Iranian Deputy FM Dismisses Missile Talks with Europe

"This report is not true," Araqchi said in an interview with the state radio on Monday when asked about media reports claiming that Iran has held talks with major European states on its missile program.

He also cautioned Europe about insistence on talks with Iran on missile and regional issues after inking the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran, and said, "We don’t have any specific conclusion reached in Europe yet. Some of them have this idea and think that if they make concessions to (US President Donald) Trump on issues other than the nuclear deal, they can make him remain committed to the nuclear deal."

"This is a fully wrong policy and will certainly have a reverse outcome and we have clearly said this to Europe too," Araqchi said.

In relevant remarks earlier this month, Araqchi blasted Trump's conditions for keeping the 2015 nuclear deal, stressing that the internationally-accepted agreement and his country's missile program are not negotiable.

"Our missile issue which is related to our defense capabilities and national security is neither for negotiation nor for compromise. The Americans intended to bring the missile program to the negotiations since the start of nuclear talks but they failed," Araqchi said in an interview with the state TV.

He underlined that Iran's defense capabilities are not open to negotiation at all, and said, "We will not allow the nuclear deal to be linked to other issues."

Araqchi also referred to Trump's conditions for Washington's commitment to the nuclear deal, including certain changes in the agreement, and said, "In our view, the nuclear deal is not renegotiable at all neither now nor in future. We will not renegotiate the provisions of the nuclear deal at all."

Trump avoided upending the nuclear deal with Iran that he has repeatedly disparaged, agreeing to waive key sanctions the US lifted as part of the deal but he, meantime, set a number of conditions.

Trump laid out four conditions that must be met for him to not abrogate the deal, which included increased inspections, insuring “Iran never even comes close to possessing a nuclear weapon” and that there be no expiration dates to the nuclear deal. The current one expires after a decade.

His last condition required Capitol Hill lawmakers to pass a bill unilaterally incorporating Iran’s missile program into the nuclear deal.

“The legislation must explicitly state in United States law — for the first time — that long-range missile and nuclear weapons programs are inseparable, and that Iran’s development and testing of missiles should be subject to severe sanctions,” the president’s written statement said.

“I hereby call on key European countries to join with the United States in fixing significant flaws in the deal, countering Iranian aggression, and supporting the Iranian people. If other nations fail to act during this time, I will terminate our deal with Iran,” he said. “No one should doubt my word.”