A senior lawmaker said the Majlis will continue to throw its weight behind the policy of developing Iran's missile program as the best way of increasing the country's deterrent power.
In an interview with IRIB News Agency on Friday, Chairman of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said the parliament will make efforts to ensure sufficient budget will be allocated to Iran's missile program, because missiles are the most effective deterrence against Tehran's enemies.
"The Majlis strongly believes that Iran's missile program is intertwined with its national security," he said. "As a country that does not seek to build nuclear bombs and opposes weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons, if Iran does not demonstrate strong missile power, enemies will be encouraged to attack it."
Pointing to a recent letter by the US, Britain, France and Germany to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the latest tests of Iran's ballistic missiles on March 9, Boroujerdi criticized the West for interfering in Iran's domestic affairs.
"The stance of the US, Britain, France and Germany is not logical at all," he said. "Iran's ballistic missiles tests are not a violation of international law and [UN] resolutions."
Reuters reported last Wednesday that in their letter, the four western countries said Iran's recent ballistic tests are "in defiance of" UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which was adopted last July endorsing a historic nuclear deal between Iran and world powers clinched earlier in the month which led to the removal of international sanctions on the country in exchange for temporary curbs on its nuclear program.
The resolution asks Iran to refrain from any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear warheads.
The letter claimed missiles used in the recent launches were "inherently capable of delivering nuclear weapons", a charge that Iran strongly rejects, and asked that the Security Council discuss "appropriate responses" to Tehran's alleged failure to comply with its obligations.
Unchangeable Policy
Boroujerdi said, "We advise these countries not to make vain efforts, since Iran's policy on its missile program will never change."
The chairman added that the global community is aware that Iranian missiles are only meant to be a deterrent and no country will face the threat of Iran's missile attacks.
In a related development, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Saturday the new anti-Iran measure has no legal basis and is a result of ill will.
Larijani noted that Iran has no plan for developing a nuclear bomb and none of its ballistic missiles is developed to carry nuclear weapons.
