Iran to boost missile power in snub to US

German Chancellor Angela Merkel LONDON: Iran will strengthen its missile capabilities and will not seek permission from any country to do so, President Hassan Rouhani said yesterday in an undisguised snub to demands by United States President Donald Trump.

Rouhani’s comments at a military event added to rising tensions between Teheran and Washington over the Islamic Republic’s regional policies.

At the annual United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump accused Iran of building “dangerous” missiles and exporting violence to Yemen, Syria and other parts of the region.

He also criticised the 2015 pact struck by Iran and six major world powers under which Teheran agreed to restrict its nuclear programme in return for loosening economic sanctions.

In a defiant speech in Teheran addressing a parade of armed forces, Rouhani said Iran would not stop boosting its military forces.

“We will increase our military power as a deterrent. We will strengthen our missile capabilities... We will not seek permission from anyone to defend our country,” he said in a speech broadcast on state television.

“All countries in the world supported the nuclear deal in the UN General Assembly this year… except the US and the Zionist regime (Israel).”

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had said the agreement must be changed or the US could not stick with it.

Iran had said its nuclear accord could not be renegotiated.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the tension on the Korean peninsula underlined the importance of the Iranian deal. Reuters