Iran says it will not negotiate with the US just because of pressure
On December 11, Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Mohammad Ali Jafari said that US pressure could not bring Iran back to the negotiating table to discuss outstanding issues.
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| A Sayad missile of Iran's Talash system is test-fired during an air defense drill at an undisclosed location on November 5, 2018. Photo: AFP/ VNA |
Last October, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced that Iran would not sit at the negotiating table with the US to discuss outstanding issues, given that conditions were not yet ripe.
Last May, the US announced its withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed in 2015 between Tehran and the P5+1 group (UK, France, Russia, US, China and Germany), and reimposed sanctions on the Islamic country.
Some of the US sanctions targeting sectors such as car manufacturing and trade in gold and other precious metals were restored two months ago.
The remaining sanctions, which officially took effect on November 4, target the energy sector and oil-related transactions as well as transactions by the Central Bank of Iran.
In addition to the above sanctions, the US government is also looking for ways to isolate Tehran.
On December 11, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reaffirmed that United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 does not ban Iran's missile program.
Speaking to Tasnim news agency, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said "as foreign minister, I can clearly say that the (Iranian) missile issue has never been a subject of negotiations and there is nothing in Resolution 2231 that prohibits Iran from developing a missile program," while asserting that "Iran's defense doctrine is based on deterrence and defense, not offense."
Earlier in the day, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed that it had conducted a recent ballistic missile test.
On December 1, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also said that Iran "just tested a medium-range ballistic missile" and this violated Resolution 2231 of the United Nations Security Council.
Also on December 11, the head of the IRGC's Space Unit, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, said Iran's recent missile test was "important and we will continue to conduct tests."
Up to now, Iran has repeatedly emphasized that its missile program is for deterrence purposes and will not give up this missile development program./.
