Nournews: Addressing the 20th Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly outlined the Islamic Republic of Iran’s positions on the recent war, the future of the region, and cooperation within the Islamic world. He stated that the Iranian nation, through its resilience and steadfastness, overturned the strategic calculations designed by the United States and the Israeli regime and demonstrated that the era of imposing political will on independent nations has come to an end.
Speaking on Wednesday in Baku, the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf thanked the hosts of the conference and offered condolences on the occasion of the month of Muharram. He said that the lessons of Ashura and the uprising of Imam Hussein teach Muslim nations that dignity and honor are achieved through resistance and perseverance, and that independence and national pride can never be secured through submission to coercion.
Referring to the recent war imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ghalibaf described it as a criminal act that went beyond a conventional military confrontation. He said that the principal objective of those who orchestrated the aggression was to alter the region’s strategic balance, weaken Iran’s position, and impose their political and security agenda on an independent nation. According to him, they believed that a combination of military pressure, psychological operations, blockade measures, and terrorist actions could force the Iranian people into retreat, but the final outcome proved contrary to all their calculations.
The Speaker emphasized that the courageous resistance of Iran’s armed forces and the extraordinary perseverance of its people under the most difficult circumstances imposed heavy costs on the United States and the Israeli regime and prevented them from achieving their objectives. He argued that what occurred in this conflict was not merely a military victory, but a demonstration of the Iranian nation’s determination and the failure of the strategy of pressure against the Islamic Republic.
Resistance Changed the Course of War and Negotiations
Ghalibaf stated that the recent conflict revealed important realities. He said the experience demonstrated that the true strength of nations lies in their determination, unity, and resilience, and that aggressors, regardless of the military and media tools at their disposal, cannot achieve their objectives against a nation that chooses to resist.
He added that lasting peace is achieved not through submission, pressure, or the humiliation of nations, but through strength, dignity, and mutual respect. According to him, the Iranian people proved that it is possible to withstand pressure while simultaneously compelling the other side to acknowledge realities on the ground.
Referring to the Islamabad Understanding, Ghalibaf stated that the agreement was not the product of pressure or coercion, but rather the result of the resistance and strength of the courageous Iranian nation. He argued that the understanding demonstrated that negotiations produce results only when the rights of nations are recognized and when the opposing side abandons policies of imposition and intimidation.
He further asserted that the Islamabad Understanding symbolized the failure of the American pressure strategy and proved that resistance and diplomacy are not mutually exclusive but can work together to safeguard national interests. The recent experience, he said, showed that diplomacy succeeds only when it is supported by popular backing, national strength, and mutual respect.
Ghalibaf also stressed that the Islamic Republic remains committed to two fundamental principles: “preferring reason over force” and “preferring resistance over surrender.” He said Iran would continue to support any political or diplomatic process founded on justice, mutual respect, and the legitimate interests of nations.
Iran Calls for Regional Security and Comprehensive Cooperation in the Islamic World
Turning to Iran’s vision for the future of the region, Ghalibaf stated that the peoples and governments of the region must determine their own destiny and should not allow external actors to dictate the future of West Asia based on self-serving interests.
He said that the Islamic Republic’s policy is based on the principle that regional security must be ensured by the countries of the region themselves and that no nation can seek its own security through the insecurity of its neighbors. From Iran’s perspective, economic development, political stability, and lasting security can only be achieved when all nations of the region enjoy equal opportunities for growth and progress.
Ghalibaf described the vast capabilities of the Islamic world as a unique opportunity for the creation of a powerful economic and political bloc. He noted that the energy resources, transit corridors, scientific capacities, and human capital of Islamic countries could serve as the driving force for sustainable development throughout the Muslim world.
Emphasizing that the Islamic Republic envisions the future of the region through “engagement,” “coexistence,” and “indigenous security,” he said Iran seeks the exclusion of no country and believes that institutional cooperation, economic connectivity, infrastructure integration, and continuous political dialogue represent the path toward lasting regional stability.
The Speaker also announced Iran’s readiness to expand cooperation with Islamic countries. He stated that the Islamic Republic is prepared to pursue joint security agreements with all Islamic nations, particularly countries in the region and along the Persian Gulf, coupled with sustainable economic cooperation that would bring security and prosperity to the peoples of the region.
Referring to developments in Lebanon, Ghalibaf emphasized that, for the Islamic Republic, a ceasefire and stability in Lebanon are just as important as peace and security in Iran. Strengthening stability anywhere in the Islamic world, he said, contributes to the strength and dignity of the entire Muslim Ummah.
In the final section of his speech, he described the Palestinian issue as the central pillar of security and stability in West Asia. He argued that no lasting regional security order can emerge without a just resolution of the Palestinian question. According to the Islamic Republic’s position, the Palestinian people, like all peoples of the world, possess the right to self-determination, and the final resolution of the issue should be determined through a referendum involving the original inhabitants of Palestine—Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike.
Concluding his remarks, Ghalibaf once again emphasized the importance of expanding political, economic, and security cooperation among Islamic countries. He stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran extends a hand of friendship and cooperation to all Muslim nations and believes that the future of the region will be shaped through engagement, coexistence, cooperation, and shared security.
NOURNEWS