Iran's missile capability not negotiable: Velayati

Tehran, Dec 15, IRNA - Iran's missile capability is not for bargain, Head of Strategic Research Department of the Expediency Council Ali Akbar Velayati said on Monday. 'Iran's missile capability is used as a deterrent factor and Tehran needs no permission from anyone for boosting its defensive power,' Velayati said while addressing a local ceremony here. The official denied Western media claims that Iran has converted parts of its low enriched stockpile to oxide in order to use it as a precondition for extension of the talks. The negotiations were extended upon US demand and that even surprised US allies present in the talks, Velayati said. He added aparantly, the US President Barack Obama has no power anymore to decide about the country's foreign policy regarding the G5+1 negotiations with Iran. Velayati noted that Iran would not give up its right for using nuclear energy for peaceful and industrial purposes. In their last round of talks, Iran and its negotiating partners, the G5+1 countries – Russia, China, France, Britain, the US and Germany – wrapped up a week of intense closed-door nuclear negotiations in Vienna on November 24. The talks aimed at removing the remaining obstacles on the way of reaching a comprehensive final agreement. At the end of the talks, the two sides decided to extend their discussions for seven months (July 1st, 2015)./end