Iran’s Drone & Ballistic Projects Unconnected to EU Goodwill

By: Kayhan Int’l

The recent announcement by the so-called “Big 3” of the European Union to persist with their illegal sanctions against Iran’s ballistic missiles project even after their expiry on 18 October 2023, was not a matter of surprise for either the Islamic Republic or the people of Iran, who are fully aware of the animosity of the West since 1979.

France, Britain, and Germany have never been friends of the Muslim Ummah in general and of the Iranian nation in particular as is borne out by their atrocities in the Levant during the Crusader Wars and later during the colonial era in Africa, the Subcontinent, and other parts of the world.

Their present policies, which are dedicated to Zionism, the propagation of the myth of the holocaust, survival of the usurper entity called Israel, and sheltering of criminals fleeing justice from Iran, are continuation of the legacy of the past; hence it was understood in Iran that these three countries which along with the US never fulfilled their obligations to the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA), will never abide by any rule concerning the Islamic Republic.

The UN sanctions, which were also illegal and politicization of a purely technical issue regarding Iran’s right to enrich uranium for its peaceful nuclear project, are due to be lifted on as part of a clause that allows Iran to import and export ballistic missiles, including missiles and drones with a range of 300km or more.

The pretext of the EU Big 3 is that Iran allegedly bars inspectors of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from monitoring its nuclear installations.

Nothing could be far from the truth. As a matter of fact, no country, other than Iran, has given such extensive facilities to the IAEA to install cameras at sensitive centres for round-the-clock inspection of activities, which time and again have been certified as peaceful. 

Following the US breach of the 2015 Geneva Accord and the failure of Paris, London, and Berlin, to honour their own commitments, the Islamic Republic had every right as per the clauses of the JCPOA to upgrade enrichment in accordance with the country’s requirements in the various industrial fields, in addition to disconnecting the IAEA cameras whose footage was being criminally passed on to nuclear-armed Israel.

To be more precise, several of the IAEA-assigned inspectors were under instructions from the US, France, Britain, and Germany, to spy on behalf of Israel, and provide information that will sabotage Iran’s nuclear sites.

Thus, anyone with an iota of brain should conclude that Iran should not be obligated to adhere to any part of the deal that the other party has unilaterally withdrawn from, in violation of the JCPOA clauses.

At any rate, whether or not the EU Big 3 lift their sanctions by October 18, Iran, whose drone and ballistic missile projects are homegrown and do not depend on imports from the West, will continue to upgrade its defence capabilities to the highest possible levels, coupled with fitting response to the designs of its enemies.

As for exports, this is a matter relating to the Islamic Republic’s sovereignty and security whether at home and abroad, and depending upon circumstances the necessary steps will be taken in accordance with its principled foreign policy to defend against the terrorism and destabilizing designs of both the state and non-state actors.