TEHRAN (IRNA)-- The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said here on Wednesday that nuclear weapons never guarantee the strength of any country, stressing that Iran's strength relies on people's "knowledge, perseverance and faith".

Ayatollah Khamenei, speaking at a meeting with the elite university students, said Iran has never been pursuing nuclear weapons, stressing that allegations of certain Western states to that effect are merely meant to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear technology.

"We have repeatedly declared that we do not need nuclear weapons because we never believe that the possession of such weapons would provide the ground for the country's strength and authority," he said. "We believe that the strength of every country depends on its capable human sources who are armed with knowledge, faith and perseverance."

Ayatollah Khamenei said certain developed countries are trying to undermine the efforts by others to make scientific breakthrough in various areas in order to make them remain consumers of their own products.

This, the Supreme Leader said, is the reason why they are angry with Iran's scientific advancement, particularly in the area of nuclear technology.

"They apparently say that Iran must not pursue nuclear weapons. Yet, what they really want to say is that Iran must not have nuclear technology so that it would always have to rely on the technological advancement of the West," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Supreme Leader said the countries that claim to be spearheading an international struggle to safeguard world peace and security are themselves using atomic bombs as well as other types of weapons of mass destruction.

"The claim of these countries that they are struggling to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons is like that of a major smuggling kingpin who considers himself as the authority responsible for fighting smuggling," he said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei called Iran's elite youth as the source of hope and dynamism for the country, stressing that the officials must try to satisfy the demands of the youth.

"I would like to advise the youth to promote their determination and earnestly struggle to overcome the problems. They should also struggle for the prosperity of the country," he said.

Ayatollah Khamenei also said that the Iranian youth have already proved their capability in different fields of science by winning several international academic awards.

"There is no doubt that if all the people, particularly the youth, put forth the best of their struggles, and the officials carry out an efficient planning for using the resources of the country, Iran will stand in the frontline of the world's scientific arena in next few decades," he said.