Sanctions Not to Hamper Iran’s Missile Program: DM
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan dismissed new US sanctions against the Islamic Republic under the pretext of its recent ballistic missile test, saying that the embargoes on individuals cannot hamper the progress of the country’s missile program.
“Attempts to impose new sanctions (against Iran) under irrelevant excuses are indicative of the continued hostile policies of the US toward the Iranian nation and its void bid to undermine the country’s defense might,” Brigadier General Dehqan said in a speech on Monday.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s missile industry is completely indigenous and based on local knowledge and expertise… and imposing sanctions on individuals or companies has no impact on the development of the industry,” he noted.
General Dehqan further emphasized that attempts to weaken Iran’s defense capabilities cannot help the establishment of peace and security in the Middle East region.
Washington’s new sanctions on 11 companies and individuals over Iran’s testing of Emad missile in October 2015 were announced on Sunday, hours after termination of anti-Tehran embargoes following confirmations from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Tehran had made good on its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear agreement finalized by Iran and six world powers.
The new financial sanctions by the US government were the first since Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) reached the landmark nuclear agreement on July 14, 2015.
Iran has repeatedly stressed that test of missiles is an issue relating to defense of its territorial integrity and has nothing to do with the JCPOA.
Iran has also underscored frequently that its military might poses no threat to other countries and that the Islamic Republic’s defense doctrine is entirely based on deterrence.
