Timeline of North Korea's missile programme

Iran on Tuesday dismissed pressure from France and other Western powers for talks over its ballistic missile programme, but said it had no plans to increase the range of the weapons.

France said last week it was ready to impose further sanctions on Iran if no progress was made in talks about the missiles, described by Tehran as defensive but seen in the West as a destabilising factor in a volatile region.

"Negotiations over Iran's missile and defensive capabilities are not acceptable in any way," Major General Hassan Firouzabadi, a top adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was quoted as saying by the IRNA news agency.

He said French leaders were only raising the issue to distract attention from anti-government demonstrations in their country. Iran on Monday denied that it was holding any talks with France about the missiles.

US President Donald Trump pulled out of a nuclear deal with Iran in May and reimposed sanctions, saying the accord did not address the missiles and what he saw as the Islamic republic's malign influence on the region.

France, along with other signatories, stuck with the accord, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear work in exchange for sanctions relief. But Paris and other European powers have also raised concerns about the missiles, fearing they could one day reach their territories.

“The enemies say Iran’s missile power should be eliminated, but we have repeatedly said our missile capabilities are not negotiable,” Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency, using a phrase usually applied to the United States and Israel.

SATELLITES

The secretary of Iran's National Security Council said Iran would keep working to improve the missiles' accuracy.

"Iran has no scientific or operational restriction for increasing the range of its military missiles, but based on its defensive doctrine, it is continuously working on increasing the precision of the missiles, and has no intention to increase their range," Ali Shamkhani, another close aide to Khamenei, was quoted as saying by state broadcaster IRIB.

In November 2017, the deputy head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that it would increase the range of its missiles beyond 2,000 km (1,200 miles), if Europe threatened Iran.

A UN&nbsp;Security Council resolution that accompanied the 2015 nuclear deal "called upon" Tehran to refrain for up to eight years from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons.

But Iran said that call did not amount to a binding order and has denied that its missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Washington has also told Tehran to stop developing satellite-launching technology, saying it was concerned that the same gear could also be used to launch warheads.

Shamkhani said Iran would keep working on the technology "to improve the quality of people’s lives and increase the country's technological prowess."

Telecoms Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi said on Tuesday that an Iranian satellite, called Friendship, will be launched soon. Another launch failed earlier this month.

Iran on Tuesday dismissed pressure from France and other Western powers for talks over its ballistic missile programme, but said it had no plans to increase the range of the weapons.

Iran on Tuesday dismissed pressure from France and other Western powers for talks over its ballistic missile programme, but said it had no plans to increase the range of the weapons. France said last week it was ready to impose further sanctions on Iran if no progress was made in talks about the missiles, described by Tehran as defensive but seen in the West as a destabilising factor in a volatile region. "Negotiations over Iran's missile and defensive capabilities are not acceptable in any way," Major General Hassan Firouzabadi, a top adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was quoted as saying by the IRNA news agency. He said French leaders were only raising the issue to distract attention from anti-government demonstrations in their country. Iran on Monday denied that it was holding any talks with France about the missiles. US President Donald Trump pulled out of a nuclear deal with Iran in May and reimposed sanctions, saying the accord did not address the missiles and what he saw as the Islamic republic's malign influence on the region. France, along with other signatories, stuck with the accord, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear work in exchange for sanctions relief. But Paris and other European powers have also raised concerns about the missiles, fearing they could one day reach their territories. “The enemies say Iran’s missile power should be eliminated, but we have repeatedly said our missile capabilities are not negotiable,” Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency, using a phrase usually applied to the United States and Israel. SATELLITES The secretary of Iran's National Security Council said Iran would keep working to improve the missiles' accuracy. "Iran has no scientific or operational restriction for increasing the range of its military missiles, but based on its defensive doctrine, it is continuously working on increasing the precision of the missiles, and has no intention to increase their range," Ali Shamkhani, another close aide to Khamenei, was quoted as saying by state broadcaster IRIB. In November 2017, the deputy head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that it would increase the range of its missiles beyond 2,000 km (1,200 miles), if Europe threatened Iran. A UN Security Council resolution that accompanied the 2015 nuclear deal "called upon" Tehran to refrain for up to eight years from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons. But Iran said that call did not amount to a binding order and has denied that its missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Washington has also told Tehran to stop developing satellite-launching technology, saying it was concerned that the same gear could also be used to launch warheads. Shamkhani said Iran would keep working on the technology "to improve the quality of people’s lives and increase the country's technological prowess." Telecoms Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi said on Tuesday that an Iranian satellite, called Friendship, will be launched soon. Another launch failed earlier this month.

Iran rejects talks on missiles, but says no plan to increase range

China hacked a US Navy contractor and got hold of secret information on the Navy's weapons plans as well as other sensitive information about military technology, reports said on Friday.&nbsp;

The hack attack resulted in the Chinese government stealing over 600 gigabytes of data about US Navy's missile project. The revelation of the cyber attack,&nbsp;comes days before President Trump attends a summit in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who counts Beijing among his allies.

The attack targeted the contractor's unclassified network.

Among the stolen data planned for a supersonic anti-ship missile that was planned to be on US submarines by 2020.

The breaches took place in January and February, the officials told the Post, speaking on condition of anonymity about an ongoing investigation led by the Navy and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The FBI did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

"Per federal regulations, there are measures in place that require companies to notify the government when a 'cyber incident' has occurred that has actual or potential adverse effects on their networks that contain controlled unclassified information. It would be inappropriate to discuss further details at this time," the US&nbsp;Navy said in response to a query from Reuters.

The Chinese Embassy apparently does not know about the hacking, adding that the Chinese government "staunchly upholds cybersecurity, firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyber attacks in accordance with law."

The hacked material comprised 614 gigabytes relating to a project known as Sea Dragon, as well as signals and sensor data, submarine radio room information relating to cryptographic systems and the Navy submarine development unit’s electronic warfare library, the Post reported.

Reports of the hack come as tensions between Beijing and Washington continue to rise over a range of issues including trade and military matters.

Among the stolen data planned for a supersonic anti-ship missile that was planned to be on US submarines by 2020

China hacked a US Navy contractor and got hold of secret information on the Navy's weapons plans as well as other sensitive information about military technology, reports said on Friday. The hack attack resulted in the Chinese government stealing over 600 gigabytes of data about US Navy's missile project. The revelation of the cyber attack, comes days before President Trump attends a summit in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who counts Beijing among his allies. The attack targeted the contractor's unclassified network. Among the stolen data planned for a supersonic anti-ship missile that was planned to be on US submarines by 2020. The breaches took place in January and February, the officials told the Post, speaking on condition of anonymity about an ongoing investigation led by the Navy and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. "Per federal regulations, there are measures in place that require companies to notify the government when a 'cyber incident' has occurred that has actual or potential adverse effects on their networks that contain controlled unclassified information. It would be inappropriate to discuss further details at this time," the US Navy said in response to a query from Reuters. The Chinese Embassy apparently does not know about the hacking, adding that the Chinese government "staunchly upholds cybersecurity, firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyber attacks in accordance with law." The hacked material comprised 614 gigabytes relating to a project known as Sea Dragon, as well as signals and sensor data, submarine radio room information relating to cryptographic systems and the Navy submarine development unit’s electronic warfare library, the Post reported. Reports of the hack come as tensions between Beijing and Washington continue to rise over a range of issues including trade and military matters.

China secretly hacked a US Navy contractor and got hold of its weapons plans: Report

The United States has placed sanctions on two North Koreans who it says are part of the country&#39;s nuclear missile programme, while Russia has reiterated its offer to mediate between the two countries.&nbsp;

The two men have been identified as Kim Jong-sik and Ri Pyong-chol. The US said Kim was part of North Korea&#39;s efforts to switch its missile program from liquid to solid fuel, while Ri was part of its&nbsp;ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) development programme.&nbsp;

The two men have often been seen photographed with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at missile launches.&nbsp;

&quot;Treasury is targeting leaders of North Korea&rsquo;s ballistic missile programs, as part of our maximum pressure campaign to isolate (North Korea) and achieve a fully denuclearized Korean Peninsula,&rdquo; US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

The&nbsp;sanctions will allow the US to block any property or interests the two North Korean men might have in US jurisdiction and stop any further dealings with US citizens.&nbsp;

The UN had on Friday imposed new sanctions on North Korea in response to its ICMB test&nbsp;conducted last month, which Pyongyang said put all of the US&nbsp;mainland&nbsp;within range of its nuclear weapons.&nbsp;

The UN sanctions&nbsp;limit North Korea&#39;s access to refined petroleum products and crude oil as well as its earning from workers overseas.&nbsp;

North Korea said the move was &quot;an act of war&quot; and equivalent to a total economic blockade.

The two North Koreans sanctioned by the US, along with weapons developer Jang Chan-ha, were reportedly personally selected by Kim Jong-un and were popular with him.

Pyong-chol is an ex-air force general who studied in Russia, and Jong-sik is a veteran rocket scientist.&nbsp;

Kremlin offer

On Tuesday, the Kremlin, which has long called for the two sides to hold negotiations, said it was ready to act as a mediator if the United States and North Korea were willing for it to play such a role.

&quot;Russia&#39;s readiness to clear the way for de-escalation is obvious,&quot; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Asked to comment on the offer, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, Justin Higgins, said the United States &quot;has the ability to communicate with North Korea through a variety of diplomatic channels,&quot; and added:

&quot;We want the North Korean regime to understand that there is a different path that it can choose, however it is up to North Korea to change course and return to credible negotiations.&quot;

(With inputs from agencies)

'Russia's readiness to clear the way for de-escalation is obvious, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

The United States has placed sanctions on two North Koreans who it says are part of the country's nuclear missile programme, while Russia has reiterated its offer to mediate between the two countries. The two men have been identified as Kim Jong-sik and Ri Pyong-chol. The US said Kim was part of North Korea's efforts to switch its missile program from liquid to solid fuel, while Ri was part of its ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) development programme. The two men have often been seen photographed with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at missile launches. "Treasury is targeting leaders of North Korea’s ballistic missile programs, as part of our maximum pressure campaign to isolate (North Korea) and achieve a fully denuclearized Korean Peninsula,” US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. The sanctions will allow the US to block any property or interests the two North Korean men might have in US jurisdiction and stop any further dealings with US citizens. The UN had on Friday imposed new sanctions on North Korea in response to its ICMB test conducted last month, which Pyongyang said put all of the US mainland within range of its nuclear weapons. The UN sanctions limit North Korea's access to refined petroleum products and crude oil as well as its earning from workers overseas. North Korea said the move was "an act of war" and equivalent to a total economic blockade. The two North Koreans sanctioned by the US, along with weapons developer Jang Chan-ha, were reportedly personally selected by Kim Jong-un and were popular with him. Pyong-chol is an ex-air force general who studied in Russia, and Jong-sik is a veteran rocket scientist. Kremlin offer On Tuesday, the Kremlin, which has long called for the two sides to hold negotiations, said it was ready to act as a mediator if the United States and North Korea were willing for it to play such a role. "Russia's readiness to clear the way for de-escalation is obvious," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Asked to comment on the offer, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, Justin Higgins, said the United States "has the ability to communicate with North Korea through a variety of diplomatic channels," and added: "We want the North Korean regime to understand that there is a different path that it can choose, however it is up to North Korea to change course and return to credible negotiations." (With inputs from agencies)

US sanctions North Korean missile experts, Russia offers to mediate

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