TEHRAN (Mehr News Agency)—A Majlis Deputy from Robat Karim, Hasan Ghashghavi said here Monday that external interference in the affairs of the Middle East will make the region build up its defense capabilities.

Ghashghavi who is also a member of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission told the Mehr News Agency that creating power is one of the ways to thwart external threats.

“This power is gained through public support and defense capabilities,” he said.

Ghashghavi said that technology expertise, modernized research and military forces strengthen a nation and that the region’s countries are strongly competing with each other for their defense capabilities.

“We are well aware of various defense agreements and extremely heavy defense budgets of our neighbors,” he said.

Ghashghavi added that the Middle East has always been the target of the countries outside the region because of its huge energy resources. Even when the region is peaceful and stable, external interferences require that those countries have appropriate defense capabilities.