Ghasemi Calls NATO's Concerns Over Iran's Missile Program 'Baseless'

Bahram Ghasemi, the spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reacted on Thursday, July 21, to the statement from the NATO summit. The spokesperson stated: "The concerns expressed by NATO member countries regarding Iran's missile program are completely baseless and unfounded. The missile program of the Islamic Republic of Iran not only does not violate Resolution 2231, but is entirely conventional and defensive, and Iran, like all independent countries in the world, has the right to possess all conventional military-defensive programs to defend its interests, people, and the integrity of its country." He emphasized: "Such unfounded expressions of concern will certainly have no impact on our country's policy to maintain, develop, and strengthen our defensive missile capabilities and programs." NATO leaders had expressed concern the previous day about the intensification of Iran's missile tests aimed at increasing the range and accuracy of its ballistic missiles. In another part of the NATO leaders' statement, Iran was urged to refrain from all actions that do not comply with Resolution 2231 of the United Nations Security Council and its annexes. Iran and six world powers reached an agreement on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in July 2015. Under this agreement, Iran suspended many of its nuclear activities, and in return, international nuclear sanctions against Iran were suspended or lifted. Resolution 2231 of the Security Council, issued after the Vienna nuclear agreement to endorse it, called on Iran to refrain from developing ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. In response to NATO leaders' concerns about "Iran's destabilizing activities throughout the Middle East," Bahram Ghasemi stated: "The Islamic Republic of Iran has always sought cooperation and dialogue within the region with its neighbors and believes in it, and has not shied away from any opportunity to engage in these dialogues with its neighbors in any form." Meanwhile, U.S. officials accuse Iran of being the root cause of most problems in the Middle East. They refer to issues such as Iran's support for Bashar al-Assad's government in the Syrian civil war or military support for Houthi Shiite rebels in the Yemeni civil war. NATO leaders also condemned Iran's support for various armed militant groups in the Middle East. The NATO leaders' statement also called on Iran to play a constructive role in helping to establish peace in the region and countering terrorist actions.