Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei said Saturday that the country must become strong enough to ward off the "enemy's threats" and prevent a war.
"We must become strong so that there will not be a war, become strong to confront enemy's plots," Khamenei told a gathering of air force commanders and staff aired on state television.
“Their plots against the Iranian nation are doomed to fail,” he told the meeting.
He said Iran is not posing any threat to other countries.
"We do not want to threaten anyone... Our only aim is to make sure our security is guaranteed," he added.
Iran has a very strong air force despite limitations imposed on the country by the United States, Khamenei claimed.
"Since the (1979) revolution their aim was to stop us from having a strong air force ... but look at us now. We even build planes.We have transformed their pressure to opportunity," said Khamenei.
Iran has vowed to increase its military strength despite mounting pressure from Western countries to curtail its military capabilities, including its ballistic missile program.
