Spokesman raps French stance on Iran missile program

“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,” Bahram Qassemi said on Friday, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.

He also made it clear that Iran has shaped its defense capabilities on the basis of a realistic assessment of the existing threats and will strengthen them to the extent it deems necessary.
“Iran’s missile power is non-negotiable and this fact has been conveyed to the French side in continuous political dialogue between Iran and France,” Qassemi said.

The spokesman added that the French foreign minister’s threat to impose new missile sanctions is against the spirit of political talks and cooperation between the two countries, stressing that any new sanctions by European states would convince Iran to reconsider its interaction with those countries.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always been seeking consolidation of peace and stability in the region, and believes the mass sales of sophisticated and aggressive weapons by the US and some European countries, including France, have undermined stability and balance in the region,” he concluded.

His comments came after Le Drian said France is ready to impose further sanctions on Iran if no progress is made in talks over Tehran’s ballistic missile program. “We are ready, if the talks don’t yield results, to apply sanctions firmly, and they know it.”

/SR