Paris Considers ‘Bad Signal’ Iran’s Missile Tests

PARIS (RIA Novosti)-France considers Iran’s test of a long-range missile as “a bad signal”, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said.

Earlier on Monday, Iran test-fired a long-range coast-to-sea missile called Qader (Mighty) and a surface-to-surface long-range missile Nour (Light). The test was conducted during the naval exercises in the Persian Gulf.

“We regret the very bad signal sent to the international community by the missile test that Iran conducted during its naval exercise. We remind of freedom of navigation in straits and the need to maintain a favorable climate in respect to this freedom,” Valero said.

“The development of Iran’s ballistic missile program raises a serious concern for the international community,” he added.

France supported the U.S. sanctions against Iran. These sanctions allow U.S. president to cut off from the US financial system foreign firms that do business with Iran’s central bank.

On November 21 French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed to stop buying Iran’s oil and freeze its central bank assets. He added that the sanctions might be accepted by the next meeting of EU foreign ministers.