Iran must be strong to ward off 'enemy threat', prevent war: Khamenei

"We do not want to threaten anyone," said Iran's Supreme leader

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday that the Islamic republic 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 so that enemy's threats will end," Khamenei told a gathering of air force commanders and staff aired on state television.

"We do not want to threaten anyone... this is to prevent threats, to maintain the country's security," he added.