Iran's Reaction to France: If New Sanctions Are Imposed, We Will Reassess Our Interactions

In response to the warning from the French Foreign Minister regarding Iran's missile program, Iran announced that if Europe imposes sanctions on Tehran, the Islamic Republic will reconsider its relations with them. Bahram Qasemi, the spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, reiterated on Friday, January 25, that the Islamic Republic's missile program is defensive and will be strengthened as it is the 'guarantee of security' for the country. He further stated, 'Iran's missile capability is non-negotiable, and this point has been communicated to the French side during ongoing political discussions between Iran and France.' Just hours before these statements, Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, warned Iran that if discussions regarding its ballistic missile program do not yield results, Paris is prepared to impose decisive sanctions against the Islamic Republic. However, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson described these remarks as 'contrary to the spirit governing political discussions and cooperation between the two countries.' Qasemi added, 'Any new sanctions from European countries will lead Iran to reconsider its manner of interactions with these countries.' Previously, Reuters reported, citing European diplomats, that France, the UK, and the European Union are considering new sanctions against Iran targeting its missile program, which would include freezing the assets of certain Iranian officials and imposing travel bans on commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Radio Farda also reported, citing informed sources in the EU, that the union will soon publish its summary regarding the nuclear agreement with Iran, the country's role in the region, and its missile program, expressing concerns about the latter two issues. However, Europe continues to support the nuclear agreement with Iran.