Iran needs to be able to defend itself: Analyst

Press TV has conducted an interview with Catherine Shakdam, programs director of the Shafaqna Institute of Middle East Studies from London.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Talk to us about the significance of these military parades in the capital Tehran.

Shakdam: I think it's the reinforcement of what Iran has stood for many decades now which is its essential national sovereignty and the right to defend itself to resist against, I would say, tyranny on a global level. What Iran has done is not become a belligerent power to be a power which has tried to broker peace and tried to force stability in the region. And the same cannot be said of course of Israel and of the United States of America, because everything that they have done so far in terms of foreign policy away from military efforts have been directed toward war something that Iran has actually opposed systematically.

And as you mentioned earlier yes of course the fact that Iran wants to improve its military capabilities and it doesn't speak at all it's designed to which war but only to kind of bring stability, what stability is needed. A country just as Iran absolutely needs to be able to defend itself if anything history has proven that it has to because it has been systematically attacked if not militarily at least politically, economically and diplomatically and that if not for its military and this trend, I would say, of its people. And Iran would have long been wasted and sold out to liberalism which is essentially what America wants.

I mean if I recall correctly Obama's ... to the UN General Assembly has been about that by creating this grand new world order based on liberalism, again I would say, lying actually in the face of sovereign nationality. I mean he's denying people the right to actually hold onto the integrity of their borders and their territory and their right to choose for themselves what kind of governing body they want to see in their own land in their own nation. And so yes of course Iran has the right, has the duty, I would say, even to defend itself and to defend others because others do not have the capabilities maybe that Iran has in terms of military.

Press TV: Basically given the situation in the region, the rise of Daesh and other terrorist groups and the US rhetoric towards Iran deterrence capabilities are basically key.

Shakdam: Absolutely, I mean if you just imagine for a second what kind of the landscape would be looking at, should Iran have not intervened in Syria or even in Iraq or even try to calm things down in Yemen by trying to push for peace talks, trying to broker a political solution or even in Bahrain again I mean we would be looking at Iraq and Syria and Yemen being completely invaded and under the boot of terror or competing altogether. So, yes of course I mean deterrence is absolutely necessary and it's not for Iran I would say that the Middle East would have long been gone as we know it anyway and would have long been, I would say, appropriated by not just the US but Israel as well.

So, yes absolutely I mean it’s not again, I mean, it's not for Iran, it’s not for the resistance, it actually has promoted and presented to the world. People would not have realize that they actually have the power to stand up to tyranny to change things. Iran has given a lot to the world and I know that a lot of people look at Iran being the root of all evil when it comes to Western capitals anyway but that's not the case Iran has always stood for democracy, for the right of people to govern themselves, for the right of people to choose, for the right of people to defend themselves against tyranny. And again Iran has promoted the very democracy that Western capitals have claimed to be waiting around without understanding the first word about it.

So if anything I think that the world owes a great deal to Iran and the idea he has been able to actually promote again stability and offer a different way. We don't talk enough I think about the fact that Iran has created an alternative to Western capitalism and alternative to the way that Western powers govern themselves and govern over the people. Iran has offered a choice, has offered people a mean and to do things differently not just like the way that Iran does it but at least to realize that you have a choice and you can carve your own way and decide for yourself what you want what you think is best for your country.

This is what Iran has offered the world nothing more nothing less and Iran has never invaded any other country the same cannot be said that the US or other countries which are allied to the US. Iran have never declared war. Whenever Iran has been at war it was war of self-defense, it was never a war which was standing outside international law and Iran has always respected international law but for some reason everyone is bashing at Iran saying that Iran is committing many great crimes but until now I don't actually see proof of those crimes. If anything is just rhetoric and violent rhetoric and quite a lot of very misleading assumption.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk