Iran to continue expanding military might, missile program

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Europe

00:34

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that Iran was determined to expand its military power and ballistic missile programme despite mounting pressure from hostile countries to curb Iran's defensive work, local TV reported.

"We have not asked and will not ask for permission to develop different types of [...] missiles and will continue our path and our military power," Rouhani said in a speech at Tehran's Azadi square, where tens of thousands gathered to mark the 40th anniversary of Iran's Islamic revolution.

He also blasted a U.S. "conspiracy" against the country, saying, "The presence of people today on the streets all over Islamic Iran... means that the enemy will never reach its evil objectives."

00:28

Iranians took part in a mass rally in the capital, Tehran to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iran organizes the event on this day every year to highlight the overthrow of the Western-backed Shah four decades ago.

There's also a huge display of domestically-developed military equipment, including drones, missiles, bombs, and weapons.

(With inputs from Reuters)