TEHRAN – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei affirmed on Wednesday that Iran’s military capability is “not open to negotiation”.

“As we have repeatedly announced, we announce again that the country’s defense capability is not open to negotiation,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told a graduation ceremony of military cadets.

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that Iran is firm to strengthen its defense capabilities despite relentless pressure by Western countries, especially the United States.

The U.S. has created a commotion over Iran’s ballistic missile program which Tehran has been insisting is purely for defensive purposes.

“When it comes to defense equipment and whatever [means] that backs up the national power, we have no bargaining and transactions with the enemy, and will continue on the path of power with more strength than before,” he said, according to Press TV.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said recently that its ballistic missile program would accelerate day by day.

“[Even] if a wall is constructed all around the country, the production of missiles will not be halted, because this is a completely indigenous and domestic industry,” said Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the Aerospace Force.

Hajizadeh also referred to Washington’s hostile tone to Tehran, saying, “The U.S. enmity is an unchangeable issue and strategy, [therefore] its tactics may change but the strategy itself never changes.”

‘Need to resist countries who see national power as nuisance’

The Leader also pointed to how the nation was once repressed by Western powers, saying, “Our dear Iran was once submissive to American, Zionist, and British advocates. This nation, country and its history had been drawn into repression by dependent, cruel, weak and submissive rulers.”

Ayatollah Khamenei went on to denounce the hegemonic powers’ desire for dominance in the region and stressed the need to resist against such countries who see the Islamic Republic’s national power as a “nuisance”.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader said today the most pressing issue is the economic situation of the people.

He criticized dependence on oil export, saying, “The foundation of the country’s economy should be a secure one.”

That the economy is reliant on oil revenues has made the country economically “insecure”. 

“The dependence of economy on oil” is a legacy left from the Shah regime “and this has caused us to be concerned about sale of oil and the revenue from it in different times,” Ayatollah Khamenei noted.

MH/PA