WASHINGTON — US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday warned Iran of consequences as he accused Tehran of violating a UN Security Council resolution.

"I think Iran needs to be held accountable for what they've done," Pompeo said in a news conference.

His comments came after Iran announced earlier in the day that it had put its first military satellite in orbit.

The Trump administration has always claimed that Iran carries out satellite activities as a cover for its ballistic missile work.

"The Iranians have consistently said that these missile programs were disconnected from the military, that these were purely commercial enterprises," Pompeo said.

"I think today's launch proves what we've been saying all along here in the United States," he said.

“I think every nation has an obligation to go to the United Nations and evaluate whether this missile launch was consistent with that Security Council resolution,” Pompeo said.

“I don’t think it remotely is, and I think Iran needs to be held accountable for what they have done,” he added.

US secretary of state was referring to Security Council resolution 2231 of 2015 which called on Iran not to pursue any activities to develop ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear warheads. — Agencies