Metro East Sun

U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) joined Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) in pressing President Obama about whether recent ballistic missile tests by Iran violated a UN Security Council ban and what he was going to do about it if it was a violation. 

The test reportedly occurred on the weekend of Oct. 10. 

“This test furthers Iran’s intercontinental ballistic missile program and heightens risks to Israel and the United States,” the senators wrote in a letter to the president. “White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest admitted yesterday that there are ‘strong indications that those missile tests did violate a U.N. Security Council resolution that pertain to Iran’s ballistic missile activities.’ Ambassador Samantha Power echoed that conclusion today saying that ‘…all the indicators are that it would be a violation.’ We are interested to know how your administration will respond. We worry that tough statements followed by inaction will further undermine U.S. national security.”

In 2014, the senators, along with a group of colleagues, first wrote to the president urging him to address Iran’s development of intercontinental ballistic missiles during negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.

Although the nuclear deal ultimately did not include limitations on Iran's missile program, a 2010 UN resolution prohibits the country from launching intercontinental ballistic missiles.