Iran Condemns US Sanctions, Will Continue Missile Program

Iran condemns US sanctions against the country and will further develop its ballistic missile program, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said Saturday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The spokesman noted that Iran's missile program was not targeting any other country and was only needed to prevent any "reckless" ideas about aggression against Iran.

"We will further develop our missile program putting all efforts into it," Qassemi told the IRIB broadcaster, calling the US sanctions against Tehran unacceptable.

On Thursday, Iran carried out a successful launch of a satellite carrier rocket Simorgh, which was condemned by France, the United Kingdom and the United States as violating the UN Security Council resolution requiring Iran to withhold from any activity related to ballistic missiles designed with the capability to deliver a nuclear weapon.

On the same day, the US Senate approved a bill imposing sweeping sanctions on Iran, Russia and North Korea. The bill is yet to be signed by US President Donald Trump to become a law.