The White House says it is still reviewing an appropriate response to Iran’s decision to test two ballistic missiles on Wednesday, one day after it conducted other missile tests that may have violated a United Nations resolution.
“We’re going to take a close look at those launches just as we are with those carried out earlier this week,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters.
Earnest made similar statements Tuesday, after Iran launched missiles and its top commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the missile launches are a show of force that would continue despite international condemnation and U.S. sanctions.
Earnest and other administration officials have said the U.S. is considering raising the issue of the missile tests before the United Nations Security Council, but also didn’t rule out more unilateral sanctions.
The Iranian military on Tuesday made clear that both sets of launches this week were meant to demonstrate its ability to target Israel. The missiles were reportedly precision-guided with a range of roughly 1,250 miles, which could reach Israel.
Repeating a similar message from Tuesday, Earnest stressed the importance of the U.S. and other world powers’ pursuit of the nuclear deal with Iran to ensure that the missiles could not be outfitted with a nuclear warhead.
“So we are pleased that we were able to successfully implement [the nuclear deal],” Earnest said.
He noted that the U.S. could do more to enforce sanctions already in place against Tehran for ballistic missile tests, including limiting the type of materials that can be shipped to Iran and doing more to interdict unlawful materials shipped there.
“As we learn more about what they have done, we will determine an appropriate response,” he said.
