WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to lash out at Iran's missile program when attending a meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC), the State Department said here on Tuesday.
According to a statement issued by Robert Palladino, the State Department's deputy spokesperson, Pompeo will travel to New York on Wednesday to attend the UN meeting.
On Dec. 1, Pompeo accused Iran of test-firing a medium range ballistic missile "that is capable of carrying multiple warheads" in violation of the UNSC Resolution 2231.
"We ...call upon Iran to cease immediately all activities related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons," Pompeo said in a statement.
Hours before the U.S. State Department statement, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps on Tuesday confirmed a recent ballistic missile test.
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that "the issue of missiles has never been subject to negotiations and nothing in Resolution 2231 prohibits Iran" from developing its missile program.
"Our defense doctrine is basically founded upon deterrence and it is defensive, not offensive," Zarif was quoted as saying.
Iran has repeatedly emphasized that its missile program is for deterrent purposes and it will not quit its development. Enditem
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