Iran Insists Missile Program Non-Negotiable

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has issued a statement on Friday firmly rejecting a Reuters report quoting unnamed Iranian and Western officials as saying that Tehran has signaled to the six world powers with which it signed the historic nuclear agreement in 2015 that it is open to talks about its ballistic missile arsenal.
 
“Iran regards defensive missile programs as its absolute right and will definitely continue them within the framework of its defensive, conventional and specified plans and strategies,” the Iranian spokesperson said.
 
He added that Iran “has repeatedly in diplomatic meetings with foreign officials” emphasized that its “defensive missile program is not negotiable” and that Tehran “does not regard it as inconsistent with [UN Security Council] Resolution 2231.”
 
According to the Reuters report, the sources said that given US President Donald Trump's threats to ditch the nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached under his predecessor Barack Obama, Tehran had approached the powers recently about possible talks on some “dimensions” of its missile program.
 
Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China – plus Germany signed the nuclear agreement on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.
 
Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook to put limitations on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against Tehran.
 
Speaking during a military parade in Tehran to mark the annual Sacred Defense Week late September, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said no country can stop the Islamic Republic from strengthening its missile capabilities and defense programs.
 
“We will promote our defensive and military power as much as we deem necessary,” Rouhani said. “We seek no one’s permission to defend our land.” He added that Iran’s defense power has never been used for aggressive acts.