Obama says U.S. to push missile defence if Iran persists

Reuters: As long as a potential nuclear threat persists from Iran, the United States will continue pushing plans for missile defence, U.S. President Barak Obama said on Sunday.

PRAGUE (Reuters) – As long as a potential nuclear threat persists from Iran, the United States will continue pushing plans for missile defence, U.S. President Barak Obama said on Sunday.

"As long as the threat from Iran persists, we will go forward with the missile system," Obama said in a speech in Prague. The Czech Republic is one of two sites in eastern Europe for a mooted U.S. missile shield that has upset Russia.

"If the Iranian threat is eliminated, we will have a stronger basis for security, and the driving force for missile construction in Europe will be removed."

(Reporting by Jason Hovet, Writing by Michael Winfrey)