Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan. Photo: Screenshot.

A senior Iranian official said Tehran would continue developing its ballistic missile and conventional weapons industries, in spite of limitations ostensibly imposed by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action’s, semi-official Fars News Agency reported on Thursday.

Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said, “We have shown that despite certain limitations in the [UN Security Council] 2231 resolution, we continue research, development and production activities with all the [necessary] tests and dimensions.”

He stressed that, even after reaching the JCPOA, Iran has not altered, delayed or stopped its military agenda, “not even for a single day, hour or moment. We have not even felt any [fear] about declaring [it].”

Resolution 2231, which implements and endorses the JCPOA, calls on Iran “not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.”

Iran argues that its ballistic missiles are not designed to carry nuclear warheads and therefore are exempt from 2231’s restrictions.