Iran concerned over nuclear ballistic missile test by France

Tehran, June 21 (IANS) Iran’s Foreign Ministry expressed concerns over the test launch of a nuclear ballistic missile by France, official IRNA news agency reported.

The Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi on Saturday described the launch of a new generation of intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads by the French Navy as “incompatible with Article 6 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and France’s commitment to nuclear disarmament treaty”, Xinhua news agency reported.

Mousavi urged Paris to “fully comply with its international obligations in the field of nuclear disarmament.”

On Friday, the French Navy announced a test launch of ballistic missile M51 SLBM (Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile ) from “Le Temeraire” (S617), a Triomphant-class ballistic missile submarine. The Temeraire is one of the four SSBN (Sub-Surface Ballistic Nuclear) submarine of the French Navy.

–IANS

rt/