Special to WorldTribune.com
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
The United Nations Security Council scheduled an urgent meeting for January 31 to discuss an Iranian ballistic missile test at the request of the United States.
“In light of Iran’s January 29 launch of a medium-range ballistic missile, the United States has requested urgent consultations of the Security Council,” the U.S. mission said late on January 30.
It was the first request made by the United States since new U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley took office last week.
U.S. officials said they would bring the latest test before the Security Council if they determined it violated a UN resolution barring Iran from developing missiles “designed to carry nuclear warheads.”
Iran has regularly flouted that restriction.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker condemned the latest missile test.
“No longer will Iran be given a pass for its repeated ballistic-missile violations, continued support of terrorism, human rights abuses, and other hostile activities that threaten international peace and security,” he said.
Israel is also calling on the council to punish Iran for the tests. But Iran has been shielded in the past by Russia and China, which have moved to block any sanctions over the tests.