A senior Iranian commander has slammed the United States for "attempting to get concessions from Iran in the ongoing nuclear talks", stressing that Tehran will not allow Washington to overstep its red lines.
"Although the US is well aware that Iran considers its defense and military achievements as the red lines that could not be crossed, it seeks to pile up pressure on the Iranian negotiating team and get concessions in the nuclear talks by bringing up such issues," deputy chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri said, Iran's Press TV reported on May 19.
The general further warned that the Islamic Republic would not allow the Americans and other parties to cross its red lines.
"In the issue of nuclear energy and sanctions against Iran, the US has made a strategic mistake based on a strategic illusion, imagining it can make the Islamic Republic change its behavior," Jazayeri said.
In recent months, some American officials have said Iran's missile program would be addressed under a final deal over Tehran's nuclear energy program.
Iran and the P5+1 - the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - are currently in talks in an effort to reach a permanent agreement aimed at resolving the dispute between the West and Tehran over the latter's nuclear program.
The U.S. and its Western allies suspect Iran of developing a nuclear weapon - something that Iran denies. The Islamic Republic has on numerous occasions stated that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, using nuclear energy for medical research instead.
The two sides wrapped up their latest round of talks in the Austrian capital Vienna on May 16.
Earlier this month, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the Western expectation that the Islamic Republic limit its missile power is a "stupid" idea, stressing, "They (the West) expect limits to Iran's missile program while persistently threatening Iran with military [action]."