Clinton calls for sanctions on Tehran over test-firing missiles
US Democratic presidential front runner Hillary Clinton has called for sanctions against Iran over the country’s test-firing of ballistic missiles.
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"Iran should face sanctions for these activities and the international community must demonstrate that Iran's threats toward Israel will not be tolerated," claimed the former first lady, who is running for the 2016 presidential election, in a statement on Wednesday.
Her remarks run contrary to the Obama administration’s statement that the move is “not a violation of the Iran deal.”
Earlier in the day, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) successfully test-fired two ballistic missiles in line with the country's defense doctrine.
The missiles were fired from East Alborz heights in northern Iran and could hit targets 1,400 kilometers away in Makran Coasts southeast of the country.
Last month, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the Islamic Republic would continue to develop its missile program and that Tehran would need “no permission” to enhance the country’s defense capabilities.
US State Department Spokesman John Kirby has expressed concerns over the move but made it clear that it does not violate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) singed between Tehran and the world powers last year.
"We're not going to turn a blind eye to this... I'm just trying to get to a technical point here, which is that it's not a violation of the Iran deal itself," Kirby said earlier.
In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and manufactured different types of military equipment.
Iran has repeatedly assured other countries that its military might poses no threat to other states, insisting that its defense doctrine is entirely based on deterrence.
In her new statement, Clinton repeated her pro-Israeli rhetoric, calling Iran a “threat.”
“As President, I will continue to stand with Israel against such threats,” she said, adding she was “deeply concerned.”
She stated that it was possible to “address Iran’s destabilizing activities across the region, while vigorously enforcing the nuclear deal.”
The former secretary of state had heartily supported President Barack Obama for his efforts in reaching a deal with Tehran, which she had described as “the path of diplomacy.”
According to Barry Grossman, an international lawyer based in Indonesia, voting for Hillary means voting for “the Israeli hard right and the US war machine.”
“By making prior unqualified commitments on US policy in return for large sums of money and media support, Hillary Clinton is now incapable of honoring the oath of office which any president must take before stepping into the oval office,” he said in an interview with Press TV in July 2015.
