The United States on Thursday warned Iran against any plans to send three satellites into space, saying such a move would violate a UN Security Council resolution on Tehran´s nuclear program.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the missiles used to send Iranian satellites into space use "almost identical" technology for ballistic missile technology capable of carrying nuclear warheads, which could eventually include long-range missiles capable of reaching the United States.
"We advise the regime to reconsider these provocative launches and stop all activities related to ballistic missiles to avoid further economic and diplomatic isolation," he added.
Iran´s deputy defense minister, General Qassem Taizadeh, said in November that Iran would launch three satellites in space "in the coming months."
"These satellites were built using local knowledge and will be placed at different altitudes," the semi-official ISNA news agency quoted him as saying.
Iran sees economic advantages in developing a satellite program, which can be a necessary source of income and can be used for espionage.
But US intelligence said the technology could be turned into long-range missiles.
Pompeo said the rocket fire would violate UN Security Council Resolution 2231 of 2015, which endorsed the international agreement between Iran and the major powers to end Iran´s nuclear program and called on the Islamic Republic to end the ballistic missile fire.
Last year, US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif replied to Pompeo on Twitter, stressing that the launch of these satellites and "missile tests do not constitute a violation of Resolution 2231".
"It is the United States that is violating this resolution itself and is not in a position to give lessons to anyone," he said, referring to the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran, which was approved by the UN Security Council.
"Reminder to the United States: Threats generate threats, while fitness produces fitness," concluded Jawad Zarif.
