Pakistan Defends Iran’s Right to Ballistic Missiles

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said there should be no double standards in assessing ballistic missiles. Iran has the same right to possess them as other countries, he added.

He also stressed that Iran’s missile program was not part of the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington and had not been discussed during the negotiations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said any final agreement with the United States would bar Iran from charging tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Such a move would be contrary to international law, he said.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime routes for oil and gas transport, making its operation and security a key element of regional stability.

(Reuters, mja)