Tehran (CNN) One of Iran's top military commanders reiterated longstanding claims that the country has ballistic missiles capable of taking out an aircraft carrier, as President Hassan Rouhani said the country did not seek to wage war against any nation.

Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, said the country's development of ballistic missile technology had changed "the balance of power" in the region.

According to Salami, the Revolutionary Guards began tests using ballistic missiles as "a way to end the story of American aircraft carriers in the area" some 12 years ago.

"If we got this technology, we could target the enemies," said Salami. "We tested it at sea to hit the target precisely, and that day we were able to change the balance of power."

He later added that "diplomacy is not known without power and we are safe when we are powerful." Salami made the comments in a televised speech, a transcript of which was made available on semi-official FARS news.

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