Trump Defends Iran’s Right to Possess Ballistic Missiles

US President Donald Trump has stated that preventing Iran from possessing ballistic missiles while other countries in the Middle East maintain similar capabilities would be unfair.

In Paris, Trump told reporters that if regional powers like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have ballistic missile programs, Iran should be given “an appropriate number” of ballistic missiles. His words follow continued talks to ease U.S.-Iran tensions.

Trump also spoke about Iran’s military ambitions, noting that ballistic missiles had not been part of Washington’s nuclear negotiations with Tehran. The US president said the discussions did not cover conventional missile systems, but rather issues of nuclear arms.

Trump’s remarks on the Iran ballistic missile program came with regard to an interim accord recently finalized that will help defuse tensions between the two nations. The claim has caught the attention of international observers, especially given the country’s history of missile testing.

The US president also affirmed that he signed an Iran-US Memorandum of Understanding in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron. The pact has been reportedly named “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.”

Trump’s position marks a notable shift in the debate surrounding Iran’s defense capabilities and could influence future discussions on Middle East security, regional stability, and US-Iran relations.