Mr. Ali Akbar Velayati, Head of Strategic Research Center of the Expediency Council told a Basij ceremony on Wednesday that the country would not seek permission from anyone in preparing for defense of itself; “the US is not in a place to set conditions on Iran’s missile program which seeks purely defensive ends; Iran is the cradle of civilization and has been influential in international developments; for self-sufficiency in such a country, we need defensive means, part of which is missile program,” he added.
Former FM also said that Iran would test-fire ‘any sort of missiles’ whenever it understood as expedient, defying any propaganda and pressure. Velayati addressed Donald Trump of the US indirectly; “the new US president seems to work to create divide among international community rather than working for Americans’ collective good; someone should brief him about his position,” he added.
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