Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi said his country will not start any war but vowed to "respond strongly" to bullies.

“We have said many times that we will not start any war; but if an oppressive country or force wants to bully us, the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond strongly,” Raisi said in a televised speech in Iran's southern Hormozgan province.

He claimed Iran’s regional military capabilities do not pose a threat to any country and are instead a reliable source of security to the region.

“Iranian military power in the region has not and will not constitute a threat to any country,” he said, according to state news agency IRNA.

“The military power of the Islamic Republic enhances regional security and the countries of the region can trust it,” Raisi said.

Some context: Iran's Revolutionary Guards have this month fired missiles at targets in Pakistan, Iraq and Syria. Its proxies have also continued to conduct strikes of their own, with Hezbollah in Lebanon engaged in cross-border skirmishes with Israel, and the Houthis causing havoc in the Red Sea from Yemen.