Iran said on Thursday that its missile program would not be part of future negotiations with the United States, after the two sides agreed a framework deal for ending their war.
– US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a memorandum of understanding early Thursday, ending a regional war that erupted on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes.
– The agreement lays the groundwork for detailed negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief for Tehran.
– There is no mention in the deal of Iran’s missile program, a longstanding concern for Washington and its ally Israel.
– “Our missiles do not like at all to be talked about by anyone,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in an interview with Iranian state television.
– “Iranian missiles are only for firing, not for negotiations. Iran’s defense capability will not be discussed in any way, in any process or with any party.”
– During the nearly 40-day war, Iran’s missile infrastructure came under heavy US-Israeli bombardment, but Tehran continued to respond with missile and drone attacks across the region.
– Before the war, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had warned that Iran would need to negotiate over its ballistic missile arsenal, which Washington views as a threat to Israel and US military bases in the region.
– Iran has repeatedly refused to discuss what it describes as its defensive capabilities.
– On Wednesday, Trump appeared to soften his position, saying it would be “unfair” for Iran not to have missiles.
– “I’m saying that if other countries have them, it’s a little bit unfair for them not to have some,” Trump said.
– “A ballistic missile is not the same thing as what we are talking about when we talk nuclear.”