Continued Reactions to Kerry: Iran's Defense Requirements 'Outside U.S. Jurisdiction'

In response to the recent proposal by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry regarding negotiations to resolve new disputes between Tehran and the international community, including the issue of ballistic missile tests, several high-ranking Iranian officials criticized Kerry on Saturday. Iran's Defense Minister described Kerry's willingness to negotiate over the Islamic Republic's missile tests as stemming from 'American desperation and their inability to protect and support regional allies.' The deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guard also emphasized that 'discussions about Iran's defense requirements are outside U.S. jurisdiction.' According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), on Saturday, April 21, Hossein Dehghan, the Defense Minister, characterized Kerry's remarks as 'a result of American desperation and their inability to protect and support regional allies,' accusing U.S. officials of trying to sell more weapons to regional countries by 'strengthening Iranophobia.' He also accused U.S. officials of 'interfering' in the internal affairs of regional countries and 'supporting and feeding' extremist groups like ISIS and the Taliban. Dehghan stated, 'If the Americans are seeking security and comfort in the region, they have only one solution: to withdraw from there, not to support extremist movements, and not to back them.' He added, 'If Kerry reflects a bit, he would not speak such nonsense and would be less prone to forgetfulness and incorrect analysis.' John Kerry, on Thursday night after meeting with the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, referred to the concerns of Arab countries in the region and the U.S. regarding Iran's missile tests, stating that Washington and its allies are ready to cooperate with Tehran to peacefully resolve ongoing disputes, including this issue. Massoud Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, reacted to these remarks on Friday, saying that 'the Americans are dreaming of a series of JCPOAs,' including in the area of 'diminishing Iran's defensive power and weakening its missile capability.' Meanwhile, Hossein Salami, the deputy commander of the IRGC, also stated on Saturday that 'discussions about Iran's defense requirements are outside U.S. jurisdiction' and that the Islamic Republic's missile capabilities 'will never be subject to negotiation, discussion, or compromise.' According to Fars News Agency, Salami emphasized that 'the missile industry is progressing and developing according to the internal decisions of the system and under the command of' the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, and several of his close associates have emphasized the increase of Iran's missile capabilities in recent weeks.