Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Iran’s ballistic missile programme was not discussed during negotiations for the U.S.–Iran Memorandum of Understanding [1].
The statement clarifies the boundaries of the diplomatic agreement and underscores the refusal of Tehran to compromise on its strategic military assets. This position reinforces a long-standing tension between the U.S. desire for disarmament and Iran's insistence on maintaining a deterrent force.
Speaking in Islamabad on Tuesday, Sharif said that the missile programme was never part of the discussions that produced the memorandum [1]. He said, "It was never on the table" [1].
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was visiting Pakistan, echoed this sentiment [2]. Pezeshkian said that the issue of ballistic missiles was not a subject of negotiation during the process [2]. The Iranian leader linked the maintenance of these capabilities to national survival and security.
Pezeshkian said, "Iran would never, under any circumstances, negotiate with anyone over its defensive capabilities" [2]. He said that without these missiles, the U.S. and Israel would have razed Iran in a manner similar to the destruction seen in Gaza [2].
The meeting in Islamabad served as a platform for both leaders to align their public narratives regarding the U.S.–Iran diplomatic framework [1]. By confirming that the missile programme remained outside the scope of the MoU, the leaders sought to reassure domestic audiences, and regional allies, that Iran's strategic defenses remain intact despite diplomatic engagement [1], [2].
“"It was never on the table."”
This coordinated messaging between Pakistan and Iran highlights a strategic effort to define the limits of Iranian concessions. By explicitly stating that ballistic missiles were never 'on the table,' both leaders are signaling that Iran views its missile capabilities as a non-negotiable pillar of national security, separate from the nuclear-focused constraints often sought by the U.S. in diplomatic frameworks.
