Iran to Boost Defence Power as Long as Threats Exist: Rouhani

In an address to a ceremony on Sunday, Rouhani once again underlined that Iran’s defence power is absolutely non-negotiable.

“To strengthen their defence capabilities, the Iranian government and nation have never held and will never hold any talks with any state. On this issue, our stance is resolute and crushing,” he noted.

“As said, we press ahead with our defence capabilities only within the fatwa (Religious Decree) of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. And we have announced repeatedly that Iran is not after weapons of mass destruction (WMD) because our religion bans us from producing and using such weapons,” he was quoted as saying in a Farsi report by the Iranian president’s official website.

Elsewhere in his address, President Rouhani said today all states across the world are threatening each other with new weapons. “Amid such conditions, foreseeing a future with no threats seems impossible,” he underlined.

“In a world in which all states are against the WMD, the US officials shamelessly threaten Russia with new nuclear weapons. So, it seems the issue of WMD is still important in the world. Amid such a condition, can anyone talk of peace and coexistence and conclude that we don’t need any defence power? Today, even those countries which condemn WMD as a weapon against humanity are taking these weapons seriously,” he noted.

The Iranian president noted that national power is not a partisan issue, adding all parties in economic, political, cultural and defence fields should work together regardless of their affiliations to promote Iran’s national power.

He went on to say Iran has achieved self-sufficiency to a large extent in arms production and added, “If we need a special weapon which is not produced inside, we have to purchase it immediately from other states and become so powerful that the enemies would not dare to threaten us. The enemies must realize the fact that any invasion of Iran would have dire consequences for them.”

He then described strengthening of national power as a pre-emptive measure for permanent peace and said the Iranian government needs to remain vigilant under any condition against the enemies’ new threats endangering its people.