AhlulBayt News Agency

source : Agencies
Friday

22 July 2016

2:10:47 PM
767311

Tehran Friday Prayer Leader: Our Missile Program Has Nothing to Do With Ban Ki-moon

A senior Iranian cleric has reiterated Iran’s commitment to its obligations under last July’s nuclear agreement with the P5+1 group of countries, warning that the six world powers will "regret forever” violating the deal.

AhlulBayt News Agency - Ban Ki-moon claimed in a report to the Security Council earlier in July that Iran's missile tests after the nuclear deal were "not consistent" with the spirit of the agreement signed with the world powers last July, although his words did not mean a violation of the resolution.

Addressing a large and fervent congregation of the people on Tehran University campus on Friday, Ayatollah Khatami said, "Ban Ki-moon's report is unfair and biased; unfortunately the lack of commitments by the US cannot be seen in this report."

He said that the UN ignores the breaching of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by Washington and it calls on Iran to quit its missile programs.

"The issue of our missile is neither related to the UN secretary general nor to the JCPOA; of course it is not strange to see such a report from a secretary general who is influenced by the Zionists and a secretary general who ignores the brutal killings of Saudi Arabia and crosses out the country from the list of violators of the human rights," Ayatollah Khatami said.

Earlier this month, Reuters claimed it has seen a confidential report by the UN chief that says Iran’s ballistic missile launches “are not consistent with the constructive spirit” of the JCPOA.

Iran has made it clear that test of missiles is an issue relating to defense of its territorial integrity and that none of its missiles are designed to carry nuclear weapons.

The UN Security Council discussed Ban’s report in a meeting on Monday.

Elsewhere in Friday prayers sermon, Ayatollah Khatami stressed: Revoking the nationality of the 77-year old Bahraini cleric is tantamount to his spiritual execution.

The Al Khalifa regime has no right to strip Sheikh Qassim of his citizenship, he said, adding that the Iranian Foreign Ministry has adopted a strong stance on the issue but should make further efforts.

Manama announced on June 20 that the citizenship of Sheikh Qassim has been revoked, accusing him of sowing sectarian divisions.

Bahrain, a close ally of the US in the Persian Gulf region, has been witnessing almost daily protests against the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty since early 2011, with Manama using heavy-handed measures in an attempt to crush the demonstrations.

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