Iranˈs Missile Program Unrelated To Nuclear Program: MIT Professor

New York, June 11, IRNA – Taking Iranˈs missile program into nuclear negotiations will be irrelevant, said James Walsh a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In an exclusive interview with IRNA, Walsh underlined the necessity of narrowing down the scope of nuclear negotiations to nuclear program, saying the issue of Iranˈs ballistic missile program is irrelevant to its nuclear program. Raising Iranˈs missile program in Security Council resolutions was wrong, said Walsh, adding, ˈMany countries have missile programs and if we want to limit Iranˈs missile program, we should also limit aircraft manufacturing because they can potentially carry atomic bombs!ˈ He believed that President Barack Obama is serious in reaching a nuclear deal and bringing up Iranˈs missile program in the negotiations should not be taken as his reluctance to strike an agreement with Tehran. ˈI believe that the agreement will be reached on July 20, or be extended at most for a few months,ˈ added Walsh. James Walsh is a Research Associate in the Security Studies Program at the MIT where he is leading two series of dialogues on nuclear issues, one with leading figures in Iran and another with representatives from North Korea./end