Iran's President Pageishkian States Missile Program Not Part of MOU

Islamabad. Iran's missile program is not part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the US-Iran and will not be in the future, Iranian President Masoud Pageishkian has said. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, Pageishkian said, 'There is no discussion about our missiles in the MOU, and there never will be.'

He asserted that Iran's missile program is essential for national security. According to him, if Iran did not have missiles to defend itself, Israel and the US would have caused serious damage to Iran. Pageishkian made these remarks during his visit to Pakistan. During the visit, he discussed bilateral relations and the regional situation with high-ranking Pakistani officials.

Last week, the US released the official text of the MOU with Iran. The 14-point document released by a senior US administration official includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing some financial sanctions on Iran, and advancing technical talks regarding Iran's nuclear program.

The released document does not mention any restrictions on Iran's missile program or broader defense capabilities. The only commitment explicitly mentioned in the document regarding weapons is Iran's promise not to build or acquire nuclear weapons. Earlier, US President Donald Trump had presented Iran's missile program as a major reason for US military action.

However, his stance appears to have changed somewhat during recent diplomatic talks. At the G-7 summit held last week, Trump indicated that the main concern in the dispute with Iran was the nuclear program, stating that the problem was not missiles.