Give ‘em an inch, they’ll take a mile. That sums up Iran’s actions in the wake of this summer’s nuclear agreement. The Islamic regime tested the boundaries once again over the weekend by test-launching a “new” ballistic missile — a move that appears to be in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which prohibits Iran from “undertak[ing] any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.” Iran, as usual, claims the warhead is for defensive purposes, just as it claims its nuclear endeavor is strictly for peaceful purposes. One of the vital questions we posited to readers on Monday was, “What will be the reaction from Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry, who assured us at every step that we had nothing to worry about over the nuclear deal because if Iran cheated it would be caught and punished?” Their reaction is critical because it signals to Tehran what it can get away with. And let’s just say, the Obama administration doesn’t seem to be too concerned with this week’s development. The Wall Street Journal reports, “The White House said Tuesday that the U.S. has 'strong indications’ that Iran violated United Nations Security Council resolutions with its ballistic missile test over the weekend.”

That notwithstanding, Obama spokesman Josh Earnest tried to brush it off as nothing more than a nuisance — followed by a lie of nuclear proportions. “This is altogether separate from the nuclear agreement that Iran reached with the rest of the world,” he declared. “In contrast to the repeated violations of the U.N. Security Council resolution that pertains to their ballistic missile activities, we’ve seen that Iran over the last couple of years has demonstrated a track record of abiding by the commitments that they made in the context of the nuclear talks.” Let’s assume Iran actually has followed through in regards to U.S. demands — what makes its violation of UNSCR 2231 any less concerning? Of course, we know that Iran isn’t abiding by the rules, most obvious by its unsanctioned underground activity. Iran took a gamble because it knows this administration is flexible enough to perpetually move the red line. It’s an easy gamble to win when the other side shows its cards over and over and over again.

> Addendum: Speaking of underground activity…