Iran insists missile programme is defensive
Iran has declared that its missile programme is strictly defensive and will not be discussed in any negotiations with foreign governments. Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the country’s missiles were built to protect Iran’s territory and sovereignty, not to threaten others. Baghaei dismissed calls from Western countries to place limits on Iran’s missile activities, insisting that the issue lies entirely within Iran’s national security domain. He argued that critics use the missile programme as a political tool to pressure Tehran while ignoring the large volumes of weapons supplied to Israel and other regional allies. The spokesman said Iran’s missile capabilities are designed to deter attacks and form a key part of the country’s overall defence strategy. He stressed that these defensive assets are “by no means subject to negotiation” and that Iran will decide for itself how to maintain […]
