The United States on Thursday accused Iran of "repeatedly and deliberately" violating a UN resolution that endorsed the landmark 2015 nuclear deal and said the Security Council had failed to respond.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley pointed to "repeated ballistic missile launches, proven arms smuggling", purchases of missile technology and a violations of a travel ban on Iranian military officials as proof that Iran was not upholding its international obligations. 

"The Security Council has failed to take even minimal steps to respond to these violations," US Ambassador Nikki Haley told a council meeting called to discuss Iran.

"These measures are here for a reason.  This council should be here to enforce them," she said.

The Security Council adopted resolution 2231 two years ago to endorse the nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, lifting economic sanctions in exchange for curbs to Tehran's nuclear program.

The resolution called on Iran not to test ballistic missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and an arms embargo remained in place.

In a report to the council, UN political affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman said the council was divided over whether Iran's launch of a medium-range missile in January 2017 was a violation.

Following the seizure of an arms shipment by France in the Indian Ocean in March 2016, UN experts examined the weapons seized and confirmed that they were "of Iranian origin and were shipped from Iran," Feltman said.

Haley recalled that the US administration is reviewing the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which President Donald Trump has described as "disastrous." 

Feltman praised the deal as a "diplomatic achievement" while European Union Ambassador Joao Vale de Almeida said it was a "pillar of the international non-proliferation agenda" that "needs to be preserved and fully implemented."

Source: AFP