Tehran Warns Countries Worldwide Against Interfering in Iranian Internal Affairs

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi criticized the administration of US President Donald Trump over its remarks about Iran's missile program and called on other states not to interfere in Tehran's internal affairs.

On Friday, US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan excoriated Iran for aiding terrorists and pressing forward with missiles tests.

"Iran is ready to defend its missile program with full strength in the face interventionist policies of other states… When it comes to Iran's interests, we ourselves are the ones taking decision and we do not need any consultations with others over such issues," Qassemi told reporters on Monday as quoted by Fars News Agency.

Flynn's and Ryan's comments came after Iran launched a ballistic missile near the city of Semnan on January 29, the latest in a series of tests, which began shortly after the implementation of the 2015 nuclear agreement. Iran's authorities have refuted the allegations that the test was in violation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or UN resolutions.

On Saturday, US Defense Secretary James Mattis also slammed Iran for sponsoring terrorism and added that the United States and other countries had to communicate their views to Tehran, while on Sunday, Trump said that Iran was the "number one terrorist state."

The JCPOA, signed by Iran, the European Union and the P5+1 group of countries comprising the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom plus Germany in July 2015, stipulates that Iran must keep nuclear program peaceful in exchange for sanctions relief.