President Khatami: Iran does not favour war, even with enemies

  
 

 

  
 

 
     
       Tehran, March 3, IRNA -- Iran's President Seyed Mohammad Khatami said Saturday night at a gathering 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 the enemies.
     "Yet, we need to be ready to defend our political and territorial integrity at all times and under all possible conditions," added the president.
     Hojjatoleslam Khatami reiterated the need to be fully alert and ready to react under the current tough conditions (due to US threats), adding, "unfortunately the international atmosphere is being guided towards flickering the flames of war in various parts of the due to drasticly faulty policies adopted by the US politicians."
     Emphasizing on the need for safeguarding the national unity and refraining form highlighting the differences which can provide good excuses for the enemies, President Khatami said: "our motto is denouncing war, and aggression, while promoting the detente policy, even with our enemies."
     The head of the country's Supreme National Security Council 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.
     Evaluating 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 said that Iran has never planned for attacking the other nations, and will never do so in the future either.
     President Khatami all the same 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 said that safeguarding the security of the nation is one of the prime priorities of any country. He also referred to the sensitive position of Iran in the region and the current status of the Islamic Revolution, arguing that Iran, is faced with foreign threats today, just as it has been entangled with foreign threats during the long course of its proud 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," said the president.
     President Khatami said that prevalence of security is the first perquisite for development and democracy, while Iran needs to rely on the popular support of the nation and close ties between the political system and the people, since "security cannot be safeguarded merely by relying on military might."
     Elsewhere in his remarks, President Khatami made clear that Iran has always favored clearing the region form weapons of mass struction, believing that demolishing such weapons in the region is to the benefit of the global peace and the regional stability.
     The Iranian political leader expressed regret over political support of some big world powers for the racist-Zionist entity, that possesses weapons of mass destruction largely, contrasting that support with threats against Iran that is a member of all international conventions against production of such weapons, and a big victim of various types of weapons of mass destruction.
     President Khatami also considered the need to rely on a strong diplomatic strategy and a solid and harmonized defensive military doctrine, based on and in direct interaction with the general strategies of the country, all at the service of defending the nation's vital interests.
     He said it is necessary to achieve highly technological, up to date military know-how, and to establish strong ties between the nation's defense forces with the industries on the one hand and the country's budget, on the other, arguing that such matters are of extremely high importance for Iran today in order to assure the country's strong defensive might.
     The head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council added: "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."

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