Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Wednesday Iran has no intention to become an empire in the region, adding that western claims in this regard are part of a wider campaign to spread "Iranophobia".
Larijani, who was speaking at a gathering of commanders and directors of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps' construction base, said, "Today, our deterrence strength has forced warmongering countries to change their policies toward us," adding that enemies have employed other tactics to "undermine" the Islamic Republic, ICANA reported. Elsewhere, the parliament speaker underlined the services of the Khatam al-Anbia Construction Headquarters and said the base has cooperated with the government in the completion of many civil projects across the country.
"The Khatam al-Anbia Construction Headquarters can act as a catalyst to speed up the completion of civil projects nationwide," Larijani noted. The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, had said on Tuesday that the enemies have failed in their effort to give the impression that the government and the IRGC are in conflict as there is no confrontation between them.
The commander said the IRGC's involvement in development projects after the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war was in compliance with the Constitution, adding, "The IRGC acted well in the construction process in the country and it is still playing its decisive part." Jafari also said armed forces in any country are one of the most helpful sections of the society in such conditions, and in Iran, the IRGC, in view of the unique role it played during the war, expressed readiness to provide services in various areas, particularly in engineering projects.