPOA with Iran’s ballistic missile program.

“The White House should know that defense capacities and missile power, specially at the present juncture where plots and threats are galore, is among the Iranian nation’s red lines and a backup for the country’s national security and we don’t allow anyone to violate it,” said Jazzayeri, as reported by Iranian media outlet and government mouthpiece Fars news.

The general’s reference appears to mirror language used by President Obama who claimed on September 4, 2013, that any use of chemical weapons by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against the Syrian opposition would cross a “red line.”

Since the JCPOA was inked last July, Iran has engaged in three separate missile tests, all of which have been in violation of international agreements. In response to the first two tests, the U.S. imposed a new round of sanctions on the Iranian missile program in January, the Iranian military responded saying they would be undeterred by any such action.

Jazzayeri’s echoed the sentiments of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khomeini who also attacked what the U.S. for countering Iran on its missiles.

“The Americans did not act on what they promised in the nuclear accord [the JCPOA]; they did not do what they should have done. According to Foreign Minister [Mohammad Javad Zarif], they brought something on the paper but prevented materialization of the objectives of the Islamic Republic of Iran through many diversionary ways,” said Khameini in March.

Iranian military officials said in March that its recently tested medium range missiles were specifically designed to attack Israel. The missiles in question are believed to have a range of around 1,200 miles, which would allow Iran to target the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.

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