Leader's top aide dismisses missile talks as West's "excessive demand"

The Leader's top aide for international affairs Ali Akbar Velayati strongly rejected the possibility for Iran's talks with the Western states on its missile program and renegotiation of the 2015 nuclear deal.

"Their claim that they need to negotiate with Iran on issues like missiles is an excessive demand," Velayati told reporters after a meeting with Syrian Parliament Speaker Hamoudeh Sabbagh in Tehran on Wednesday.

He also blasted the Western statesmen, specially US President Donald Trump, for their allegations of Iran's interference in the regional affairs, and said the regional states should, of course, be present in the region and the trans-regional states are not entitled to meddle in its affairs.

Asked about Trump's recent comments on the nuclear deal, Velayati said, "The nuclear deal negotiations will definitely not be repeated and nothing will be added or excluded from it. Therefore, the US president's claims are baseless."

He also strongly rejected any possibility for foreign states to visit Iran's military centers. Velayati is a senior advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in international affairs.

Earlier today, the Iranian Foreign Ministry categorically rejected as "baseless" the report released by the British newspaper, Financial Times, claiming that the European states have agreed with Iran to hold an “intensive and very serious dialogue” on Tehran’s missile program and regional influence.

EA