Foreign Policy

The US May Sanction Iran — But That Won't Stop Iran's Missile Program

Iran's president said Sunday that the country will continue making missiles.

The US May Sanction Iran — But That Won't Stop Iran's Missile Program
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Just days after the U.S. House of Representatives voted for new sanctions on Iran, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the country will continue to produce missiles.

In a speech to Parliament, he said, "We will build, produce and store any weapon of any kind we need to defend ourselves, our territorial integrity and our nation, and we will not hesitate about it."

That announcement could complicate an increasingly precarious situation between the two countries.

As Trump Mulls Fate Of Nuclear Deal, Iran Test-Launched A Missile
As Trump Mulls Fate Of Nuclear Deal, Iran Test-Launched A Missile

As Trump Mulls Fate Of Nuclear Deal, Iran Test-Launched A Missile

Iranian media reported the missile could carry multiple warheads but wasn't designed for nuclear capabilities.

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President Donald Trump already felt the country was in violation of the Iran nuclear deal. He announced he wouldn't recertify it earlier this month.

The deal is meant to curb Iran's nuclear weapon development. In exchange, the U.S. and other countries agreed to curb economic sanctions against Iran.

Sunday, Rouhani said Iran's missile program doesn't violate the terms of the deal and that the U.S. is in violation of the agreement for refusing to recertify it.

Rouhani stated back in August that Iran could abandon the deal "within hours" if the U.S. keeps imposing new sanctions against it.

The U.S. is currently considering reimposing sanctions that were lifted under the agreement. Congress has 60 days from decertification to make a decision.