Iran's President Seyed Mohammad Khatami said Saturday night during an assembly of the country's defense minister and managers of military industries of the defense forces that Iran condemns war and does not favor it with any country, even with its enemies.
"Yet, we need to be ready to defend our political and territorial integrity at all times and under all possible conditions," he declared.
President Khatami restated the need to be fully alert and ready to react under the current tough conditions (as a result of US threats), adding, "unfortunately the international atmosphere is being guided towards flickering the flames of war in various parts of the [world] due to drastically faulty policies adopted by the US politicians."
Emphasizing the need for safeguarding national unity and refraining from highlighting the differences, which can provide good excuses for the enemies, President Khatami said, "our motto is denouncing war, and aggression, while promoting the détente policy, even with our enemies."
According to IRNA, Head of the country's Supreme National Security Council also said, "the Iranian nation, regardless of their races, social classes and political tendencies, and despite all the hardships they tolerate and hindrances they face, do not yield to any sort of threats, or foreign invasions, thanks to their national pride and their religious teachings”.
Describing the nation's strategic and defensive general outlines, as "clear and to the point" the President said, "based on our beliefs and our national interests, we are not a war monger or expansionist nation and we feel obliged to condemn expansionist policies."
He added that the Islamic Republic of Iran had never planned attacking other nations, and would never do so in the future either.
Moreover, President Khatami asked the nation's defense authorities to design dynamic strategies in devising the nation's defense strategies, adding, "we need to depend not only on our physical and technological strength, but also on the power of our strong belief in God, our nation's solidarity and the armed forces' defensive readiness”.
The President added that Iran was faced with foreign threats today, just as it had been entangled with foreign threats during the long course of its history. "Today though, we are threatened since we insist on remaining truly independent and due to sticking to our ideals and pursuing our exalted goals".
He added that prevalence of security is the first perquisite for development and democracy, while Iran needs to rely on the support of the nation and close relations between the political system and the people, since "security cannot be safeguarded merely by relying on military might."
He also made clear that Iran has always favored clearing the region from weapons of mass destruction, believing that demolishing such weapons throughout the region is to the benefit of global peace and regional stability.
The Iranian political leader expressed regret over political support of some world powers for the Zionist entity that, according to him, possesses weapons of mass destruction, contrasting that support with threats against Iran, which is a member of all international conventions against production of such weapons, and a victim of various types of such weapons.
He said it was necessary to achieve highly technological, up to date military expertise and to establish strong ties between the nation's defense forces with the industries and the country's budget. "Iran's defense budget is quite low compared to most countries and our exemplary achievements in this field are based on our national solidarity and the nation's selfless efforts, as well as the innovations and effective approach adopted by our armed forces." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
