Secretary of the Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei in a letter to President Hassan Rouhani has thanked him for his focus and follow-up on the missile issue and called for continued efforts to boost the missile capability of the Iranian armed forces.

The following is the translation of the letter in its entirety released by Tabnak.ir, a news website, on January 1:

To Dr. Rouhani

The esteemed president of the Islamic Republic of Iran

I thank you on behalf of myself and the veterans of the Holy Defense for the heed you have paid – in response to the new sanctions and measures by the US – to the expansion and reinforcement of the missile capability of the country’s armed forces as stipulated in Sixth Development Plan policies.

The interventionist nature of the US shows that in such situations, the country’s national interests cannot be safeguarded but with a strong slap. Thirty-something years after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the US statesmen apparently do not want to recognize our country’s independence and power. In keeping with their domineering habit in the black eras of Pahlavi and Qajar they deem themselves entitled to meddling in our country’s internal affairs.

Our 20,000 centrifuges served as a slap across the face and brought the Americans to the negotiating table and led to the recognition of our country’s right to uranium enrichment. I hope through your support the range of Iran’s missiles surpasses 5,000 kilometers.

The Iranian nation’s historic experience shows that a slap should be answered with a slap; otherwise the scandalous ears of the Qajar and Pahlavi dynasties will be repeated in our country. The only way we can have a powerful presence in the international arena goes through the path the late Imam Khomeini founded in our foreign policy; the Supreme Leader of the revolution has been safeguarding and walking down that path.

Undoubtedly, with the range of our missiles reaching 5,000 kilometers – capable of reaching targets such as Diego Garcia island, home to the airbase the US used in mounting the Tabas attack [A failed attack by the US on Tabas Desert in central Iran on April 25, 1980 to rescue the US embassy staff taken hostage in Tehran after the Islamic Revolution of 1979] – America will regret its action and will understand that these measures bear no fruit.

In dealing with the Islamic Republic, the US seems to have been confounded. They thought they would be able to take advantage of open economic doors and infiltrate the country through the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and by reliance on those infatuated with Liberalism.

However, with the vigilance of the Leader and that of his insightful aides and through the help of your government and the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the US plot was nipped in the bud. Today, the US which is overwhelmed is resorting to a new scheme part of which has to do with the imposition of new sanctions. Efforts to keep the oil prices at a low level with the help of its regional mercenaries in the coming months are part of another such plot.

It is expected that with your special attention, plans of the resistance-based economy will be put into effect as soon as possible so that it will be proven to the US once more that Iran is capable of developing its economy despite cruel sanctions.

Major General Mohsen Rezaei

Secretary of the Expediency Council

In line with its hostile policies and in reaction to the test-launch of Emad Missile, the US administration announced it would add the names of 11 individuals and companies related to Iran’s nuclear program to the list of sanctions.

Reacting to the US decision [which now seems to have been put off], President Rouhani told the defense minister to ensure the continued production of different types of missiles and draw up a program to boost Iran’s missile capability in case attempts at meddling were repeated.