Iran fires 2 missiles marked with ‘Israel must be wiped out’

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Iran test-launched two ballistic missiles Wednesday emblazoned with the phrase “Israel must be wiped out” in Hebrew, Iranian media reported, in a show of power by the Shiite nation as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Jerusalem.

The new missile firings were the latest in a series of tests in recent days, aimed at demonstrating that Iran will push ahead with its ballistic program after scaling back its nuclear program under the deal reached last year with the U.S. and other world powers.

Israel, long an opponent of Iran, offered no comment on the test, though Biden issued a strong warning over any possible violation of the nuclear deal.

“A nuclear-armed Iran is an absolutely unacceptable threat to Israel, to the region and the United States. And I want to reiterate which I know people still doubt here. If in fact they break the deal, we will act,” he said.

Biden’s comments came after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who strongly opposed the nuclear deal.

The tests, however, don’t violate the accord. The landmark deal, which led to Iran dramatically scaling back its nuclear program, does not include provisions against missile launches.

Also, when the nuclear accord came into effect Jan. 16, the Security Council lifted most U.N. sanctions against Tehran including a ban it had imposed in 2010 on Iran testing missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads – a ban that likely would have covered some of the missiles fired this week. To deal with the restrictions in the nuclear agreement, the council adopted a resolution last July which among other measures “calls on” Iran not to carry out such tests.

At the United Nations, there is likely to be a debate about whether Iran is still required to abide by the ballistic missile test ban under council resolutions.

Iran says none of its missiles are designed to carry nuclear weapons, so the resolutions do not apply.