Defense Minister Nominee Vows to Boost Iran's Missile Might

The US Mission to the United Nations released a statement on Tuesday regarding the new sanctions that were requested by US President Donald Trump and approved by Congress.

Iran has slammed the bans as a violation of the nuclear deal signed between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russian Federation - plus Germany on July 14, 2015.

"Iran can not be allowed to use the nuclear deal to hold the world hostage", US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said in response to Rouhani's threats to pull out. "The nuclear deal must not become 'too big to fail'".

European countries were key signatories to the agreement, with the UK, France and Germany, as well as Russian Federation and China, putting their names to it.

During the Thursday debate, four legislators delivered speeches in favor of the defense minister nominee, while no lawmaker spoke against his qualifications.

He said Iran did prefer to stick with the nuclear deal, which he called "a model of victory for peace and diplomacy over war and unilateralism" but that this was not the "only option". "Our political dialogue should make it possible to work toward resolving the crises in the Middle East".

Rouhani says the new sanctions that the U.S. wants to impose breach the nuclear agreement.

"The missile programme budget is basically Iran's business".

Lavrov went on by saying that Moscow hopes that Washington will not violate its obligations under the deal on the Iranian nuclear program, as well as that Tehran will not quit the agreement.

Rouhani warned that Iran was ready to walk out of the deal - which saw the lifting of most worldwide sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme - if Washington persisted.

Earlier this month, the United States, backed by Britain, France, and Germany, demanded the UN Security Council take action against Iran after the Islamic Republic launched a rocket carrying a satellite into space in late July.

"Such provocations [adoption of unilateral sanctions] should not be made". It's an example of what can be achieved when the worldwide community works together. They started implementing the agreement on January 16, 2016.

The European Union has also committed to supporting the deal, even in the face of USA antagonism towards Iran.

The Iranians are keen on the European Union acting as a key promoter of the deal.

"In recent months, the world has witnessed that the U.S., in addition to its constant and repetitive breaking of its promises in the JCPOA (nuclear deal), has ignored several other global agreements and shown its allies that the USA is neither a good partner nor a reliable negotiating party", he said.