TEHRAN President Mohammad Khatami here on Saturday highlighted the importance of having a strong military, adding that such force serves as a deterrent against enemies' aggression. President Khatami, who was speaking during his visit to a military exhibit set up by the Ministry of Defense, called on the Iranian Armed Forces to focus on beefing up the country's defenses and to stay above political factionalism. He said that successful test of Shahab III missile indicated that Iran relies on its own expertise to develop its defenses. Khatami rejected allegations that foreigners had a role in Iranian success in development of the missile, adding that Iran achieved the feat despite many sanctions against it. Iran does not need any country's permission to strengthen its defenses, the chief executive stressed. Stating that Iran's military might is intended for defending the country, the president added that the Islamic Republic cannot and does not have any aggressive intentions against other countries due to its divine, Islamic and national values. He further emphasized that Iran's military strength by no means constitutes a threat to security of other countries. It rather, Khatami added, contributes to the security of the friendly countries as well as the Muslim world. The Islamic Republic is further willing to share its scientific and technical advances with Muslim states to boost their defensive capabilities, the president said. Elsewhere in his remarks, the president pointed out that Iran is not threatened by any Muslim or neighboring country. The Zionist regime is presently the biggest threat in the region and the world, Khatami added. Armed with a stockpile of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, the Zionist regime is a major threat to the regional countries as well as others, the president said. Khatami expressed regret that U.S. policies are greatly influenced by the Zionist regime, adding that these policies are in contradiction with the interests of American nation in the long run. On weapons of mass destruction the president said, I unequivocally state that driven by our Islamic values and humanitarian principles, we are against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We shake the hands of all governments and the benevolent forces in promotion of peace and in removing such weapons from the entire world, he said. The president said that expansion of cooperation with regional countries especially security cooperation, has been given high priority in Iran's foreign policy. He referred to the presence of foreign forces in the Persian Gulf as a threat against the regional security, adding that regional states should rely on their own for their defense. (IRNA)