Iran’s envoy to London slammed the United Kingdom on 24 December, accusing it of deliberately sowing disinformation on UN Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), which verifies Iran’s nuclear program.

The senior Iranian diplomat was alluding to a British Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office statement condemning Iran’s use of ballistic missiles. It reads, in part:

“We condemn Iran’s use of ballistic missiles in a test launch confirmed to have been conducted today. The launch is a clear breach of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which requires that Iran not undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons – including launches using ballistic missile technology. These actions are a threat to regional and international security and we call on Iran to immediately cease its activities.”

On his Instagram feed, Iranian Ambassador Mohsen Baharvand responded by saying “these countries should be reminded multiple times that Resolution 2231 speaks of missiles designed to carry nuclear weapons.”

Iranian missiles are not designed to carry nuclear bombs, the envoy explained, but rather to “protect Iranian land and respond strongly to aggressors.”

“You did not implement and you neglected many aspects of Resolution 2231. Your skill and honesty in identifying dangers to international peace and security is in question, as though you foisted two big wars on the region under the guise of confessing that it was wrong after killing thousands of civilians,” Baharvand shot back, pointing to the hypocrisy and double standards of the UK.

“If you are honest, criticize the Zionist regime only once, which frequently threatens Iran with the use of force, contrary to the plain wording of the UN Charter, so that your honesty will be evident to everyone,” the envoy said.

London’s statement was issued after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) fired 16 precision-guided missiles against fixed targets in a five-day military drill.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh also weighed in, saying the Islamic Republic acts within the framework of international law and in accordance with its own defense needs.

According to Khatibzadeh, such remarks and postures are not only an attempt to meddle in Iran’s internal affairs, but also evidence of London’s continuous employment of double standard policies.