UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States and three Western allies are calling Iran's recent launch of a satellite-carrying rocket "a threatening and provocative step" that is "inconsistent" with a U.N. resolution endorsing the 2015 agreement to rein in its nuclear program.

In a letter to the U.N. Security Council, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, they complained that Iran's Simorgh space launch vehicle, if configured as a ballistic missile, would have the range and "payload capacity to carry a nuclear warhead."

The U.S., France, Germany and the United Kingdom said this is "inconsiste...