‘Go forward’: Iran’s Khamenei urges military growth amid Trump threats

Al Jazeera-Feb12th2025

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for the country to further develop its military capabilities after United States President Donald Trump threatened to use force if Tehran does not negotiate on its nuclear programme.

Speaking on Wednesday after visiting an exhibition in the country’s capital showcasing the latest defence sector developments, Khamenei said “progress should not be stopped”.

“We cannot be satisfied,” Khamenei said. “Say that we previously set a limit for the accuracy of our missiles, but we now feel this limit is no longer enough. We have to go forward.”

“Today, our defensive power is well known, our enemies are afraid of this. This is very important for our country,” he said.

The statements come after Iran’s representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, condemned what he called Trump’s “reckless and inflammatory statements” and warned that “any act of aggression will have severe consequences”.

In a letter to the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Iravani referred to Trump’s recent media interviews, in which the US leader suggested stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons could be achieved either “with bombs or with a written piece of paper”.

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