Iran Rejects Missile Talks But Claims No Plans to Extend Range, According to Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) – On Tuesday, Iran dismissed calls from France and other Western powers to engage in discussions about its ballistic missile program, asserting that it has no intention of expanding the range of its missiles.

France indicated last week that it was prepared to impose further sanctions on Iran if progress was not made in talks concerning the missile program, which Iran characterizes as defensive but is viewed by Western nations as a potential source of instability in a volatile region.

“Negotiations regarding Iran’s missile and defensive capabilities are entirely unacceptable,” stated Major General Hassan Firouzabadi, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as reported by the IRNA news agency. He suggested that French leaders were diverting attention away from anti-government protests in France. Iran also denied holding discussions with France regarding its missile capabilities.

The situation follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from a nuclear deal with Iran in May, during which he reinstated sanctions due to the agreement’s failure to address missile development and what he perceives as Iran’s disruptive actions in the region.

While France and other signatories of the nuclear deal remain committed to it—under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief—they too have expressed concerns about Iran’s missile program, fearing their potential to reach European territories.

Iran’s Defence Minister Amir Hatami reiterated that the country’s missile capabilities are non-negotiable, a statement often directed at the United States and Israel.

Regarding missile advancements, the secretary of Iran’s National Security Council mentioned Iran’s ongoing efforts to enhance missile accuracy. “While there are no scientific or operational restrictions on extending the range of our military missiles, our strategy is focused on improving precision, not range,” said Ali Shamkhani, another close aide to Khamenei, according to state broadcaster IRIB.

In November 2017, a deputy of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that missile ranges could exceed 2,000 km (1,200 miles) if Europe provoked Iran. A U.N. Security Council resolution tied to the 2015 nuclear deal “called upon” Tehran to refrain from developing ballistic missiles for up to eight years. However, Iran contends that this is not a legally binding directive and has denied that its missiles can carry nuclear warheads.

The U.S. has also urged Iran to halt its satellite-launching technology development, expressing concerns that such technology could be repurposed for launching warheads. Shamkhani stated that Iran will continue to develop its satellite technology to improve quality of life and boost the country’s technological capabilities.

Meanwhile, Telecoms Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi announced that Iran plans to launch a satellite named Friendship soon, following a previous unsuccessful launch earlier this month.