- The urging comes as the country faces increased tension with the United States
- Khamenei spoke at a graduation ceremony for cadets of Iran’s regular armed forces
DUBAI: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday urged Iran’s armed forces to increase their power to “scare off” the enemy, according to his official website, as the country faces increased tension with the United States.
US President Donald Trump in May withdrew from Iran’s nuclear agreement with world powers -- a deal aimed at stalling Tehran’s nuclear capabilities in return for lifting some sanctions -- and ordered the reimposition of US sanctions that had been suspended under the deal.
“Increase your power as much as you can, because your power scares off the enemy and forces it to retreat,” the website quoted Khamenei as saying at a graduation ceremony for cadets of Iran’s regular armed forces.
“Iran and the Iranian nation have resisted America and proven that, if a nation is not afraid of threats by bullies and relies on its own capabilities, it can force the superpowers to retreat and defeat them,” Khamenei said.