Kamal Kharrazi: Iran’s ballistic missiles non-negotiable; enrichment to continue

Pars Today – The head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations stressed that any negotiations with the United States must be based on the principles of equality and mutual respect.

According to Pars Today, Seyed Kamal Kharrazi, head of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations of the Islamic Republic of Iran, told CNN that adherence to equality and mutual respect is essential for any potential negotiations with the United States. He emphasized that, for the sake of clarity and a structured negotiation process, both sides must first agree on an agenda.

Kharrazi added that the Americans must take the first step and demonstrate that they are ready to engage with Iran based on the conditions Iran sets. He stated that Iran’s nuclear program is “indigenous,” rooted in the expertise and knowledge of Iranian scientists and engineers, and therefore cannot be dismantled by force.

Kharrazi called any halt to uranium enrichment unacceptable, stressing: “We must continue our enrichment, because we need to produce fuel for our power plants as well as for medical uses. So, we cannot stop uranium enrichment—but the level of enrichment can be a subject of negotiation.”

He described Iran’s ballistic missile program as non-negotiable, saying: “The only issue we are prepared to engage with the United States and others on is the nuclear issue. We will not discuss other matters, including our missile activities, and we will not neglect anything necessary to improve our missile capabilities.”

The head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations also said that if U.S. President Donald Trump were to adopt a positive approach, Iran would certainly respond in kind. “To do this, they must refrain from any use of force against Iran. They tried that before, and they now know that force does not work,” he added.