'We will build weapons'

Iran's president yesterday said his country would continue building weapons including developing missiles as the United States prepares new sanctions over its ballistic missile programme.

"To defend our nation and territorial integrity, we will build all the weapons we will need," Hassan Rouhani told parliament in statements broadcast on state television.

Recent Iranian missile launches have triggered US sanctions and accusations they violate the spirit of a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers.

Signed by Iran, Germany, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, the landmark accord saw economic sanctions on Iran lifted in exchange for Tehran curbing its nuclear activities.

"We have built missiles, we are building some and will continue to do so because it does not violate any international regulations -- not even the UN Security Council's Resolution 2231" endorsing the deal, Rouhani said.

Under Resolution 2231, Tehran is "called upon" to refrain from carrying out launches of missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

Iran says all of its missiles are designed to carry conventional warheads only.

But the United States and France say the missile launches do not comply with the UN resolution.

This month, US President Donald Trump said a "total termination" of the nuclear deal remained possible, after refusing to certify the 2015 accord and leaving its fate to the US Congress.

On Thursday, Congress passed new sanctions in response to Iran's ballistic missiles programme.

Meanwhile, the head of the United Nations atomic agency yesterday said Iran was carrying out its commitments made under a landmark nuclear deal with world powers.

"As of today, I can state that the nuclear-related commitments made by Iran under the JCPOA (nuclear deal) are being implemented," Yukiya Amano said at a press conference in Tehran broadcast by state television.

Under the deal, Iran is allowed to enrich uranium to low levels of 3.5 percent, which can be used to power reactors.