Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Hussein Dehqan said no power can stop the country from continuing to improve its defense capabilities

Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Hussein Dehqan said no power can stop the country from continuing to improve its defense capabilities

"Iran… with the aim of attaining its objectives and securing national interests will be taking steps at the highest levels for the military equipment of its armed forces," Dehqan, who is currently in Moscow, said on Wednesday addressing the 2016 Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS) underway in the Russian capital.

"And no will or organization will be able to stand on the way and obstruct the development and upsurge of the defense capability, especially missile defense capability of Iran,” he further said as cited by the Tass news agency.

General Dehqan added, "Iran focuses on production capacities, as well as on partnership, cooperation, and will continue rigorously pursuing its programs."

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian commander said the Islamic Republic has never attacked any country, deploring any “aggression” against sovereign states.

"Iran has never made and will not make threats to security interests of other countries and condemns aggression and use of force against sovereign states.”

The Iranian defense minister left Tehran for Moscow on Tuesday to attend the MCIS at the official invitation of his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu.

He is scheduled to discuss development of military cooperation between Iran and Russia during a meeting with Shoigu on the sidelines of the two-day event.

The fifth Moscow international security conference kicked off on Wednesday with a focus on fighting terrorism and expansion of international convergence and cooperation on confronting the threat.

Additionally, security issues in Asia and the Pacific Ocean as well as global stability and military cooperation are on agenda during the conference.

Over 500 military and political figures, including 17 defense ministers and 14 deputy defense ministers from across the world are attending the conference.

In a different context, Dehqan condemned the US step of sending troops to the Syrian province of Hasaka, describing it as a flagrant violation for the country's sovereignty.

The Iranian minister also voiced support to the Syrian government in its war against the terrorists.