Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared that Iran’s ballistic missile programme is not open to negotiation, arguing that the country’s defence capabilities have prevented it from suffering the same devastation as Gaza.
Speaking during a visit to Pakistan, which has played a mediating role in discussions between Tehran and Washington aimed at securing a lasting end to the Middle East conflict, Pezeshkian said: “If the missiles we have for our defense did not exist, Israel and the United States would have ploughed Iran just like Gaza, showing no mercy to either the old or the young.”
He further insisted: “We will never negotiate with anyone, under any circumstances, ever, about our defensive capabilities.”
Before the conflict, the United States had pushed for Iran’s ballistic missile programme and its support for armed proxy groups to be included in broader negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear activities.
However, US President Donald Trump has recently appeared to adopt a less rigid position on the issue. Speaking at the G7 summit in France last week, Trump said: “I’m saying that if other countries have them, it’s a little bit unfair for them not to have some.”
