Tehran, IRNA – Vice-President for Strategic Affairs Mohammad-Javad Zarif has hailed Iran’s missile capabilities, saying the Islamic Republic is no longer dependent on others in terms of its defense.
Zarif was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the screening of the film ‘God of War’ at Tehran’s iconic Milad Tower on Sunday.
“Once we begged to be given a missile, but today we are building it ourselves; this is the pride of our country,” the Iranian Vice-President said.
He also hinted at nuclear negotiations with several world powers that led to the signing of a landmark deal in 2015, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“We did not talk about missiles during (JCPOA) negotiations, but we also said on the sidelines of those negotiations that once we begged for a missile, but now we are building it ourselves, which is the pride of our country,” Zarif said.
Elaborating on missile capabilities, he said that Iran has shown to the world that it can build missiles on its own and can use them in accordance with the rules of war and religious principles.
But the issue of nuclear weapons is a completely different matter and the Leader’s religious decree has already closed this issue forever, the vice-president further said, rejecting long-standing Western claims that Iran has been in pursuit of nukes.
Referring to Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, the founding father of Iran’s missile power, Zarif called him “the pride of the country”.
“We are all forever indebted to the martyrs and their families. We are proud of those great men who made so many sacrifices and gave up everything and were able to defend their country,” he added.
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