US–Iran talks do not cover Tehran’s missile programme

Ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran do not include discussions on Tehran’s missile programme, according to a media report citing a senior source.

The information was reported by Galei Tzahal journalist Doron Kadosh, who said the issue of ballistic missiles is “not on the agenda at all”.

The source said there are concerns in Israel that if the missile programme is excluded from negotiations, any potential agreement would not impose limits on Iran’s missile production.

Officials are also said to be worried that, in the event of a deal, Iran could expand its missile capabilities using potentially unfrozen financial resources.

“According to military intelligence assessments, without restrictions Iran could significantly increase its ballistic missile arsenal within a few years to levels seen as a threat to regional stability,” the source said.

The report adds that Israeli authorities have identified threshold levels at which a military response could be considered, noting that existing missile defence systems may struggle to cope with such a scale of threat.

Intelligence assessments suggest that even if progress is made on the nuclear aspect of negotiations, the absence of controls over missile development could leave a high risk of renewed regional tensions in the medium term.