Speaking in a Farsi interview with IRNA on Saturday, Qassemi stressed the legitimate and undeniable right of the Islamic Republic to defend its national interests and protect its national security.

“With the experience of the eight-year imposed war, Iran will never wait for permission from any country to protect its national security and defend the nation,” he noted.

Qassemi said based on the national and Islamic teachings and in accordance with the principles and objectives of the Iranian Constitution, Tehran has never withdrawn from its legitimate right to boost the country’s defensive capabilities, and will continue to pursue its plans, objectives, and defence strategies, especially in the field of missile capabilities.

He said the Iranian nation has gained invaluable experiences and incurred high costs over the past four decades, particularly during the eight-year war imposed by Saddam’s Ba’athist regime, the [1953] coup d’état and overt or covert military interventions of the world powers especially the US, the psychological warfare and the continuous threats of the Israeli regime’s leaders against the Iranian nation, and numerous conspiracies and plots hatched by some regional countries.

With such experiences, the Islamic Republic of Iran does not wait for permission from any country to maintain its national security and defend the country and nation, Qassemi added.

“Iran would never forget the bitter experience of being hit by missiles during the imposed war and the massacre of defenceless people,” he stated.

The Iranian spokesman underlined that the experience of the past forty years has shown that the enemies of Iran’s Revolution, Establishment and nation have done their best to weaken the Islamic Republic’s defence and security capabilities and have always sought to create an unequal military balance against the country.

“A powerful Iran is very important not only for the great Iranian nation, but also for peace, stability and security in the region.”

“Undoubtedly, Iran’s ability to foil the conspiracies of global and regional enemies will prevent them from taking any unwise action,” he added.

Referring to the missile and air strikes of the Saddam regime against the defenceless cities and residential areas of Iran during the imposed war, he said the Iranian nation will never forget the indifference, silence and satisfaction of those who are making claims today, over the war crimes committed by the Saddam regime during the attacks it launched against the Iranian cities.

“The Iranian people are well aware how the superpowers that are against Iran’s missile defence program closed their eyes on the airstrikes and the indiscriminate killing of innocent people during the imposed war by providing modern warplanes and reinforcing the Iraqi army’s missile power to become an accomplice to the crimes of this regime,” he added.

However, Qassemi noted, today they are concerned about Iran’s missile power instead of being accountable to their historical mistakes.

He underscored that those who have simply forgotten the history of the recent events in the region must be reminded that if Iran’s defence capability during the imposed war was as much as today, the innocent people would not have fallen victim to the crimes of Saddam’s regime and a dictator like him could not disturb the region’s peace and stability with his inhuman desires.

Stressing the deterrent nature of Iran’s missile program, he went on to say that the leaders of aggressive regimes, including the United States and the Zionist regime, have understood that a strong and independent Iran would never accept their domination and bullying.

“If they take any unwise action, they will receive a decisive response from Iran,” mentioned Qassemi.

Referring to Iran’s missile defence capabilities, the spokesman addressed the neighbouring countries, especially the Persian Gulf states, saying that this capability is definitely a source of security and stability, and an obstacle to those with aggressive natures.

“In the past hundreds of years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has not invaded its neighbours and other countries, and has always been tried to create peace and security in the region.”

The allegations certain countries raise against Iran through this psychological war are in line with their anti-Iran and Iranophobic policies, he noted.

Referring to the United States’ policy of commercialization of security and the new approach of the Trump administration to extract concessions from some intimidated countries, Qassemi said the US and some other countries which produce and export deadly weapons cannot send hundreds of billions of dollars worth of weapons to the region and at the same time comment on Iran’s defence power.