"Resistance today in the west of Asia and in the Middle East is an undeniable reality. Today, the Western countries, especially the United States of America, whether through the political process or in the media, they are doing their best in order to identify the resistance in our region as a dependent element," Bagheri Kani said in an exclusive interview with News Week.
"And they are also trying to hide the independent identity of the resistance groups in our region. I believe that, through these measures, these countries, especially the U.S., is trying to hide the realities and is trying to create an atmosphere that covers these realities," he added.
"The threats made by the Zionists against the Islamic Republic of Iran are not relevant to the status quo of the current situation in the region," he noted.
"The Israeli Zionist regime is the only illegitimate aggressor, occupier and criminal actor in the region that has been creating some tensions and crisis in the region for decades," he stated.
"Throughout the past nine months, the Zionists have been defeated by the unarmed and encircled people of Gaza who are under embargo. The Israeli Zionist regime has failed in realizing even some of its declared objectives. It is very natural to say that when it comes to the great and powerful country of Iran, the Zionists have nothing to do and nothing to say. But it doesn't mean that we stand idle and indifferent to the threats made by the Israeli Zionist regime. We will make use of all our conventional capacities and potentials when it comes to facing and confronting the threats made by the Zionist regime," he said.
"Operation True Promise, which was executed by Iran against the Israeli Zionist regime was a very small-scale example of the potentials and capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to stabilize deterrence and at the same time to create further stability," Bagheri Kani stressed.
"The synergy and solidarity that has been created among the Axis of Resistance in our region against the Zionists is proof that if the Zionists are going to increase the threats and warnings against these groups, they should confront and they should face serious resistance in the region by these resistance groups and also by the nations and peoples in the region," he said.
"The reality is that following the seventh of October, the balance in the region has been in favor of the resistance. By resorting to further killings and atrocities and by killing civilians in Gaza, the Zionists cannot, and they will not, be able to change this balance in favor of Israel. They cannot return once again to [the situation] before the seventh of October. The Zionists should acknowledge and should accept this change and shift of balance that has been created today, which is against Israeli Zionists and in favor of the resistance."
"The Zionists have been trying to continue and intensify the killings and atrocities in Gaza in order to change the balance, but they have failed to achieve these objectives. So, we believe that, at the same time, if they try to expand the war and tensions to other parts of the region, including Lebanon, they will fail in changing this new order. Of course, they cannot change it and it will bring further damages to Israel and further benefits to the resistance," he said.
"Over the past nine months, the Zionists have failed in the fighting in Gaza. And, of course, it was a very small hole if I want to compare it with the realities on the ground. If they want to enter into Lebanon, it will be a very deep well for them. So, today, in the small hole of Gaza, they have failed, so definitely in the future, in the deep well of Lebanon, they will be further defeated. They can intentionally and voluntarily enter into Lebanon and expand the war to Lebanon, but they cannot through their own will end the war or the tensions."
Referring to the recent presidential election in Iran, Bagheri Kani said:
"The level of competition in my country in relation to the presidential election was so high that even one night before the elections, we were unsure which of the two candidates who ran for the second round would have been elected by the people."
"So, we believe that now it is the turn and time of the other side to prove this honesty for interaction and, of course, to open a new chapter. We have been always very honest and serious and, of course, we will be honest and serious when it comes to ensuring interaction with all international actors."
Once upon a time, the U.S. president sent a letter to the Iranian supreme leader. And the U.S. president received the reply of that letter. This was one incident. Another one was the fact that the US committed the crime of assassinating a high-ranking Iranian general and, in response, an American military base was bombarded by my country. Accordingly, we believe that now the ball is in the court of the other side.
"You spoke about some of the Iranian internal issues. You can come to our region and go visit other countries as well, and you can compare the level of freedom of the Iranian people with the freedom in other countries. You can compare the level of participation in democracy of the Iranian nation and the other nations in the region. And you can also compare the role of Iranian women in Iranian society with the other regional countries," he noted.
"We believe that this atmosphere that you spoke about is being created by some political movements belonging to unilateralism and some media that belong to this movement. When it comes to Iranian women, women's role in arts, in politics, economy, culture or science, Iranian women play a significant and unique role. And today, you can see that one of the ambassadors of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations, she's an Iranian lady, and she's playing a very effective role in this regard."
In response to a question about the recent developments in the US and the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, Bagheri Kani said: "I believe that that is a wrong approach adopted by the United States. We respect the choice made by the American people and the Americans should respect the choice made by Iranian people."
"What happens is that the Americans let themselves talk about the choices made by the Iranian people and, of course, they try to reject it. If the U.S. wishes to open a new chapter, then the U.S. should respect the choice of the Iranian people and the election," he added.
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