U.S. officials report that on 29JAN2017 Iran test fired a ballistic missile from the Semnan Missile Complex. Identified as a Khorramshahr MRBM, "the medium-range ballistic missile flew 600 miles before exploding."
The Khorramshahr MRBM was previously publicized on 25SEP2016 by MODAFL Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan before an assemblage of Iran's parliament. It was identified for its "high-precision" strike capability, as a component of Iran's deterrent-based, second-strike defense doctrine.
Controversy exists over the wording and intent of U.N. Security Council resolution 1929, whereby "Iran is prohibited from undertaking any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons..." The United States position has been to include existing and under-development Iranian MRBMs; while Iran specifically accepted the wording durning negotiation of the JCPOA, as meaning missiles capable of carrying an existing Iranian nuclear weapon, which Iran denies the existence of as well as any program to develop such a device. Moreover it is considered unlikely that such test launches would garner the necessary votes at UNSC to find Iran in violation.
For its part, Iran claims its deterrent-based defense doctrine mandates a credible second-strike capability, which in turn requires continued development and periodic testing.
However, such test launches run the risk of being cited by the Trump Administration as part of a listing of cause for unilaterally pulling out of JCPOA.
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