Iran is not worried about new US or Western sanctions against it. This was confirmed by the Iranian officials whom we met as part of the visit of a Lebanese media and academic delegation to Tehran. The world has changed and is no longer dominated by the West, and Iran has an opportunity to diversify its relations: No need for a relationship with the West, instead, Iran would develop rising bonds with Eurasian powers, such as Russia, China, India, and Pakistan, as stated by officials in the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

In addition, Iran didn’t attach much importance to the European Union's decision about designating the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps as a "terrorist" group. As the spokesperson of the Commission of National Security and Foreign Policy in the Iranian Shura Council Abul Fadl Amouyi said, this decision is not binding on European countries, many of which refused to adopt the European decision. In addition, Iran's response was to place the armies of the countries that accepted the European Union's decision on the Iranian terrorist list.

Elements of Iranian power

This reflects the self-confidence of the Iranian leadership due to the scientific and technological progress it has achieved in recent decades, whether at the level of civilian or military technology. As the spokesperson for the Iranian armed forces, Maj. Gen. Aghai Shakarji said, Iranian scientists were able to develop Iran's nuclear capabilities for peaceful use, and at the same time, the Iranian armed forces were able to develop the country's armaments capabilities, whether for short, medium, and long-range missiles or military drones that are more sophisticated than the American engines, [which is evident in the advanced American drones captured by Iran and which are at display in the Sacred Defense Exhibition, along with the latest Iranian missiles and drones.]

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Major General Shakarji pointed out that the West imposed war on Iran when it encouraged Saddam Hussein to wage war against Iran in the year 1980, but stressed that although the battles led to great destruction and losses, Iran benefited from them as they served as a means of developing the Islamic Republic's capabilities and armed forces. Iran also benefited from the war to raise a generation of military commanders such as General Qassem Soleimani. The Islamic Republic began manufacturing weapons by itself, and today, it is capable of producing various types of weapons for all sectors of the armed forces. In air defense, Iran has manufactured anti-aircraft missiles, radars, fighters, bombers, drones, and planes, and "today, we can defend our country's airspace without anyone's help," as he stated. 

Shakarji added that today, "we have surface-to-air missiles, surface-to-surface missiles, and surface-to-sea missiles, and we have developed our production capabilities for manufacturing drones, and now many countries depend on us to supply them with drones. We reached advanced manufacturing of marine equipment:  fleets, destroyers, submarines, and speedboats, and our fleets can go anywhere, all over  the world."

He pointed out that Iran can now manufacture satellites, satellite carriers, and platforms for launching missiles into space, in addition to bulldozers, tanks, troop carriers, and caterpillars, stressing the need for the countries of the region to ensure regional security without US interference. The spokesperson for the Iranian Armed Forces stressed Iran's ability to respond to any American or Zionist aggression against it, pointing out that in this case, all American bases will become reprisal targets and “therefore, the American army will not withstand Iranian strikes."

Iranian progress is dedicated to serving the Axis of Resistance

Major General Shakarji asserted that the Iranian technological progress is dedicated to backing and supporting the Resistance movements in Lebanon and Palestine against the Zionist enemy, indicating that the people of Lebanon and the people of Iran “are one soul in two bodies" and that the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples have the right to struggle for the liberation of their lands from the Zionist occupation. For its part, the Iranian Foreign Ministry has confirmed the commitment of the Islamic Republic to support the Axis of Resistance and the Resistance movements in Lebanon and Palestine, pointing out that the leader of the Islamic Revolution Sayyed Ali Khamenei is attaching great importance to this issue, especially that Lebanon occupies a privileged place in the Axis of Resistance. Iranian Foreign Ministry sources added that the main instructions given by the leader of the Islamic Revolution were to reject any connection between nuclear talks with the West and Iran's development of its missiles or drones, or Iran’s support for the Resistance movements against the Zionist enemy. No conditions are to be accepted.

Dr. Amouyi confirmed that Iran may accept the EU proposal to revive the nuclear deal, pointing out that the Islamic Republic was committed to the requirements of the negotiations with the West and that the United States withdrew from the agreement as a result of its attempt to link the Iranian nuclear file to the Iranian missiles’ issue and Iran's support to the Axis of Resistance, which is something that Iran rejects.

He indicated that Tehran is ready to return to the agreement the way it was formulated in 2015 and that the current US President Joe Biden considered that former US President Donald Trump made a mistake by withdrawing from the nuclear agreement. However, the spokesperson for the Commission of National Security and Foreign Policy considered that Biden hesitates to return to the nuclear agreement as a result of his party's defeat in the US congressional elections against the Republican Party, and as a result of the pressure exerted by the Zionist lobby in the United States, especially after the re-election of Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister.

However, Iran does not attach any importance to these transformations, as it is steadfast in its positions and is not ready to make concessions on its legitimate rights. And what increases its attachment to its positions, as the Iranian foreign affairs sources say, is that the West is gradually weakening, including the United States, and there are changes in the world in favor of the rise of Eurasian and non-European powers in the world that will have an importance in the multipolar international system that is taking shape. The spokesperson added that this is enhanced by the increase in the power of the Lebanese Resistance, represented by Hezbollah, and the Palestinian resistance, which makes them able to defend themselves against any Israeli or American aggression.