IRGC Commander Says U.S. 'Pressured' By Iran Missile Tests

Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has confirmed that Iran recently tested a ballistic missile, reported ten days ago by the United States.

U.S. secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Iran of violating a U.N. resolution by testing a ballistic missile, which he said could carry multiple warheads.

European allies of Washington expressed their concern after the Pompeo statement, but Iran’s foreign ministry avoided any direct admission or denial of the missile test.

On Tuesday, the commander of IRGC air-space force Amirali Hajizadeh told Fras news agency, close to the Guards, that “We do our missile tests and this latest one was also an important test”. He added that Iran performs “40-50 tests annually” and referring to Pompeo’s complaint he said, “These reactions show this was an important issue for them and they clamored [about it]”.

He did not specify the type of missile recently tested.

Tension have risen between the two countries after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in May and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. He says the deal was flawed because it did not include curbs on Iran's development of ballistic missiles or its support for proxies in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq.

Iran refuses to negotiate about its military capabilities, namely the missile program, which it insists is defensive.

Hajizadeh told Fars, “The fact that the Americans react to some of these tests, proves this is pressure on them”.

In recent months, Iran has been trying to brandish its military capabilities in the air and on the high seas, by firing missiles and claiming deployment of new naval weapons systems.