Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that war was unlikely but called on Iran’s armed forces to boost their defence capacities, according to his official website, as the country faces increased tension with the U.S.
On Saturday, Iran announced plans to boost its ballistic and cruise missile capacity and acquire modern fighter planes and submarines to boost its defences. “Ayatollah Khamenei emphasised that based on political calculations there is no likelihood of a military war but added that the armed forces must be vigilant... and raise their personnel and equipment capacities,” the website quoted Ayatollah Khamenei as telling commanders of Iran’s air defence forces.
Saturday’s news of the military development plans came a day after Iran dismissed a French call for negotiations on Tehran’s future nuclear plans.
Separately, a senior Iranian diplomat met visiting U.K. Junior Foreign Minister Alistair Burt and urged swift European action on a planned package of economic measures to offset the U.S. pull-out from the accord, the state news agency IRNA reported.
