🎥 Zarif: We must build self-confidence and speak with the world strictly from our own position
Emphasizing the need to promote mutual understanding at the national and international levels, Zarif stated: What is considered a vital necessity today for both Iran and the entire world is "understanding"; understanding formed through reading, listening, and constructive speech. However, the basic condition for entering any true dialogue is to believe in oneself and one's independent identity. A monologue is different from a monologue before a mirror; if we wish to enter the world, we must stand firmly on our historical and true position.
🔹 He added: In the international system, no actor gives credit and status to a party devoid of its identity status that tries to speak solely from the perspective of others. We must enter interaction from our authentic Iranian position with a deep belief in the dignity, weight, and capability of this country.
After 200 years, we have proven that the era of knocking on doors has ended. Referring to the historical experiences of the past two centuries and the shared concerns of governments in Iran, the former Foreign Minister stated: The fundamental point I explained earlier in my books in the form of Iranian diplomacy, and subsequent developments proved it, was the response to the shared concern of all governments in Iran's contemporary history for more than two hundred years up to the Salvi Republic. During this time, our country established a strategic reality; as the Leadership emphasized, "the turning of the door is over."
Referring to the country's resistance against foreign attacks, he noted: Although heavy costs and losses were imposed on us, it was proven in the operational field that even with the simultaneous assault of two nuclear superpowers against Iran, they could not achieve their strategic objectives. The balance has shifted and the "hit one, eat one" equation has been established; both in the case of the Ain al-Asad base and in subsequent large-scale confrontations. Responding to some doubts regarding these equations, Zarif noted: Some may offer reductionist analyses suggesting America evacuated its bases, but where in the modern history of the world have you seen a global superpower forced to evacuate its military bases against a regional power, or what regional power has succeeded and dared to directly target the bases of a supreme global power?
Neither a position of weakness nor a sterile confrontation; logical dialogue from a position of self-belief
Ultimately, the former Foreign Minister emphasized in outlining the ideal model of the country's foreign policy: The fundamental principle is to believe in ourselves and our capabilities. Only by achieving such self-belief can we constructively interact with the world without falling into the trap of weakness and passivity, while simultaneously avoiding costly and fruitless confrontations. He noted: Standing in one's true position, recognizing the country's cultural and security weight, and utilizing its internal power are the prerequisites that enable Iran to speak with confidence and from an equal footing with the global power structure.