![Iran's new Sayyad-3 air defence missiles seen at their new production facility, unveiled on July 22, 2017. The Sayyad-3 missiles are able to travel 75 miles and reach an altitude of 17 miles. [Iranian Ministry of Defence]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/sayyad7.jpg?fit=1067%2C800&ssl=1)
France’s foreign minister told Iran ahead of a visit to Tehran on Monday that the country needed to address concerns over its ballistic missile programme or risked new sanctions.
“There are ballistic programmes of missiles that can reach several thousand kilometres which are not compatible with UN Security Council resolutions and exceed the sole need of defending Iran’s borders,” Jean-Yves Le Drian told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper, as reported by Reuters.
He added:
If not tackled head on, this country risks new sanctions
Yesterday, a top Iranian military official said that Iran will not negotiate over its ballistic missiles until the United States and Europe dismantle their nuclear weapons, keeping up the Islamic republic’s tough stance on the issue.
Iran says its missile programme is defensive because of its deterrent nature, and that it is not related to Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers which led to the lifting of sanctions against the country.
European powers and Iran have started talks over Tehran’s role in the Middle East and will meet again this month in Italy as part of efforts to prove to US President Donald Trump that they are meeting his concerns over the 2015 nuclear deal.
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