Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has ordered his country to step up its ballistic missile production.
The announcement comes as the United States plans to impose new sanctions on Tehran. Rouhani says Iran won’t accept any limitations to its ballistic missile program, claiming it does not fall under the nuclear deal reached with world powers in July.
Rouhani made the announcement in a letter to Hossein Dehghan, Iran’s defense minister, posted on the president’s website Thursday.
“As the government of the United States of America, in pursuing its hostile policies and illegitimate and illegal intervention in Iran’s right to boost its defence capabilities, apparently intends to add new individuals and institutions in its former list of unjust sanctions, it is necessary that in the framework of approved defence policies, the armed forces’ needed missiles should accelerate in production more seriously,” the letter reads.
If US continues its illegitimate interference w/ Iran’s right to defend itself a new program will be devised to enhance missile capabilities
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) December 31, 2015
The letter concludes: “It is clear that Iran’s missile program is by no means a part of [nuclear deal] and American officials acknowledge this matter. As it has repeatedly announced, nuclear weapons have no place in Iran’s defence doctrine, and therefore, development and production of ballistic missiles, which has never designed to carry nuclear warheads, will continue with power and strength as an important and standard tool for the defence of the country.”
A senior U.S. official told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the U.S. is considering additional sanctions related to Iran’s ballistic missile program. The U.S. has said that Iran’s missile program is “entirely separate” from the nuclear deal.
We have never negotiated regarding our defense capabilities including our missile program & will not accept any restrictions in this regard
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) December 31, 2015
This development could represent a potential major early crisis for the new deal. U.S. officials have said that regardless of the deal, the U.S. government is free to sanction Iran for its missile development.
Iran disagrees, warning that any further sanctions would represent a violation of the agreement.
