Iran Excludes Missile Program from US Negotiations

On Thursday, Iran declared that its missile program is not included in future negotiations with the United States. This statement was made by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei during an interview with Iranian state television.

The announcement comes after U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a memorandum of understanding earlier that day, aimed at establishing a framework to end regional conflicts that have escalated since February 28 due to U.S.-Israeli strikes.

While the agreement lays the groundwork for detailed negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program and sanctions relief, it notably does not address Iran's missile program, which has long been a concern for Washington and its ally, Israel. Baqaei emphasized that Iran's missile capabilities are defensive and will not be part of the negotiation process.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned that Iran must negotiate regarding its ballistic missile arsenal, which Washington views as a threat to Israel and U.S. military bases in the region.