‘Nothing Is Off The Table’ In Response To Iran’s Missile Test Says Trump

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US president Donald Trump said today that ‘nothing is off the table’ in terms of a response to Iran’s recent ballistic missile test.

Trump’s comment was made in reply to a question by a reporter about whether he would consider military options in response to the missile test which Iran has said is an “inalienable and absolute” right of the Islamic Republic in order to defend its security and national interests.

Trump’s national security adviser Michael Flynn put Iran on “notice” yesterday and today the White House said it would be responding to the missile test.

Backing up President Trump’s aggressive posture toward Tehran, Senior U.S. congressional Republicans said they would support new sanctions on Iran.

Press TV reports:

The White House also said Thursday it would respond to Iran’s ballistic missile test.

“We will have further updates for you on those additional actions, but clearly (Flynn) warned to make sure that Iran understood that they are on notice that this is not going unresponded to,” White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters.

The remarks about Iran by the new Republican president echoes the warnings made repeatedly by former President George W. Bush who on several occasions said he would not take the military option off the table.

Former President Barack Obama also threatened military action against Iran before the nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers in 2015.

Iranian officials have slammed such statements as foreign meddling in the country’s domestic defense agenda, saying that such missile tests were the nation’s inalienable right to self-defense.

Ali Akbar Velayati, the senior adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, said Thursday that “the missiles, which were put to test were defensive,” adding that Tehran will continue its missile work with full strength.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, a total of 220 lawmakers voiced their “full-fledged support” for Iran’s Armed Forces, saying “the reinforcement of the defense capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran in line with deterrence strategy” is an absolute necessity to ensure the country’s security.

They said the country’s missile tests were by no means in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2231, which was adopted in July 2015 to endorse a nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries.

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