US unhappy with Iran defense capability: Professor

Press TV has conducted an interview with Foad Izadi, a professor at the University of Tehran, about the significance of Iran’s large-scale missile drills, which are held in different locations across the country.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Please give us your thoughts on the significance of these recent drills.

Izadi: Well, there is no significance. These are, basically, a country testing missiles. These are conventional missiles and all countries have the right to exercise their right of self-defense.

The fact that this is number one news in your bulletin is because we have countries like the United States that object whenever Iran is testing a missile. And it’s the same country, the United States that threatens to attack Iran militarily when they talk about all options being on the table, when they talk about using the military option against Iran.

When you look at the rhetoric that’s coming out of the US presidential candidates, you realize that we are still dealing with a very dangerous country –  the United States. So, Iran has done nothing wrong. Iran is basically doing what all other countries in the world do, they engage in exercises and they test missiles.

And if someone is not happy with that, they should realize that Iran has not done anything wrong. We do have a UN Resolution 2231 that talks about Iran’s missiles but the resolution talks about missiles and ballistic missiles that are designed to deliver nuclear weapons.

As you know, Iran never had nuclear weapons. Based on JCPOA, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. Iran never wanted to have a nuclear weapon to start with. And the missiles that we have, the ballistic capability of Iran is not designed to carry nuclear weapons, because Iran never had and never will have nuclear weapons.

So, Iran has basically done what Iran needs to do to make sure that Iran is able to defend itself in a very hostile environment.

Press TV: Well, there may not be significance for the drills in terms of performing the routine exercises but the indigenous factor of Iran’s deterrent power and the arsenal that was put on display is always worth acknowledging, don’t you think?

Izadi: That is what makes some countries like the United States unhappy, because this is indigenous, because Iran is not buying these missiles from other countries, because Iran is capable of defending itself that is what makes some people in the other side of the world unhappy.

They like countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. Countries that cannot defend themselves and Iran is in that category ... Iran is able to defend itself and that is the real problem we have.

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