Iran military might to be used as role model: Commentator

Press TV has interviewed Ibrahim Mousawi, a political commentator in Beirut, to discuss the remarks made by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, saying the Iranian Armed Forces are required to enhance their “military might” along with “spiritual and religious motivations." 

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Well you heard the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, speaking. I want to look at that aspect because in this world 2016 when it appears in military conflicts especially that anything goes, we see what the Leader is talking about when he mentions the role of the Iranian military not only to lead militarily but to also make sure that they adhere to their moral convictions. I want to talk about that aspect and the importance of that and the rareness in this world today?

Mousawi: Well this is one of the very important speeches. Most and many of the speeches by His Eminence the Leader are very important but this one is very important because it necessarily talks about the military might of Iran, it talks about the role of the military not only in Iran per se but in most of the countries all over the world.

We know very well that the military might of many countries are being subdued to the decisions of the politicians. They are only there in order to serve their own interests in order to ensure that they will continue to be on the seats of the authority and the power. In Iran it is a completely different issue. The real role and the authentic role of the military power is enshrined in the Iranian constitution and in the practice that they are only to defend the country against the enemies. They are there not to ensure the survivability and the continuity of the regimes and the rulers but to defend the people and the very basic values of the people in Iran.

This is something very evident because we know very well when it comes to the Iranian might, here you are talking about a nationally built-in might. You are talking about the pride of the Iranian revolutionary and military industry, they are not being dictated from outside and this goes in complete concordance with the Iranian constitution. Iran ever since the revolution came into existence and the victory and the advent of the revolution, it has put this very important slogan ‘not for the East, not for the West, it is an Islamic Republic’. Upon such enshrine and doctrine, the Iranian might continues to ensure the safety, the protection and to act as a model for other countries if they are going to emulate a real independent sovereign military might.

Press TV: Well looking at the situation again reiterating the world that we have today, we see entities such as Daesh for example and even militaries from various regimes basically not knowing any limit at all. I want to look at that aspect that the Leader of the Islamic Revolution at the same time stressing the might, the importance of that aspect that no matter what that there are lines, there are limits and in your perspective has Iran actually abided by that since the revolution or not?

Mousawi: Absolutely. I mean ever since the advent of the revolution and the Islamic Republic, it continued to be in a complete integrity and consistency with the slogans and with all the principles that they have announced about ever since the revolution came into existence. We know very well when you talk about the military, even the American military, they talk about a kind of moral mission that they are enshrined to do, yet they continue to ..., as we all know it is like something very funny as we have seen by George W. Bush when he said that God whispered in his ears to go and invade Iraq. Why? Because under the alibi of the weapons of mass deception.

When you talk about the military might of other powers especially the United States and the world arrogance you talk about a military might that continues to invade and to threaten and to topple elected governments and regimes in different places. When it comes to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, when it comes to the Iranian army, when it comes to the Iranian military might, you talk about a completely independent and sovereign body that [is] only dictated by the leaders of the Islamic Republic. They have never exercised any kind of attack or aggression against any country. They have always preached that their might is for the service of the neighboring countries and for the stability of the region. They have always highlighted the necessity that the Western powers and the arrogant powers should not interfere in the affairs of the region and it is better that they go back to their own bases, to their own countries rather than meddle in the affairs of the sovereign countries and the sovereign people of the region.

Press TV: Why do you think, if we look at other countries, that we really have not seen this model that Iran is using really duplicated or perhaps you disagree that we do have but if not, why isn’t that the case?

Mousawi: Well very simply. If you know the programs that are being designed by the Western powers - by Britain, by France, by the United States of America - they want to enter and they want to exercise their own power, their own clout, their influence over the internal military bodies of countries all over the world under the motto of training and under the programs of rehearsals and whatever they continue to influence the countries, they know the military by names, the military officers, they even interfere in the appointment of certain officers in certain places.

It is very evident when you put your country under the mercy of Western powers, then they are going to interfere, they will dictate their own policies, they will dictate their own will against your own national interests. This is not a case that is taking place in Iran. You talk about Iran; Iran has every right and has the power to be sovereign and dependent contrary to other countries because the other countries have had certain agreements with the United States, with Western powers that allows them to find loopholes in order to interfere in their own internal affairs which completely does not exist in Iran.

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