TEHRAN (AFP) -
Iran's
supreme leader said Wednesday that missile power was key to the
country's future security, slapping down moderates who say the focus
should be on diplomacy.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final
say in all matters of state in Iran, praised the powerful Revolutionary
Guards for their "show of advanced and precise missiles" in recent tests
that drew Western criticism.
"In this jungle-like world, if the
Islamic republic seeks negotiations, trade and even technology and
science, but has no defence power, won't even small countries dare
threaten Iran?" Khamenei said in remarks published on his official
website.
"Our enemies are constantly enhancing their military and
missile capabilities and given this how can we say the age of missiles
has passed?"
His comments appeared aimed at ex-president Akbar
Hashemi Rafsanjani, a senior leader of the reformist and moderate camp,
who last week tweeted: "Tomorrow's world is the world of dialogue not
missiles."
They also came a day after the United States, France,
Britain and Germany said Iran's recent ballistic missile tests violate
UN Security Council resolutions.
The same four countries, along
with Russia and China, reached the historic agreement with Iran last
year that saw Tehran scale down its nuclear programme in exchange for
the lifting of sanctions.
Iran has twice tested ballistic missiles since the July 14 deal, prompting Western condemnation and new US sanctions.
"The
enemies of the revolution... use dialogue, economic trade, sanctions,
military threats and any other means to further their goals," Khamenei
said. "We should be able to confront and defend in all of these fields."
He said those who believe only diplomacy is the key to Iran's future are acting out of "ignorance or treason".
© 2016 AFP
No comments:
Post a Comment