Iran says missile program not part of talks with US in Switzerland

TEHRAN — Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that Tehran’s missile capabilities have not figured in negotiations with the United States in Switzerland.Speaking during a weekly press briefing, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei emphasized that ballistic missile capabilities remain outside the scope of current diplomatic engagement with Washington.”Iran’s missile capabilities were not part of the negotiations with the United States,” he said, according to Iranian state media. The spokesman declined to elaborate on specific defense systems but left no ambiguity regarding Tehran’s stance on the matter.He also said Tehran does not intend to allow IAEA inspectors access to nuclear facilities attacked by the US and Israel.”We do not intend to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit the nuclear sites targeted during the conflict,” he said.Baqaei further denied reports of contacts with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in Switzerland.”We have not held any meeting with the IAEA director general in Switzerland, nor are there any plans for inspections of our nuclear facilities that were bombed,” he said.The spokesman also stressed that Iran would face no restrictions on the use of funds released under ongoing understandings with Washington.”We are free to use our frozen assets that will be released, and there are no restrictions on them,” Baqaei said.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, said that his government’s priority remains protecting the rights of the Iranian people and promoting regional peace and security, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency.”We seek the full implementation of the signed provisions within the framework of international law and the rights of the Iranian people,” Pezeshkian said.”If this is achieved, many of the region’s problems will be reduced and aggressors will be restrained,” he added.