TEHRAN – On Friday the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement insisting on Tehran’s long held policy that the Islamic Republic’s missile program is not contrary to the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and is “not negotiable”.

The resolution 2231 endorsed the July 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and P5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus German).

The statement by the Foreign Ministry came after Reuters claimed in a report on Friday that Iran has suggested to six world powers that it may be open to talks about its missile program.

“Iran considers its defensive missile program its absolute right and will continue it within the framework of defense strategies,” ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi explained.

Qassemi also said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reiterated in his meetings on the sidelines of last month’s UN General Assembly conference in New York that Iran’s missile program is non-negotiable.

In its report Reuters said, “During their meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last month, Iran told members of the (world powers) that it could discuss the missile program to remove concerns.”

Given U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to ditch the deal reached under his predecessor Barack Obama, Tehran had approached the powers recently about possible talks on some “dimensions” of its missile program, the news agency claimed.

NA/PA