Iran Nuclear Deal Falls Short on Missiles

As part of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the Islamic Republic agreed to suspend activities related to its development of ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, or so it seemed. In the year and a half that has passed since the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) went into effect, Iran has conducted a series of provocative ballistic missile tests, eliciting strong condemnations from the U.S. and raising the level of alarm on the international stage.

The parameters of the JCPOA were outlined in United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2231, which also terminated several previous UN resolutions that had been implemented over the last decade to constrain Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile ambitions. One of the resolutions that was repealed – UNSCR 1929 – barred Iran from conducting ballistic missile tests and other countries from providing any assistance to Iran’s ballistic missile program.  It stated, “Iran shall not undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using ballistic missile technology, and that States shall take all necessary measures to prevent the transfer of technology or technical assistance to Iran related to such activities.”