A commentary published by Reuters on Monday says Iran is unlikely to agree to any restrictions on its missile program, no matter what punitive measures Europeans adopt. From Tehran’s point of view, the missile program is a question of self-preservation, particularly because decades of western sanctions have prevented Iran from building up a powerful air force, it says. In a last-ditch attempt to save the Iran nuclear deal ahead of US President Donald Trump’s May 12 deadline, Washington’s European allies have rushed to address the US administration’s main objections to the historic agreement. One of the most contentious of these they claim is the accord’s “failure” to restrict Iran’s ballistic missile program Decades of deep-rooted mistrust and institutionalized hostility between the Islamic Republic and western powers have convinced Iranian leaders that the more they retreat and compromise, the more their rivals will advance and demand, the commentary adds. Even if Iran accedes to talks over its missile program under growing international pressure, expectations of such talks leading to a “qualitative” reduction or modification of Tehran’s missile program are “naive and unrealistic,” it concludes.
