The Europeans noted that a 2015 report by the
International Atomic Energy Agency on possible
military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program
concluded “that extensive evidence indicated
detailed Iranian research in 2002-2003 on
arming the Shahab-3 with a nuclear warhead.”
Officials in the Trump administration also have
said Iran is working to obtain nuclear-capable
missiles, something the Iranians deny.
U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from
the nuclear agreement in May 2018. But it
is still supported by the five other parties —
France, Britain, Russia and China, which are all
veto-wielding Security Council members, and
Germany, which is currently serving a two-year
term on the council.
The letter says “France, Germany and the United
Kingdom assert once again our firm conclusion
that Iran’s development of nuclear-capable
ballistic missiles and related technologies is
inconsistent” with the missile provision in the
council resolution.
That provision urges Iran “not to undertake any
activity related to ballistic missiles designed to
be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.” But
it does not require Tehran to halt such activity,
and the Iranian government insists all its missile
activities are legal and not nuclear-related.
The Europeans’ letter says they used the Missile
Technology Control Regime “performance
characteristics” that a rocket system would
need to be capable of delivering at least a
500-kilogram payload to a range of at least 300
kilometers (185 miles) to be nuclear capable.
France, Germany and the UK gave four
examples of “Iranian activity inconsistent” with