According to an Iran Press report, Bahram Ghasemi speaking on Thursday said: "We are carefully monitoring the discussions at the NATO summit in Brussels, and in particular we are watching the pressures exerted by the U.S. on other NATO members. The Americans want to impose their views and policies on other NATO countries , and in particular European countries, and in our view this is regrettable."
Ghasemi pointedly added: "It is astonishing that some countries are repeating baseless and groundless accusations against Iran, year after year, insisting on something which is untrue. Will they obstinately persist with their groundless accusations ?"
Elsewhere in his remarks, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Ghasemi, said: "The United Nations nuclear watchdog , the International Atomic Energy Agency, has repeatedly endorsed all of Iran's nuclear activities, confirming the honouring of all of Iran's commitments and obligations under the JCPOA . NATO countries are no doubt aware of the fact that the IAEA has repeatedly endorsed all of Iran's nuclear activities."
Turning to Iran's deterrent military power, Ghasemi said: "NATO's concerns about Iran's missile programme is not justified since this is a purely defensive programme , meant to deter any aggression against the country. Iran's missile programme is conventional and purely defensive , it does not in anyway contravene the UN security council resolution 2231 , and indeed, Iran, just like other independent nations of the world, does have the right to own a conventional missile defence programme, which is meant to deter any would-be aggressors , and defend the interests, territory, and the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Expressions of concern from NATO, will not stop us from further strengthening, modernising and updating our conventional missile defences, which acts as a deterrent in relation to any would-be aggressor."
