Local Editor

The top adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei confirmed that Iran will take whatever measure it deems appropriate to strengthen its defenses and does not need US consent.

"To defend itself, the Islamic Republic will aptly take the necessary measures, whether some like it or not," Ali Akbar Velayati said, Tasnim News Agency reported on Wednesday.

He further added: "The Islamic Republic does not ask any country or international or non-international organization for permission to defend itself."

The remarks by Velayati came after US State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau called Iran's ballistic missile tests "provocative and destabilizing" in potential breach of UN Security Council 2231.

The resolution calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles "designed to be capable of" delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. Iran says it has no such missiles.

Velayati said, "Some other permanent members of the UN Security Council, like Russia, are of the opinion that this measure [missile tests] are not in contravention of the resolution.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team