Qalibaf: Iran is not a warmonger, but it is not a surrenderer either

According to Ashura News, citing Mehr News Agency, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, delivered a speech at the 19th Conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union of Islamic Countries (PUIC).

The text of Qalibaf’s speech is as follows:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Honorable Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, Ms. Pwan Maharani;

Honorable Speakers of the Parliaments of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation;

Honorable Representatives and Distinguished Guests;

Assalamu Alaikum,

It is a great honor to be present at the 19th Conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, alongside you, in the friendly and brotherly country of Indonesia.

With great pleasure, on behalf of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, we celebrate with you the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the PUIC. During this quarter of a century, this union has witnessed progress in strengthening political and social integration and pursuing common ideals.

I would like to congratulate Mr. Mohammad Qureshi Nias, the esteemed Secretary General and members of the PUIC Secretariat on this achievement. This summit is a valuable opportunity to review past achievements and chart new horizons for further convergence in advancing the goals of the Islamic Ummah, and we must honestly acknowledge that there is still much work to be done to utilize the capacity of parliamentary diplomacy to address the challenges of the Islamic world.

I am also pleased that this historic event is being held in the largest Muslim country in the world, Indonesia. I thank the people, government, and parliament of Indonesia for their warm welcome, hospitality, and organization of this event.

Excellencies;

We are facing an unprecedented period of increasing challenges, tensions, uncertainties, rapid changes and developments, rising tariffs, climate change and environmental crises, the collapse of global trade, and the incitement of war and insecurity, and even targeted genocide.

Now, the hypothesis of the existence of a law-based international order is facing serious doubts and trust in international institutions is at its lowest level on record.

A clear example of these challenges has been revealed in Palestine. The oppressed people of Palestine are suffering from the longest and most dangerous occupation known in modern history. The old wound of Palestine with the Gaza crisis is more visible than ever on the body of the Islamic Ummah.

In this land, we are not facing a war, but a full-scale genocide that the Zionist regime is imposing on the oppressed people of Gaza through the indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas or through the destruction of humanitarian aid supply lines, hunger and dehydration, imprisonment, terror, torture, displacement and abandonment of their homeland.

The world knows that all these things are crimes against humanity, but the reactions are not deterrent and consistent, and this regime, which is founded on the principles of occupation, genocide, and racial discrimination, is now the most important source of instability and threat to the Islamic world. Of course, everyone knows that this criminal mafia is not capable of this amount of barbarity without the green light of America. In fact, Israel acts as an American proxy in the region.

Dear colleagues;

Here I would like to thank all the free nations of the world in Africa, Asia, Europe, and America, and all the Muslim nations that stand with the people of Gaza and Palestine. Defending the rights of the Palestinian people is a human, moral, and religious obligation towards a people who, like all people in the world, have the right to live in security, freedom, and stability.

Defending Palestine is defending Islam, humanity, and the pursuit of justice. Now, amidst the grief caused by the mass killing of the people of Gaza, the members of this important parliamentary union must use their practical cooperation to force the Zionist regime to stop the targeted genocide. Today, the eyes of the children and women of Gaza are fixed on the decision of our Islamic countries.

Imam Khomeini, may God be pleased with him, said years ago that if every Muslim pours a bucket of water on the Zionist regime, it will flood it; but today, the lifeblood and economic artery of the Zionist regime passes through some Muslim countries. Now is the time for Islamic countries to force this regime to end the siege of Gaza with a collective decision.

The Islamic Republic of Iran calls for immediate and effective measures by Islamic countries regarding the political, economic and arms embargo on the Zionist regime, the recognition of the occurrence of war crimes, genocide and apartheid in Palestine, and the judicial prosecution of the leaders of this regime in international forums.

We believe that the democratic solution to the right of Palestinian self-determination and to achieving security, stability and peace in the region is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital and the vote of all Palestinians through a referendum after ensuring the right of return of the Palestinians.

Dear colleagues;

The root of the chaos in the West Asian region is the US regime’s support for the Zionist mafia. In response to this occupation and crime, the people of the region have turned to resistance.

The US President’s statements last night showed that he is living in an illusion. We advise him to open his eyes and see the clear reality that the place of resistance is in the hearts of the people. It is enough for people to believe in resistance that the Palestinian resistance, in the latest poll of the people of Gaza and the West Bank, after a year and a half of bombing, is still the most popular by a long distance.

The people of Lebanon also chose the resistance options for municipalities with a decisive vote in the current elections, after a long period of economic and military pressure.

Instead of worrying about the internal situation in Iran, the US President should think about the fact that he has become the record holder for the largest decline in popularity of a president in the US.

The Iranian people will not forget the role of the US regime in the coup of 19 Mordad 1953, the US support for Saddam Baath during the 8-year attack on Iran, the targeting of a passenger plane over the Persian Gulf, the assassination of the national commander of Iran in the fight against ISIS terrorism (Martyr Soleimani), and dozens of other crimes.

The US regime has put maximum pressure on dear Iran, but the Islamic Revolution of Iran has narrowed the field for the ruling regime more and more day by day, to the point that the message of resistance has even reached prestigious universities, forcing them to expel students and cut university funding.

Trump’s words echoed policies that have led our region to insecurity for years. Iran is not a warmonger, but we are not one to surrender either. We are brothers with our neighbors and oppose the Americans’ sowing discord in the region to heat up the market for their weapons sales.

Everyone knows that Iran has not and does not seek nuclear weapons. Regional security will be built with the cooperation of regional countries, independent of the interference of extra-regional countries.

In conclusion, I would like to express my gratitude once again for the worthy hosting and the actions of the organizers of this valuable meeting.

Peace be upon you, may God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.