Iran's DM Renews Call for Disarmament of Zionist Regime
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said destroying the Zionist regime of Israel’s non-conventional weapons should be on agenda in order for having a Middle East free from nuclear weapons.
“If there is an issue that should be addressed after a (possible) nuclear agreement (between Iran and the world powers), it is the full destruction of the Zionist regime’s nuclear, chemical and biological weapons in a bid to have a Middle East free from nuclear weapons,” General Dehqan said.
General Dehqan also referred to the talks between Tehran and the world powers on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, and called on Iranian nuclear negotiators to draw attentions to the need for Zionist regime’s nuclear, chemical and biological disarmament in accordance with article 6 of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The Iranian minister further underlined that Iran’s defensive missile capacity is conventional and deterrent and is non-negotiable.
His comment came in reaction to remarks by US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel about Iran’s missile capacity.
“(After the) resolution of the first step of the nuclear (issue)… there are other issues that we’re going to have to address – (including) the missile capacity that the Iranians have…,” Hagel said on May 22 in an interview with PBS.
Earlier this month, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei rejected the West’s call for restricting Iran’s missile program, and said the demand is foolish while the West is threatening Iran militarily.
“They (westerners) expect restriction on Iran’s missile program while they are constantly raising military threats against Iran, therefore, their expectation is foolish and idiotic,” Ayatollah Khamenei said on May 11.