Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday that the Islamic republic must become strong enough to ward off the "enemy's threats" and prevent a war.

"We must become strong so that there will not be a war, become strong so that enemy's threats will end," Khamenei told a gathering of air force commanders and staff aired on state television.

"We do not want to threaten anyone... this is to prevent threats, to maintain the country's security," he added.