President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that Iran “does not intend any aggression” against its neighbours but will continue to produce all the weapons it needs for its defence. “We tell the world that we will produce any weapons that we need, or if necessary we will procure them. Regional rival Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of seeking to dominate the Middle East through the expansion of proxy forces in countries like Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Iran argues these forces operate with the permission of allied governments to fight jihadist groups and prevent the disintegration of states. Rouhani did not appear to reference Israel, which Iran considers an “illegitimate regime” and whose dissolution is a top priority for the country’s Islamic rulers.

Source: The Guardian April 18, 2018 08:26 UTC