Baku, Azerbaijan, July 18
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
A senior IRGC commander has criticized predicted limitations for the Islamic Republic on access to ballistic missiles.
"Supporting the country's nuclear negotiators does not mean that we will accept all the terms of the counter side," Rasul Sanai Rad, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Political Bureau said.
Iran's military power, including the issue of access to ballistic missiles is not a topic for talks, Sanai Rad said, Iran's Fars news agency reported July 18.
The nuclear talks should not prepare a ground for West's interference in the Islamic Republic's military issues, he added.
The UN Security Council is due to vote on July 20 a draft resolution endorsing the deal reached on Iran's nuclear program. If adopted, the resolution aims to lift sanctions against Iran but will retain a UN arms embargo for five years and a ban on ballistic missiles for eight years.
Sanai Rad said that the draft resolution should be revised and its contents regarding the arm embargo should be changed.
However any change on the resolution is unlikely while it is prepared based on the final nuclear deal which Iran and the P5+1(China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany) signed in Vienna on July 14.
It is the first time that a senior Iranian official makes clear statements against the comprehensive nuclear deal.
Sanai Rad further said that the US side is not reliable, adding nuclear talks with the West should not be considered as giving up the national interests.
Follow the author on Twitter: @UmidNiayesh