In this Wednesday, March 9, 2016 file photo obtained from the Iranian Fars News Agency, a Qadr H long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile is fired by Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard, during a maneuver, in an undisclosed location in Iran.

Russia is against imposing sanctions on Iran over its recent ballistic missile tests, Moscow’s ambassador to the United Nations said Monday.

Asked whether the Security Council should impose penalties on Iran, Vitaly Churkin said: “The clear and short answer is no.”

On the same day, Iran’s foreign minister defended the nation’s right to use ballistic missiles, but offered no explanation for the phrases “Israel must be wiped out” written on them in Hebrew.

Speaking in Wellington, New Zealand, Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran has always reserved the right to defend itself.

“Anybody who is crazy enough to attack us, we will attack back using conventional weapons,” he said.

“We hope that these conventional weapons will never be used because we do believe that in a war, everybody loses.”

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on world powers to punish Iran for its firing of the missiles.

Netanyahu said he instructed Israel’s Foreign Ministry to direct the demand to the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany – the countries that signed the deal lifting sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran curbing its nuclear program.

Following last week’s missile launches, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Iran to “act with moderation,” and the US ambassador to the United Nations said the launches were “provocative and destabilizing.”

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard test-launch of the missiles was the latest in a series of recent tests aimed at demonstrating Iran’s intentions to push ahead with its missile program after scaling back its nuclear program under the deal reached last year.

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