The Iranian President confirmed that Iran's missile program is not included in the MOU made with the United States and emphasized that Iran will never abandon its missile program.
On 23 June 2026, Iran's government news agency IRIB released a video statement from President Masoud Pezeshkian, stating that Iran's missiles are not part of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) made with the United States.
"Discussions about our missiles are not in the MOU and never will be," Pezeshkian said during a press conference in Pakistan.
He also defended Iran's missile program, stressing it is necessary for national defense. "If we did not have missiles to defend ourselves, Israel and the United States would have already destroyed Iran," he said.
Pezeshkian made these remarks while visiting Islamabad to discuss bilateral relations and regional development with Pakistani officials.
Last week, the U.S. officially disclosed the contents of the MOU reached with Iran, which includes 14 provisions covering the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, easing some financial restrictions on Iran, and setting a framework for future nuclear negotiations.
However, the MOU contains no terms regarding reducing or limiting Iran's missile programs or its broader defense capabilities. The only clear weapons-related restriction is Iran's commitment to not "supply or develop nuclear weapons."
Although President Donald Trump had previously cited limiting Iran's missile program as a main reason to confront Iran, his stance shifted during diplomatic talks. At last week's G7 summit, Trump stated that "missiles are not the issue" and focused solely on nuclear weapons.
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Source:cnn