US Missile Shield in Europe Not Aimed at Iran: Deputy FM

Speaking to reporters in the Japanese capital of Tokyo on Thursday evening, Araqchi rejected claims that the US missile defense bases in Europe is meant to protect the NATO alliance from Iran’s ballistic missiles.

“I think everyone knows that the (air-defense) bases (in Europe) are not developed because of Iran’s missiles,” the Iranian diplomat said, adding that the US and its weste allies are pursuing other goals than intercepting Iran’s missiles.

“Our missiles are completely defensive in nature and we believe that they have a deterrent role in case of a possible invasion against Iran,” the diplomat noted. 

The first Aegis Ashore base came online in Romania last week. The second Aegis Ashore system is expected to become operational in Poland in 2018.

The missile shield uses a network of radars that track potential threats in the atmosphere, before launching an interceptor missile from a stationary base, or a fleet.

Washington says that the easte European missile defense segment is meant to thwart a potential threat from Iran, but Moscow has slammed the defense shield, calling it a threat to security, and a violation of a key inteational treaty.

In a statement on May 11, Russia’s foreign ministry said that worries that Tehran posed a threat to NATO were “unfounded.”