Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that Iran would not abandon its ballistic missile program and would refrain from talks with other countries, according to the Wall Street Journal.
"Those who say the future is in negotiations, not in missiles, are either ignorant or traitors," Iran's spiritual leader said.
In recent months, Iran has stepped up its nuclear missile program by test firing several missiles and insists those procedures are only for defense.
Islamic Republic must use all means. I support political talks in global issues, but not with everyone. Today is era of both missile & talk.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) March 30, 2016
However, Russia, who has built a steady relationship with Iran over the past several months, says there is no indication that the tested missiles could be armed with nuclear warheads.
“As the Iranians are telling us, the missiles they’re testing are incapable of carrying a nuclear warhead, and no one has yet shown any proof that this isn’t the case,” said Mikhail Ulyanov, a senior foreign ministry official.
Earlier this month, Iran's Revolutionary Guard reportedly test-fired two ballistic missiles with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written on each.
And do not forget that Iran captured 10 U.S. sailors, fired rockets near a U.S. warship, and flew a drone over a U.S. aircraft carrier only a few months after John Kerry signed the highly disputed "Iran Nuclear Deal."
As Iranian leaders continue to stoke the fire in the middle east, Barack Obama said earlier today that, “We drown out darkness with light and we heal hatred with love. And we hold onto hope.”