Tehran, Dec 16 (IANS): Iran's missile program is for defensive purposes and the Islamic republic will never negotiate over it, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said.

"Primarily, Iran's missiles are for defence and we need them for deterrence," Xinhua quoted Zarif as saying to Press TV on Saturday.

"Besides, we use resources for military expenses far less than any other country in the region. That is why we have announced from very beginning that our missiles are non-negotiable, " he said.

Zarif is currently in Qatar to attend the Doha Forum 2018.

He made the remarks in Doha in response to a question about U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's allegation on December 1, who claimed that Iran had test-fired a medium range ballistic missile in violation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2231.

Rejecting the allegations of breaching the UNSC resolution, Iran on Tuesday confirmed the missile test and vowed to continue development of its missile program.