US Aims to Undermine Iran’s Deterrence Power

Defense Minister Amir Hatami said enemy threats and sanctions against the Iranian missile program are aimed at undermining the country’s deterrence power.

“Threats and sanctions against [Iran’s] missile power have a completely political objective, which is to weaken the country’s deterrence power,” Hatami said on Tuesday in an address to a national defense conference, Press TV reported.

“We will not allow anybody to weaken the country’s defense prowess through legal means.”

The newly-appointed minister said all of Iran’s defense measures are in accordance with international law and regulations of the Islamic Republic, “but the world arrogant powers seek to weaken our deterrence power through fabricated interpretations.”

He urged Iranian law experts to closely examine such threats and sanctions, and adopt proportionate approaches based on international law to counter them.

Hatami also hailed the strong sense of unity and coherence among the Iranian nation and officials despite the enemy plots, saying it would increase Iran’s deterrence might.

The defense chief had said on August 20 that the missile program of the Islamic Republic would advance relentlessly, vowing to continue the activities of the country’s defense industry.

“[Iran’s] missile program will proceed according to the approved plans,” he told reporters at the time.

  Missile Program Unaffected by Pressures

Asked about western pressures on Iran to stop its missile program, Hatami said such activities “would not be affected by any type of pressure.”

Washington has on several occasions imposed new sanctions on Iran over its missile program, the most recent of which was on July 28.

The United States claims that Iran’s missile tests and rocket launches violate UN Resolution 2231, which was adopted in July 2015 to endorse the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.

Resolution 2231 calls on Iran “not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.”

Iran has strongly rejected US allegations that it has violated UN resolution. Tehran insists its missile tests and rocket launches are solely for defense purposes and not designed to carry nuclear warheads.