Iran has defended its recent launch of ballistic missiles in a letter written to the United Nations. Iran launched two missiles March 9. The rockets hit targets off of Iran's coast into the Sea of Oman, state media and Iran's news agency reported. The United States and France criticized the launches. U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 bans Iran from testing ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Gholamali Khoshroo, Iran’s United Nations ambassador, wrote to the U.N. on March 23 that Iran did not violate the resolution. Khoshroo said there is no basis for raising the issue with the U.N. Security Council in the letter. Council members met March 14 at the request of the U.S. to discuss the missile launch. Samantha Power, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, called the launches “dangerous, destabilizing and provocative” and “undermine the prospect for peace” in the Middle East. Iran continues to insist its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes, according to multiple media organizations. Some members of the U.S. Congress have asked for more sanctions against Iran. “Iran is developing a nuclear program, so that they can put it on top of a ballistic missile …,” Republican Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado told VOA just days after the launch. I’m Jim Dresbach. Margaret Besheer wrote this story for VOA News. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English and VOANews.com. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story ballistic missile – n. a weapon that is shot through the sky over a great distance and then falls to the ground and explodes warhead – n. the part of a missile that contains the explosive resolution – n. a formal statement that expresses the feelings, wishes, or decision of a group destabilizing – v. to cause something to be unable to continue existing or working in the usual or desired way provocative – adj. causing discussion, thought, argument
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