Iran needs strong defense against US threats: Author

Stephen Lendman, an author and a journalist, says the Iranian government has the right to develop its missile program in order to increase its military might to be able to stand up to Washington’s threats.

“Iran needs a strong defense” in order to stand up to US threats, because Washington has threatened the Islamic Republic and the US administrations have a long history of trying to invade other countries, Lendman told Press TV on Thursday.

“Iran certainly has the right to produce defensive weapons,” the journalist said, noting that the production of weapons does not mean the usage of them, because Iranians have not invaded other countries at least for the last two centuries.

He also noted, “The reason for American hostility towards Iran is its sovereign independence” and Iranians’ missile program and military might are not the real cause of the US enmity toward Tehran.

In defiance of the US authorities’ opposition to Iranian missile program, President Hassan Rouhani’s new pick for defense minister has underlined his resolve to further enhance Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities if he qualifies for the post.