Iran's Khamenei calls for mass missile production - http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=17431
Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei describes Western expectations for Iran to curb its missile development as "stupid and idiotic" * Nuclear talks to resume in Vienna on Tuesday
Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has described as "stupid and idiotic" Western expectations for his country to curb its missile development, striking a defiant tone ahead of a fresh round of nuclear talks.
Khamenei called on Iran's Revolutionary Guards to mass produce missiles, and said the nuclear negotiations were not the place to discuss Iran's defense program or to solve the problem of sanctions damaging the Iranian economy.
"They expect us to limit our missile program while they constantly threaten Iran with military action," Khamenei was quoted as telling the IRNA news agency while on a visit to an aeronautics fair held by the Revolutionary Guards on Sunday.
"So this is a stupid, idiotic expectation. ... The revolutionary guards should definitely carry out their program and not be satisfied with the present level. They should mass produce. This is a main duty of all military officials."
Iran and the United States, France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia will reconvene in Vienna on Tuesday to try to iron out differences over how to end a long standoff over suspicions that Iran has sought the means to develop nuclear weapons.
While missiles are not at the heart of the talks over Iran's nuclear work, which center on the production of fissile material usable in atomic bombs, Western countries would like them discussed at the nuclear discussions.
Iran has one of the biggest missile programs in the Middle East, viewing it as an essential precautionary defense against the United States and other adversaries such as Israel.
The United States and its allies are concerned that such missiles could potentially carry nuclear warheads.
Iran denies accusations that it is seeking a capability to make nuclear weapons. It insists that the missiles are part of its conventional armed forces and rules out including them on the agenda of the nuclear discussions.
Khamenei's comments appeared at odds with more conciliatory remarks earlier by President Hassan Rouhani, who said he wanted Iran to do a better job of explaining its nuclear program to prevent "evil-minded" people misleading world opinion.
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