Iran won't negotiate on defense issues 'under any circumstances'
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Tehran has rejected recent comments by European officials who propose that Iran negotiates "defense issues" with foreign nations.
“The Americans should know that Iran will not negotiate with anyone about its missile and defense issues under any circumstances,” Alaeddin Boroujerdi told Iran's Tasnim news agency.
Boroujerdi is the chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission and was asked on Sunday about European Union support for the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), as some of its officials have talked about splitting the agreement between missile and nuclear restrictions.
“We have repeatedly declared that our defense issues have nothing to do with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and nuclear talks and that the issue is among our red lines,” Boroujerdi said.
US President Donald Trump begrudgingly recertified the nuclear deal on October 13. Trump has said he wants the agreement scrapped or renegotiated. Other signees, including Britain, France, and Germany, issued a joint statement urging the United States to keep with the deal. Trump's secretaries of state and defense have also encouraged the president to continue to certify the agreement.
The landmark nuclear deal was reached between Iran and permanent members of the UN Security Council as well as the European Union (China, France, Russia, the UK and the US) plus Germany (P5+1) under former President Barack Obama's administration in July 2015 and came into effect in January 2016.
As part of the JCPOA, the US President must recertify Iran’s adherence for the deal to US congress every three months in exchange for the removal of many international economic sanctions.
“The Americans should know that Iran will not negotiate with anyone about its missile and defense issues under any circumstances,” Alaeddin Boroujerdi told Iran's Tasnim news agency.
Boroujerdi is the chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission and was asked on Sunday about European Union support for the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), as some of its officials have talked about splitting the agreement between missile and nuclear restrictions.
“We have repeatedly declared that our defense issues have nothing to do with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and nuclear talks and that the issue is among our red lines,” Boroujerdi said.
US President Donald Trump begrudgingly recertified the nuclear deal on October 13. Trump has said he wants the agreement scrapped or renegotiated. Other signees, including Britain, France, and Germany, issued a joint statement urging the United States to keep with the deal. Trump's secretaries of state and defense have also encouraged the president to continue to certify the agreement.
The landmark nuclear deal was reached between Iran and permanent members of the UN Security Council as well as the European Union (China, France, Russia, the UK and the US) plus Germany (P5+1) under former President Barack Obama's administration in July 2015 and came into effect in January 2016.
As part of the JCPOA, the US President must recertify Iran’s adherence for the deal to US congress every three months in exchange for the removal of many international economic sanctions.