Iran Not to Change Defense, Missile Policies for Recommendation

As Reported  by Qods News Agency (Qodsna) "Our missile policy is clear and as part of our country's defense sector is not negotiable. This is in line with defending the country's security. Certainly, we do not alter our path at the reccommendation of others," Qassemi told reporters in a press conference in Tehran on Monday.

He added that Iran is situated in a region where countries are equipped with different types of modern weapons and Tehran has the right to enjoy capabilities to defend itself so that the experience of Iraqi-imposed war against Iran (1980-1988) will not be repeated when the western states refrained from supplying Iran with arms to defend itself.

"We do not negotiate with anyone and in any field in relation to our missile issues," Qassemi underscored.

In a relevant development on Friday, Iran had strongly censured France for threatening to impose new sanctions against the Islamic Republic over its missile program, vowing to reconsider its relations with European countries in case such bans are imposed.

Qassemi said on Friday that the French government had been informed that Iran’s missile capability was never to be negotiated, reassuring that any pressure on the issue would make Tehran reconsider relations with the European side.

He made the remarks in reaction to earlier comments by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian who said that Europe

would consider sanctions against Tehran.

“Iran’s military capabilities are part of the country’s legitimate defense power and a guarantor of the Islamic Republic’s national security, which is based on the doctrine of deterrence,” Qassemi said.

“The Islamic Republic has designed its defense capabilities based on a realistic assessment of the existing threats,” he said, vowing that the country would strengthen such capabilities to the extent it deems necessary.

“Iran’s missile capability is not negotiable, and this has been brought to the attention of the French side during the ongoing political dialogue between Iran and France,” he said.

Qassemi further noted that Le Drian’s threat to impose new missile sanctions was against the spirit of political talks and cooperation between the two countries.

He also vowed that Iran would reconsider its interaction with European countries in case these states imposed any new sanctions against Tehran.

“Iran has always sought to consolidate peace and stability in the region, and believes the mass sale of sophisticated and assault weapons by the US and some European countries, including France, has undermined regional stability and balance,” he said.