This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
Iranian President Hassan Rohani has vowed that Tehran will not abandon its missiles, despite U.S. pressure.
Rohani made the remark in a speech carried live by state television that marked the start of the 1980-88 Iran Iraq war.
“Iran will not abandon its defensive weapons…including its missiles that make America so angry,” Rohani said.
Iran has ballistic missiles with a range of up to 3,500 kilometers, enough to reach both Israel and U.S. bases in the Middle East.
Iran’s missile program was cited by U.S. President Donald Trump when he withdrew the United States from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers under which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
In his speech on September 22, Rohani said Trump will fail in his confrontation with Iran just like Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, referring to the 1980s war between the two Middle Eastern countries.
“The same will happen to Trump. America will suffer the same fate as Saddam Hussein,” Rohani said.
