Pakistan and Iran assert ballistic missiles never part of US negotiations

Pakistan and Iran have jointly declared that Iran's ballistic missile program was never part of negotiations with the United States. Speaking alongside Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Islamabad, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated unequivocally that missiles were not on the table. The remarks come amid ongoing peace talks mediated by Pakistan between Tehran and Washington.

Key statements

• Shehbaz Sharif: "Permítanme decir, sin temor a contradicciones, que los misiles balísticos nunca fueron objeto de discusión entre Irán y Estados Unidos. No estuvieron sobre la mesa en absoluto." Source: Infobae
• Masoud Pezeshkian: "Nuestro programa de misiles no estuvo incluido en el memorando de entendimiento y no se incluirá en él." He further warned that without its missile capabilities, Iran "habría sido saqueado, destruido y arrasado por el régimen de EE.UU. y el régimen sionista." Source: Diario Libre

Implications for peace process

Sharif cautioned that linking Iran's arsenal to the peace deal would create "retrasos, dudas e interrogantes innecesarios." The cease-fire framework was reached after technical meetings in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, and the agenda agreed with the Trump administration never included Iran's deterrent capacity. Source: Infobae