Iran on Tuesday said its armed forces had test-fired several ballistic missiles during a military exercise. According to the Revolutionary Guard, which is a branch of the country's armed forces, the tests were conducted to show Iran's "deterrent power" and its "ability to confront any threat against the Islamic Revolution, the state and the sovereignty of the country". Iran claims to have surface-to-surface missiles with a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles), capable of striking Israeli and US military bases in the region, reported the Associated Press.

The reported test defied recent sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran's missile program, reported Reuters. The United Nations said the tests, which took place after Iran reached a nuclear deal with world powers in July, violated a resolution that barred the country from undertaking any work on nuclear-capable ballistic missiles. The UN had lifted sanctions against the Islamic republic in January when Tehran agreed to restrain its atomic programme as per the July 2015 deal.