On July 22, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke at a meeting with the heads of Iran’s diplomatic missions in world countries, in Tehran commenting on the key factors of his country’s relations with the US and othe topics.
The Iranian state-run media outlet Press TV covered Rouhani’s speech in details (source):
President Hassan Rouhani of Iran says the United States should know that peace with Iran will be the mother of all peace while war with the country will be the mother of all wars.
He made the remarks at a meeting with the heads of Iran’s diplomatic missions in world countries in Tehran on Sunday.
“The Americans should learn well that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace and war with Iran is the mother of all wars,” President Rouhani said in a series of sharp remarks aimed at the US.
The Iranian president reminded America of Iran’s long reach in the region.
“Iran’s strategic depth reaches the [Indian] Subcontinent to the east, and the Mediterranean to the west, the Red Sea to the south, and the Caucasus to the north,” he said. “We rooted Daesh out and saved the people in the region; we take pride in ourselves.”
The Iranian chief executive further praised the role of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in protecting the country against enemy plots.
Under the administration of President Donald Trump, the US has taken an increasingly hostile approach toward Iran.
On May 8, Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal with Iran over the objections of Europe as well as Russia and China — the other parties to the deal, which is officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The withdrawal entailed not only the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran but also the so-called secondary sanctions on third countries. Some of those sanctions will take effect after a 90-day wind-down period ending on August 6, and the rest after a 180-day wind-down period ending on November 4.
Most recently, the Trump White House has announced that it seeks to supposedly bring Iran’s oil sales down to “zero.”
The measures would collectively cause difficulties for Europe to maintain trade ties with Iran. Nevertheless, Europe and Russia and China have decided to explore ways to maintain the JCPOA and trade with Iran.
Iranian officials have said the US measures equal an “economic war” on Iran.
In his Sunday remarks, President Rouhani said threats against Iran would have the opposite effect.
“Threats will further unite us [Iranians]; we will certainly defeat America,” he said. “That will carry some costs for us, but the benefits will be greater.”
“The US’s latest conspiracy [against Iran] has been to attempt to wear the Iranian nation down [and lead it into submission,” President Rouhani said. “You must know [however]: the Iranian nation is honorable and will never be servile to anyone.”
‘Isolated America should not be given chance to recover’
The Iranian president referred to the stance of the remaining parties to the JCPOA versus that of America and said the US has become isolated as a result of its unilateral withdrawal.
“The US is clashing with the whole world over the JCPOA,” he said, adding, “The isolated America should not [be given a chance to] recover.”
‘Don’t you want to play with the lion’s tail!’
Earlier, and on a trip to Europe, Rouhani had said that if Iran is made incapable of selling its oil, so will other countries in the region — a relatively implicit statement that has been taken to mean that Iran may block its waters in the Strait of Hormuz, through which many international oil cargoes pass.
On Sunday, he repeated that threat — this time unambiguously.
“No one with even a basic understanding of politics will ever say, ‘We will block Iran’s oil exports,’” President Rouhani said, reminding America that, “We have many straits; the Strait of Hormuz is but one.”
He had more advice for Trump.
“Mr. Trump! We are men of honor and [have been] the guarantors of the security of the region’s waterway throughout history. Don’t you want to play with the lion’s tail! It will be something [for you] to regret,” he said.
‘You declare war on Iranians and speak of support for them?!’
The US has recently launched “an offensive of speeches and online communications meant to foment unrest” among ordinary Iranians, according to Reuters.
On Sunday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was scheduled to give a speech titled “Supporting Iranian Voices” to opponents of the Islamic Republic in California.
Apparently referring to that campaign by the US, President Rouhani said America “cannot incite the Iranian nation against the security and interests of Iran.”
“You declare war on the Iranian nation and speak of support [for them]? You are all over the place in the region. Know what you say!” the Iranian president said.
‘The bullying liar that is Trump’
On Saturday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said that talks with the US would be futile as neither America’s word nor even its signature were credible.
President Rouhani echoed those remarks, saying, “Today, talking to America means nothing but surrender.”
“In the face of the bullying liar that is Trump, surrendering will mean allowing the looting of Iran,” he said.
President Rouhani did say, however, that Trump presented “both a threat and an opportunity.”
” The Iranian state-run media outlet Press TV ” It is not State run
Elaborate, please.
As far as I know, PressTV has said they recieve money from the goverment but are not direct;y run by the government or whatsoever. They are just being financed by the government to enable them to be a serious opposition to for example CNN and otjer Zionist Western mainstream Media.The channel is independent and works with the same moral values as the majority of the Iranian people, not against them. Furthermore they have many different people ethnicities religions in their staff. That reminds me of one of ther Docs: ” How Sunnis live in Iran ?” Or something like that.
If one claims they are run by Press TV there must be evidence to convince us. Iran is not run by the state but def has to and does work in line with the vision of the Islamic Republic.
Then say state funded, or pro- Iranian government. Lose the sycophancy.
If they are government financed, they are not independent according to standard definitions. Legislation could be enacted to shield the funded organization to give some independence but you have not spoken of such, other than what seems to be implied understanding of independence of action.
Iranian state broadcaster in IRIN, while PRESS TV is a global commercial network with both public and private funding. Iran has a diverse and relatively free media.
Well, the lines are drawn. May the fortunes of war smile on Iran.
Poser alert.
I think the message is unambiguous, we want peace but not at the expense of our hard earned true independence and strategic autonomy. What I deduce from this statement is that the Iranians are near unanimously is their stand never to give in to bullying even at the cost of war, and any Iranian political elite irrespective of his position that says otherwise will be ccommitting a political suicide. President Rouhani as just echoed the stand of a revolutionary society that Iran still remain after 40years. I really envy this society.
Yeah, multiple domestic insurgencies, treaties that disappear like disco, allies that’ll screw them over, dissident riots, extreme poverty, 3-6 undeclared wars (depending on how you count), hefty restrictions on press and religion, an air force equipped with literal antiques, chronic near bankrupcy, and so on. All that uncertainty is enviable…
Also, at one point you say “I really envy this society” and at another you say “OUR hard earned independence.” I won’t dissect that because it should be obvious. I’ll give you a heads up that South Front is a pro-Russian source and the English version is loaded with western conspiracy theory trolls.
BRING IT ON!
He specifically said Iran won’t be the one to “bring it on”, but won’t back down if you do. If you’re too eager to have a war, there’s no other way other than YOU start it.
And you believe everything he says? Let’s face it, at this point in the dirty war it don’t matter who shoots first.
One, I certainly believe him more than I believe Trump. Rouhani is not in the habit of changing his publicly announced or signed word, like Trump does every couple of hours.
Two, actions speak louder than words. Iran has not attacked any country for a few centuries, but never backed down from defending when attacked. You may say Iran is thousands of years old while the Islamic Republic of Iran has just became 40. IR too, never attacked anyone, only defended and in all instances of conflict, always invites the sides to dialogue.
Three, Iran’s involvement in the region’s conflict is 1- by invitation, not a unilateral and unlawful invasion, 2- in support of the elected and recognized governments, not to overthrow it, and 3- military action AFTER the dialogue failed repeatedly and I mean dialogue, not threatening.
Four, You haven’t seen a dirty war YET but we have. We’re facing it for a few decades. Still, it always matters who starts a war by shooting the first bullet. A real bullet, mind you, not a “gulf of Tonkin” kind of bullet, a US specialty.
Rouhani’s speech was more than one hour. The media (including SF) handpicked a few sentences who are good to use as a heading, if you take them out of their context. I listened the speech from start to finish. It’s not a threatening speech at all but he gave a few warnings. One sentence before “don’t play with the lion’s tail” he was saying “we still think dialogue is the best way to solve problems, … but don’t think we are afraid to defend…”. He even hoped to solve the differences with KSA and UAE.
You know it’s not that simple, and given the dirty war already in place it don’t really matter who shoots first at this point.
Besides, you just said if there’s a war it’ll be America’s fault, and I know why you said that… It’s because you know exactly what the outcome will be, and you can’t bombast me as an idiot for it!
Yet again, you’re at “dirty war” talk, pretending that both parties “act” hostile against each other. We did negotiate with the US for a few years (which proved some incidents can be solved by talking or even one phone call, like the 2 US military boats entering Iran waters), we signed a deal with the US government. It wasn’t us who violated the deal and started threats.
How many act of war can you recall done by Iran against the US? I can say a few done by the US against Iran right now. Perhaps it needs to change, either both do or neither do.
The US is too carried out to have a war with Iran and at the same time, is afraid to start it. It has NOTHING to do with the US national security, heck, it’s even against it, but everything with the ambitions of the US “allies” in the ME namely Israel and KSA (do Americans need enemies with such “friends”?), and benefits the military hardware producers and contractors.
But I didn’t say the war will be the US’s fault, I said if you want a war, you have to start it yourself. Don’t pretend Iran’s stance towards the US is out of thin air and without provocation.
I tell you what the outcome of an attack by the US against Iran would be. The US will do the usual, trying to bomb everything specially civilians. I don’t like my country to be hurt in a war, but if we’re attacked we won’t beg the attacker to stop but do our damnest so they have a taste of their own medicine. Regardless of who is in charge in Iran, I can assure you this:
– If the attacker comes to this side of the world to hit us, we’ll go to their side of the world to hit them.
– If the attacker spares our allies, we’ll spare their allies.
– If the attacker spares our infrastructure, we’ll spare theirs.
– If the attacker spares our civilians, we’ll spare their civilians.
– If the attacker spares our families, we’ll spare their families.
– If the attacker refrains from committing war crimes, we’ll do the same.
Don’t get me wrong. these aren’t threats but promises, a pact if you will.
I really wish they would not threaten ‘the mother of all battles’. The trouble is we have heard this before in Iraq , and that turned out to be a bit of a flop. I know Iran is not Iraq and they do have military power. But I also feel they are too full of boastful words. To me much of what I hear appears intended to bolster Rouhani’s position and is for internal consumption. I rather feel that if there is real strength then there is no need to keep on talking about it.
I agree. The ‘Mother of all…..’ has basically become a joke meme here in the West. All boast, no action. Either Rouhani does not spend much time on the internet, or understands popular Western culture, or……., he’s not speaking at all to the West, but to the Arab street, which uses a different symbolic language altogether. Where the term maybe still does hold symbolic power.
Thanks, you understand well what I was trying to say. I am not at all against the Iranians but I am exasperated with them. To be honest they appear all theatre to me and little substance. Now events may prove me wrong but that is what I see.
To reduce oil exports to zero is no doubt an act of war and Iran can retaliate. And I posted earlier that I sensed things are more serious this time and may not be bluff as had been the case before. This feeling I have that they mean it this time remains. There have been nuclear war scenarios that postulated a closing of the Hormuz Straight as the flash point, so diplomatic efforts hopefully prevent this getting out of hand.
Iran needs to go on war footing as it is being openly attacked by US/Zionist sponsored terrorists from Iraqi Kurdistan. So far Iran and Hezbollah have remained very passive as Zionists have attacked Syria over 120 times and have not received any counter blows. Zionists only understand strength. ACT NOW or be obliterated with Bolton’s “regime change” agenda.