Velayati Warns Macron against Meddling in Iran’s Internal Affairs
A senior Iranian official has advised French President Emmanuel Macron against meddling in Iran’s internal affairs, including such strategic issues as the Iranian defense program.
Ali Akbar Velayati, who advises Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on international affairs, made the remark in an interview with IRIB News after Macron said Iran’s ballistic missile program had “to be curtailed.”
Velayati said, “It is not in Mr. Macron and France’s interest to interfere in the missile issue and the Islamic Republic’s strategic affairs, on which we are very sensitive.”
“Such interference will have no impact other than diminishing the French government’s credibility in Iran’s eye,” Velayati said, according to Press TV.
“How does the (missile) issue concern Mr. Macron? Who is he to interfere in the first place?” he said.
Velayati said Iran would ask no one for permission to have or not to have missiles or to assign what range to those missiles.
‘Go de Gaulle’s way’
He advised Macron, France’s youngest leader since Napoleon, to follow in the footsteps of the late French ruler General Charles de Gaulle by adopting a stance of “semi-independence” in his foreign policy.
Velayati said Iran would say no to any proposal to enter into negotiations on its missile program.
“No country,” he said, “would bargain over its national interests.”
In a November 11 visit to Saudi Arabia, Macron had also said he was “very concerned” about Iran’s ballistic missile program, adding, “There are negotiations we need to start on Iran’s ballistic missiles.”
H.M