Free Republic

Iran’s foreign minister said that Tehran would respond to American moves to curtail its missile program by bolstering it, semi-official news agency Mehr reported on Tuesday. Mohammad Javad Zarif said that instead of limiting them, “Iran’s missile capabilities will be further enforced,” in accordance with President Hassan Rouhani’s orders. Zarif also discounted promises by US presidential candidates to nullify the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, saying they were “following the orders of Zionists, but these are just words and should not be heeded.”

Prince Turki al-Faisal also lashes out at US president for accusing monarchy of fueling sectarian conflicts across Mideast A senior Saudi royal criticized President Barack Obama Monday for comments accusing the longtime US ally of feeding Middle East conflicts. Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, has long been a major ally of the United States but the relationship has deteriorated under Obama. Riyadh has been especially concerned by US support for Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers, fearing its regional rival will be emboldened. In an opinion piece published in Saudi newspapers, Prince Turki al-Faisal, the kingdom’s former intelligence...

Iran is preparing to launch a new long-range rocket into outer space as soon as this weekend, U.S. officials told Fox News. The missile is known as a Simorgh, and officials are watching the missile on the launch pad as it is being fueled at an undisclosed location inside Iran. Officials told Fox they have not seen this specific type of rocket launched in the past. Iran has conducted four previous space launches. Any test of a new ballistic missile would be an apparent violation of a UN resolution forbidding Iran from working on its rocket program.