Iran conducts first ballistic missile test since Trump took office: report

Iran conducted a ballistic missile test Sunday, its first since President Trump took office, Fox News reported Monday.

The launch of the Khorramshahr medium-range ballistic missile happened at a well-known test site outside Semnan, about 140 miles east of Tehran, according to the report, which cited unnamed U.S. officials.

The missile flew 600 miles before exploding in a failed test of a reentry vehicle, the officials said, according to Fox.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the administration is aware of the test, but had no more information.

“We’re aware that Iran fired that missile,” he said at a briefing Monday. “We’re looking into the exact nature of it.”

The test is an apparent violation of a United Nations Security Council resolution that calls on Iran “not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.” The resolution was passed in July 2015 in support of the nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers.

Iran has said the tests don’t violate the resolution because the missiles are not designed to carry nuclear weapons.

Iran has conducted multiple ballistic missile tests since the nuclear deal, drawing condemnation from the international community and U.S. lawmakers.

Trump has said he’ll tear up or renegotiate the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. In a call this weekend with King Salman of Saudi Arabia, Trump also agreed with him on the need for “rigorously enforcing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran and of addressing Iran’s destabilizing regional activities.”

Sunday’s test also comes on the heels of Trump’s executive order on immigration that bans foreign nationals from seven predominantly Muslims from entering the United States for at least 90 days. Iran is on the list along with Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Libya.

The order also pauses refugee resettlement for four months and indefinitely halts resettlement for Syrian refugees.

Iran responded to the ban by announcing it will impose a reciprocal ban on U.S. citizens wanting to travel there.

Experts have also said that countries such as Iran can be expected to engage in provocative behavior during the early days of the new presidency in order to test the president’s response.

Updated at 3:51 p.m.

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