Israel says Iran missiles, nuclear programme were key targets in June war
\n Tehran
\nIran insisted on Monday that its missile programme was defensive in nature and designed to dissuade attack, while adding the existence of its arsenal was not up for debate.
\nIsrael had presented Iran\u2019s ballistic missiles, along with its nuclear programme, as the two main threats it sought to neutralise during the 12-day war the foes fought in June.
\n\u201cIran\u2019s missile programme was developed to defend Iran\u2019s territory, not for negotiation,\u201d foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said at a weekly press conference.
\n\u201cTherefore, Iran\u2019s defense capabilities, designed to deter aggressors from any thought of attacking Iran, are not a matter that could be talked about.\u201d
\nIran\u2019s ballistic capabilities put Israel within striking distance, and after Israel\u2019s unprecedented attacks that sparked the war in June, Tehran responded with waves of missiles and drones launched at Israeli cities.
\nAccording to US broadcaster NBC, Israel is growing increasingly concerned that Iran is seeking to rebuild and expand its missile production following the war, and may seek to attack it again to curtail those efforts.
\nDuring a planned visit to the US later this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu \u201cis expected to present (President Donald) Trump with options for the US to join or assist in any new military operations\u201d, NBC reported, citing an unnamed source with direct knowledge of the plans and former US officials briefed on them.
\nOver the course of the recent war, Israel struck military sites, nuclear facilities and residential areas, killing more than 1,000 people.
\nIsrael reported more than 50 Iranian missile strikes inside its territory that killed 28 people.
\nThe US briefly joined its ally in striking Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities before declaring a ceasefire.
\nIran once procured much of its weaponry from the United States, but following the break in diplomatic relations after its 1979 Islamic revolution, it had to develop its own domestic arms industry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Israel says Iran missiles, nuclear programme were key targets in June war Tehran Iran insisted on Monday that its missile programme was defensive in nature and designed to dissuade attack, while adding the existence of its arsenal was not up for debate. Israel had presented Iran\u2019s ballistic missiles, along with its nuclear programme, as the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":521566,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-521547","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n