Iran's Missiles Are Defensive and Must Remain

The most natural right of any country in the international system is the right to defend its borders and national security. The inherently defensive nature of Iran's missile capacity, its tactical capabilities, and the necessity to maintain it at any cost, even amid ongoing sanctions, is a national imperative. In the final hours of one of the deadlines set for concluding nuclear negotiations, the issue of lifting or continuing sanctions against Iran's missile capacity remains one of the key deterrents. Prior to the recent media coverage of sanctions against Iran's missile capacity, this topic had also been raised in previous nuclear talks, and representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran reportedly opposed bringing it up in the negotiations. Unlike "uranium enrichment," which is an "artificial right" attributed to the people and lacks national value, defensive capabilities are an unqualified national right, and Iran's missile capacity falls within this definition. Contrary to all definitions and analyses that attempt to create doubt and portray a different image, Iran's missile capacity is a key part of its preventive (or retaliatory) defense capabilities against external threats to Iran's integrity and security, and its existence and even development must be defended at any cost, regardless of political and ideological differences. Iran's missile capabilities do not have domestic targets and cannot be used under any circumstances against the demands of the people—Iran's political and security situation is not comparable to that of Syria and Libya. In addition to the diverse ethnic nature that is a legacy of the Iranian empire and a remnant of closed societies (the administration of satrapies, the leadership of tribes, and clans that avoided mixing with neighbors and particularly cultural, linguistic, and religious participation and mixing), two components are significant in Iran's defensive situation: 1- The number of 15 neighboring countries surrounding Iran, making it the most neighborly country in the world in this regard. 2- The existence of territorial disputes with more than 8 countries, which places Iran more than any other country in a position of claim against its neighbors. If the threats to Iran's integrity and unity from within have been exaggerated for political reasons and preferences, the external threats to Iran's national security are real, and the military invasion of Iraq in 1980 can be seen as a clear symbol of this. The eight-year war with Iraq remains in a state of ceasefire, and the situation has not returned to peace and the conditions for the official acceptance of the 1975 Algiers Agreement— the UAE claims three islands of Iran in the Persian Gulf, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have disputes over the division of the Persian Gulf's waters and oil and gas resources with Iran—this situation is also seen in relation to Oman—Afghanistan continues to evade the implementation of the Helmand water division agreement—and of course, the issue of dividing the Caspian Sea waters with Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan is a real issue, and the flight of two Iranian military aircraft over a BP exploratory ship and the military maneuver of 10,000 Russian troops in the Caspian Sea has also taken place and is real. As a result, Iran's defensive vulnerabilities against external threats are a real issue directly related to the existence and integrity of Iran, and for this clear reason, they cannot and should not be compromised. Iran had one of the strongest conventional (non-nuclear) defense capacities in the world 40 years ago with the acquisition of 400 advanced fighter jets. Iran's defense force was considered a factor of balance of power, maintaining peace in the region, and increasing security in the world. Following the hostage-taking of American political representatives in Tehran in the early months after the fall of the monarchy and the Islamic government's involvement in the war with Iraq, Iran has been subjected to Western arms sanctions for the past 36 years and has thus been unable to modernize its military tools and equipment. Due to the reduced financial power of the government compared to previous administrations and of course neglecting to address Iran's defense needs, particularly spending defense resources on two parallel forces (the army and the IRGC), and consequently attracting unnecessary military budgets in administrative sectors instead of providing military equipment and tools, Iran's defense forces have been on a path of weakness rather than growth over the past four decades. At the same time, other countries in the region (with a few exceptions like Iraq and Afghanistan) have generally been strengthening their defense capabilities. As a result, Iran's external defense power has been declining relative to its land area and population compared to neighboring countries. The imbalance of power in the region—especially considering the situation of territorial claims—can lead not only to destabilizing borders and threatening Iran's security but also to increasing instability in the region. In line with the reduction of Iran's air force power in the midst of the war with Iraq, the purchase and then production of Russian Scud missiles began at a very basic point in Iran. This capacity has made Iran one of the two missile powers in the region alongside Israel over the past 15 years—while Israel, in addition to increasing its air force power, reportedly possesses around 200 nuclear warheads and other asymmetric warfare tools. Currently, the most advanced missile in Iran's possession is the Sajil, with a solid-fuel engine that cannot pose a security threat to Europe if carrying a 1000 kg warhead. Iran's missile capacity, if not using weapons of mass destruction in its warheads (nuclear, biological, and chemical), is tactical and purely defensive. According to foreign sources, only one billion dollars has been spent on Iran's missile industries since 2000, while the value of just one B-2 bomber aircraft from the U.S. is estimated at 2 billion dollars, and the value of an F-22 Raptor fighter jet is estimated at around 200 to 300 million dollars based on the use of special equipment. Iran's missile capacity belongs to the Iranian people and is their defensive tool against existing external threats. It is the responsibility of the current government to preserve and develop Iran's missile capacity until the lifting of military equipment sales to Iran, especially in conditions where neighboring countries are armed to the teeth with the most advanced military tools, and at the same time, to create the grounds for lifting the arms sales sanctions. Maintaining Iran's missile capacity is a defensive necessity and is considered the legitimate right of the people, and especially in normal conditions (after reaching a comprehensive nuclear agreement), maintaining and developing it is not contrary to any international laws.