Iran to Build Up Defense Power, President Vows

TEHRAN (defapress) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani unveiled plans on Friday for a boost to the country’s military and defense power, including an enhancement of its missile program.

News ID: 66005

Date: 22 September 2017 - 13:05

Addressing a military ceremony marking the Sacred Defense Week, held in Tehran, President Rouhani said Iran would strengthen its defense and military power to the extent it deems necessary.

"We won’t ask for permission from anybody to defend our land,” the president added, saying Iran will boost not only its missile power, but also its Ground Force, Navy and Air Force.

He also reiterated that Iran’s military might is meant to protect its dignity and ensure peace, saying Tehran would never use its power to attack the other nations.

Highlighting Iran’s support for the oppressed regional nations and genuine fight against terrorism, President Rouhani denounced the "blood-sucking Zionist regime” of Israel as a "cancerous tumor” that has been involved in the acts of aggression against the regional nations for seven decades.

He further described this year’s UN General Assembly in New York as a clear indicator of the vicious nature of the US and Israeli leaders.

While the entire world has supported the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), opted the path to peace, and hailed the settlement of conflicts through dialogue, only Washington and Tel Aviv voiced concern about establishment of security in the delicate Middle East region, President Rouhani added.

The US and Israel, known as the two main sponsors of terrorist and Takfiri groups in the Middle East, have repeatedly called for the restriction of Iran’s military capabilities.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has on various occasion underlined the need for strengthening the country’s military power, describing it as natural and an "inalienable right”.

In a world where bullying and domineering powers, who lack morality, conscience and humanity and have no qualms about invading countries and killing innocent people, are dominant, developing defensive and offensive industries is quite natural because security will not be achieved unless these powers feel the country’s might, the Leader said in 2016.

Imam Khamenei referred to the Islamic Republic’s strategic position and the sensitive conditions of the West Asia region as more reasons why development of the defensive and offensive capabilities of the country is necessary.