Iran Rejects France's Proposal for Negotiations on Its Missile Activities

One day after the French Foreign Minister called on Iran to agree to negotiations regarding the future of the nuclear deal as well as its missile and regional activities, the Iranian Foreign Ministry rejected negotiations on these matters. According to the official news agency of the Islamic Republic, IRNA, Bahram Qasemi, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated on Friday, September 9, that under the current circumstances, 'there is no reason, necessity, credibility, or trust left for negotiations, especially on non-negotiable topics.' Bahram Qasemi accused European officials of being unable to take significant action to preserve an international agreement, referring to the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA. Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, stated on Thursday that Iran cannot avoid negotiations and must discuss three topics: nuclear commitments after 2025, its missile activities, and its role in establishing stability in the Middle East. In response, Bahram Qasemi rejected negotiations on all three topics, asserting that the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA led to a loss of trust for the Islamic Republic, claiming that Iran's regional policy is 'in line with peace and security,' and that the Islamic Republic's missile program is 'absolutely non-negotiable.' Iran's rejection of negotiations regarding its ballistic missile program and the JCPOA comes as Reuters reported that Iran has transferred dozens of ballistic missiles and related launchers to Iraq and intends to 'turn Iraq into its missile base.' Iran has yet to respond to this report. U.S. President Donald Trump explained the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA earlier this year, stating that the nuclear agreement did not contribute to world peace and that the Islamic Republic continued to develop ballistic missiles and engage in destabilizing activities in the region, violating the spirit of the JCPOA. The three European countries that signed the JCPOA, France, the UK, and Germany, have also stated that while they remain committed to the JCPOA, they share 'common concerns with the U.S. regarding Iran's missile activities and its actions in the region.' Iran's rejection of France's proposal for new negotiations marks the second conflict between the two countries in the past week. Reuters had previously reported on a document in which the French Foreign Ministry requested its diplomats and officials to avoid 'unnecessary travel' to Iran. The document stated that following the thwarting of a bombing plan at a rally of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization in Paris and Iran's possible involvement in that plan, relations between the two countries have cooled, prompting 'Islamic Republic officials to express harsh positions against Paris.' Iran has previously denied any connection to the bombing plot in Paris and has also denied Reuters' report regarding travel restrictions for French officials to Tehran.