Protecting national security, which entails the development of missiles, takes priority over any other need for Iran, as it prepares to counter any potential foreign threat, a lawmaker said.
Kamal Dehqani Firouzabadi, vice chairman of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, made the statement in response to France's threats of imposing sanctions on Tehran for its ballistic missile activities, ICANA reported.
"Iran has acted in accordance with international law and the missile program is part of the country's defensive and deterrent strategy," he said.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday that his country would impose further sanctions on Iran if no progress was made in talks over its ballistic missile program.
"We are ready, if the talks don’t yield results, to apply sanctions firmly," he said.
European diplomats have told Reuters that new sanctions could include asset freezes and travel bans on Iranian officials and those involved in the ballistic missile program.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi responded by reiterating that "Iran’s missile capability is not negotiable".
"Any new sanctions by European countries would lead to a reevaluation by Iran of its interactions with those countries," he said.
According to Dehqani, it is only natural for Iran to make plans for its own security and such [military] preparation has nothing to do with other countries.
“Providing national security is a basic principle of Iran and if any country acts against us in this regard, we will take reciprocal action,” a lawmaker said in response to France’s threats to impose sanctions on Iran over its missiles
"Iran has never posed a threat to other countries and these measures, on the contrary, have always been a reaction to the potential and actual dangers facing the countries of the region and the world," he said, emphasizing that Iran is determined to defend its territorial integrity.
The lawmaker added that France's stance against Iran's defensive policies comes as a result of the United States' psychological war.
The US has introduced a set of harsh measures against Iran since US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the 2015 nuclear deal last year, saying it was flawed.
Other parties, particularly Europe, have stuck to the agreement arguing that it provides a platform for negotiation on other issues of concern.
Nevertheless, they face pressure by the US that seeks to find allies for intensifying its campaign against Iran.
"Providing national security is a basic principle of Iran and if any country acts against us in this regard, we will take reciprocal action," Dehqani said.
A UN Security Council resolution issued regarding the 2015 nuclear deal says Iran is “called upon” to refrain for up to eight years from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons.
Iran denies its missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
