Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to accelerate ballistic missile project despite US pressure

The Donald Trump administration has refused to certify Iran's compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal and imposed new sanctions targeting its missile activity

Iran and US relations, Iran nuclear deal, President Hassan Rouhani, Iran nuclear deal news, Donald Trump on Iran Nuclear deal, Donald Trump, US on Iran nuclear deal, Associated Press writer Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

Iran President Hassan Rouhani Tehran has repeatedly pledged to continue what it calls a defensive missile capability. File Photo

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday the country’s ballistic missile programme would be accelerated despite pressure from the United States and European Union to suspend it, Tasnim news agency reported.

In a major US policy shift, President Donald Trump last Friday refused to certify Tehran’s compliance with a landmark 2015 nuclear deal, signalling he would take a more aggressive approach to Iran over its ballistic missile programme.

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“Iran’s ballistic missile programme will expand and it will continue with more speed in reaction to Trump’s hostile approach towards this revolutionary organisation,” the Guards said.

The Trump administration has imposed new unilateral sanctions targetting Iran’s missile activity and has called on the Hassan Rouhani government not to develop missiles capable of delivering nuclear bombs. Iran says it has no such plans. Tehran has repeatedly pledged to continue what it calls a defensive missile capability in defiance of Western criticism.

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