Global
Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref emphasized that Iran is not a recently established state spanning merely a few decades for adversaries to plunder its oil resources and dismiss its historical stature. He affirmed that his nation possesses the absolute will and capability to defend its civilizational identity and firmly confront hostile schemes aimed at partitioning its territory and obliterating its ancient human legacy. Offering a contextual reading of historical and political transformations, Aref explained that hostile forces have repeatedly imposed dozens of wars on Iran throughout history to seize vital parts of its geography and undermine its survival. In this context, he noted that past weak and subordinate monarchies stripped Iran of its grandeur due to corruption and frailty, which led external powers to routinely carve off Iranian territory with every aggression launched against the nation. Conversely, Aref criticized regional subservience, pointing out that weak rulers in several Islamic states, defying the will of their peoples, encouraged the West to adopt a mistaken belief that the Middle East should be treated merely as a cash cow whose wealth is drained without recognizing its sovereignty, identity, or independence, all driven by persistent concessions and foreign reliance. The Iranian official elaborated that Iran embodies an authentic national and Islamic civilization capable of safeguarding its autonomy, noting that it reached its zenith following the advent of Islam. Through scientific and cultural superiority, it absorbed and subdued conquerors from Alexander to the Mongols, rising anew from tribulations like a phoenix. He stated that the world remains indebted to this land, which produced renowned scholars including Avicenna, Al-Khwarizmi, Al-Biruni, Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, and Al-Farabi. Aref concluded by affirming that the people, government, and the Islamic Republic stand united on behalf of all generations of Iranians who resisted throughout history, determined to restore national glory and prevent hegemonic powers from exerting blackmail or imposing dictates.
