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Iran's defensive capability not negotiable : commander

Xinhua, March 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

Iran would not allow its defensive capabilities, including its missile power, to be included in the discussions of ongoing nuclear talks, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) commander said here on Sunday.

"Iran's nation, government and armed forces all believe that the country's defensive capabilities, especially the ballistic missiles, will never be negotiable at all," IRGC Brigadier General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh was quoted as saying by semi-official Fars news agency.

"This is a message which should be understood by the bullying powers which raise excessive demands," Hajizadeh said in a ceremony to unveil a new long-range ground-to-ground missile called "Soumar."

In February, Iranian senior negotiator Abbas Araqch said the country would never allow its missile industry, which is used for defensive purposes, to become an agenda for nuclear talks.

"Iran's missile program is fully defensive in nature and the Islamic republic believes that its defensive issues are not negotiable at all and it will not discuss this issue with any foreign side," Araqchi said according to Fars.

Iran's military program was based on a defensive doctrine, and Tehran would never ask for anyone to decide on the country's defensive program, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also said last summer.

On Sunday, Iran unveiled a new "state-of-the-art high-precision missile" in a ceremony where senior Iranian officials, including Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan, attended.

"Soumar enjoys different characteristics in terms of range and pinpoint accuracy in comparison with the country's previous products," Deqhan was quoted as saying by Press TV.

Such important achievements, which have been made through research and innovation based on the needs of Iranian armed forces, are "considered as crucial steps toward increasing the country's defense and deterrence might," Dehqan said.

Iran plans to unveil the promoted versions of such type of missiles, in terms of range, precision and destructive power, in the next Iranian calendar year starting on March 21, he said without elaborating the specifications of the unveiled missile on Sunday.

Iran and the P5+1 group -- namely the United States, France, Britain, China, Russia plus Germany -- are engaged in intensive talks over the past one and half years to break the deadlock in the negotiations aimed to solve Iran's longstanding disputed nuclear issue.

Israel has raised concerns over the advancements in military abilities of the Islamic republic, urging that Iran's long-range missile program should be addressed in the nuclear talks.

Tehran has dismissed the concerns reiterating that the country's defensive capabilities is solely for deterrence purposes. Endit