US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday accused Iran of honing its ballistic missile skills through a satellite launch and vowed to exert more pressure. Iran, which is enemy number one for President Donald Trump’s administration, said Sunday that it had successfully launched a satellite but that it failed to reach orbit.
Pompeo said technology involved in space launch was “virtually identical” to knowhow for a long-range ballistic missile. “Each launch, whether failed or not, further allows Iran to gain experience using such technologies that could benefit its missile programmes under the guise of a peaceful space programme,” Pompeo said in a statement.