Iran Accuses Israel Of Testing Nuclear-Capable Missile - 'Aimed At Iran'

Tehran accuses Israel of testing 'a nuke-missile, aimed at Iran'

 JUDAH ARI GROSS

Defense Ministry confirms successful rocket propulsion test, but gives no details; accusation comes days after Iran slammed for working on nuclear-capable missiles

Tehran on Friday accused Israel of testing a nuclear-capable missile “aimed at Iran,” after the Defense Ministry carried out a launch of what it described as a “test of a rocket propulsion system.”

“Israel today tested a nuke-missile, aimed at Iran,” tweeted Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Zarif was likely speaking figuratively as Israel usually test fires missiles to the West over the Mediterranean and not towards Iran in the East.

“E3 & US never complain about the only nuclear arsenal in West Asia — armed with missiles actually DESIGNED to be capable of carrying nukes — but has fits of apoplexy over our conventional & defensive ones,” he said.

Israel today tested a nuke-missile, aimed at Iran. 

E3 & US never complain about the only nuclear arsenal in West Asia—armed with missiles actually DESIGNED to be capable of carrying nukes—but has fits of apoplexy over our conventional & defensive ones. https://t.co/r4EqXkhcCN 

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) December 6, 2019

His comments come a day after France, Germany and the United Kingdom said “Iran’s developments of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles” go against a UN Security Council resolution calling on Tehran not to undertake any activity related to such missiles.

The Israeli Defense Ministry gave few details on the missile test conducted Friday morning.

“The defense establishment conducted a launch test a few minutes ago of a rocket propulsion system from a base in the center of the country,” the ministry said.

“The test was scheduled in advance and was carried out as planned.”

The Defense Ministry refused to comment on the nature of the rocket being tested, leading to speculation that it was a ballistic missile.

Israel does not publicly acknowledge having ballistic missiles in its arsenals, though according to foreign reports, the Jewish state possesses a nuclear-capable variety known as the Jericho that has a multi-stage engine, a 5,000-kilometer range and is capable of carrying a 1,000-kilogram warhead.