“NATO’s Concern over Iran’s Missile Program Completely Unfounded, Pointless”

In a Thursday statement, Qassemi said part of the statement which mentions issues related to Iran is a rehash of old allegations.

“Like in the past, we reject and condemn the repeated accusations about Iran contained in the statement,” said Qassemi.

“We closely monitored the developments and discussion at the meeting, especially the United States’ behaviour and pressures on members of this treaty (NATO),” he further said.

“Although most of NATO’s spending goes to the [provision of] security for the US, this country, behaving as if others are beholden to it, and by exerting pressure, seeks to impose its opinions and policies on other nations, especially on European countries,” he said.

“It is surprising that some [states and individuals] still insist on repeating unsubstantiated and baseless allegations regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran’s policies,” the spokesman noted.

The spokesman underlined that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as the only specialized international authority on nuclear issues, has always corroborated the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities.

 

“NATO member states, which are undoubtedly fully aware of the numerous and back-to-back reports by the IAEA regarding Iran’s measures and compliance with its obligations, should, instead of pleasing US officials, have been concerned about one NATO member’s non-compliance and illegal and unilateral withdrawal from international agreements, including the JCPOA, and instead of distorting obvious and clear realities, should have reprehended this country’s unilateral and dangerous policies,” he said.

“However, at this juncture, some NATO members have apparently once again swapped the places of the US and Iran, which has always lived up to its international commitments, and its international policies serve to maintain international peace and security,” he said.

Qassemi said NATO’s misgivings about Iran’s missile program are unwarranted.

“NATO member states’ concern over Iran’s missile program is completely unfounded and pointless,” he noted.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s missile program not only does not violate UN Security Council Resolution 2231, but is completely conventional and defensive, and Iran, like all independent countries in the world, is entitled to have all conventional military-defence programs in order to defend the country’s interests, people and sovereignty, and definitely expressing such unwarranted concerns [as by NATO] will have no bearing on our country’s policy on maintaining, developing and boosting its defensive missile program and power,” he said.

He then touched upon Iran’s role in the region.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always favoured cooperation and dialogue within the region and with its neighbours, and believes in that, and has missed no opportunity to enter into talks with its neighbours in any shape or form, and will not miss any chance to do so,” said Qassemi.

“Iran believes none of the crises in the region has a military solution,” he said.

He further underlined Iran’s campaign against terrorism and terrorists.

“Before some NATO member state formed coalitions to fight terrorism, some of which were just a show and ineffective, and when terrorists were coming to the Middle East in droves from some of these very countries, Iran, at that sensitive historical juncture, with prudence and relentless efforts, began to fight the terrorists who had been trained by certain other countries, and finally played an effective role in sounding the death knell to the territorial rule of dangerous terrorist groups in the region such as ISIS,” Qassemi said.