Tehran, Oct 13 (IANS): Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said based on Islamic principles the country has no aggressive intents but will never back down in the face of any aggression, Xinhua reported.

Speaking at a military base in the city of Bojnourd in North Khorasan province Friday, Khamenei also described the Iranian armed forces as the nation's source of security and protection against the aggressive illusions of the enemies, Press TV reported.

"What motivates the hegemonic powers to wage war is the sale of arms and cultivation of military industries... and the only factor that suppresses such war-waging impulse of power-seekers is the general readiness of the (Iranian) nation and defensive preparedness of the armed forces," Khamenei was quoted as saying.

Today the Iranian nation, particularly its youth, feel generally ready than ever before and the armed forces also remain better prepared and more capable than the past, he said.

The US and Israel have not ruled out the possibility of striking Iran's nuclear facilities while the Islamic republic has warned to retaliate if its nuclear establishments are hit.

The UN Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions on Iran over its refusal to halt its nuclear enrichment programme, which Western countries suspect could be used to develop nuclear weapons.

The US and the European Union (EU) have imposed and expanded sanctions toward Iran over the years.

The EU imposed an embargo on Iran's oil export this July and threatened to put further sanctions on Iran's natural gas exports.