A senior advisor to Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, has ruled out any negotiations over the Islamic Republic's defensive missile capabilities.
"Iran's missile issue is not up for any type of negotiation," Press TV quoted Ali Akbar Velayati as telling reporters Monday.
The senior Iranian official added that the issue of the country's missile programme would not be part of the upcoming nuclear talks with the P5+1 group of countries in the Swiss city of Geneva.
Some Western officials, particularly from the US, have called for Iran's missile programme to be included in the country's nuclear talks with the P5+1 group -- Russia, China, France, Britain, the US plus Germany.
"Iran will do whatever is necessary for its defensive purposes," Velayati, who also serves as head of Iran's Strategic Research Centre, said.
He emphasised that Iran's missile programme was solely designed for peaceful defensive objectives.
"Deterrence is the most important feature of Iran's missiles," Velayati said.
"In order to strengthen its defence capability, Iran has no need to obtain permission from anybody," he added.
His remarks came as senior officials from Iran and the P5+1 are scheduled to resume a new round of talks in Geneva Dec 17.
