Imam Khamenei: To Boost Iran’s Defense Capabilities

Local Editor

Leader of the Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei stressed the strengthening of Iran's defense capabilities in the face of enemy threats.

Imam Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with eulogists on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad's daughter Sayyeda Fatima Zahraa [PBUH] on Wednesday.

The Imam further noted that Iran needs to have boosted its defensive military capabilities in order to strengthen its position in potential negotiations.

"If the Islamic establishment seeks technology and negotiations but does not have defensive power, it will have to back down in the face of any petty country that threatens [it]," he added.

Although he stressed that the Islamic Republic must use all tools, Imam Khamenei didn't oppose political dialogue, but he noted that he is fine with it on the level of global issues.

The Imam emphasized, however, that negotiations must also be conducted with strength and Iran's negotiating skills must also be boosted.

The Leader's remarks came as the United States and some of their European allies are seeking a meeting at the United Nations Security Council [UNSC] on Iran's recent missile tests, which they claim were carried out in defiance of a UNSC resolution.

On March 9, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps [IRGC] successfully test-fired two ballistic missiles as part of measures to assess IRGC capabilities. The missiles, dubbed Qadr-H and Qadr-F, were fired during large-scale drills code-named Eqtedar-e-Velayat. Iran fired another ballistic missile dubbed Qiam from silo-based launchers in different locations across the country on March 8.

The Islamic Republic argues its missiles are defensive and designed to carry conventional explosives only. The US, Britain, France, and Germany were, along with China and Russia, members of the P5+1, which reached the nuclear deal with Iran after some 22 months of negotiations. Iran and the six other countries started implementing the deal on January 16.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team