Esmaeil Baqaei further expressed Tehran’s intention to continue its drone and missile programmes, contrary to earlier demands made by Washington.

“We will definitely spend part of our money on the development of Iran’s drone and missile programme, and we will not ask permission from anyone for that,” state broadcaster IRIB quoted Baqaei as saying.

“If we didn’t do this, the bullies of the world, including America, would dominate us,” he stressed.