Iran News Round Up

UN sanctions monitors linked recent al Houthi missile strikes fired into Saudi Arabia to Iran in a November 24 confidential report to the UN Security Council (UNSC). The UN officials stated that four Houthi ballistic missiles launched in 2017 shared characteristics with missiles designed and manufactured in Iran. The report indicated that the design and dimensions of the Houti ballistic missiles are consistent with the Iranian-made Qiam-1 missile. The report noted that brokers likely transferred the missiles to al Houthi forces along land routes from Oman into al Mahrah Governorate in eastern Yemen or via ship-to-shore transshipments. UN monitors assessed that brokers transferred the ballistic missiles in pieces into Yemen, and pro-Houthi missile engineers subsequently assembled the missiles. The report indicated that UN monitors “have not seen any evidence of external missile specialists working in Yemen in support of Houthi-Saleh engineers.” (Reuters) (E)

French Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Agnes Romatet-Espagne stated that Iran’s ballistic missile program is not compliant with UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2231. UNSCR 2231 endorsed the nuclear deal signed between the P5+1 and Iran in July 2015 and calls upon Iran to not undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. Romatet-Espagne urged the U.S. and EU countries to address Iran’s ballistic missile program and destabilizing regional activities outside of the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Romatet-Espagne reiterated France’s support for the JCPOA and emphasized that “France does not wish to renegotiate or amend [the JCPOA].” She added that France has entered into political talks with Iran over the past few months to address the issues related to Iran’s ballistic missile program and destabilizing regional activities. (Alef) (Fars News Agency)