Pars Today

Seyyed Hassan Nasrollah, the Secretary-General of Lebanon’s legendry anti-terrorist movement, Hezbollah, in a speech last Wednesday in Beirut hailed the 40th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, by first saluting the soul of the Late Imam Ruhollah Khomeini (RA) and then listing the major achievements of the Islamic Republic of Iran at various levels, including national, regional and international, since 1979.

Seyyed Hassan Nasrollah in a televised speech to a huge gathering of enthusiastic Lebanese people, said: “We speak about Iran because it is the 9^th out of 13 countries influencing world developments. It was ruled by an oppressive dictator who dubbed himself “the king of kings”, undermined the country’s religious and Islamic culture and in his slavish attitude towards the US, allowed it to steal the Iranian people’s oil and have full control over Iran. As policeman of the Persian Gulf, the Pahlavi potentate permitted 60,000 US personnel to lead Iran and he established a supposedly strategic relationship with the illegal Zionist regime to whom he gave Iran’s oil for free.”

Seyyed Nasrollah pointed out: “the great Islamic scholar Imam Khomeini, who possessed courageous character, a heart that knew no fear and a determination that couldn’t be undermined, launched his uprising in the early 1960s by confronting the Shah who was preparing to sign a deal with Israel that would’ve destroyed Iran economically.

He added to cheers of God’s Majesty (or Allah-o Akbar) from the huge gathering of Lebanese people in Beirut as well as viewers throughout Lebanon and the neighbourhood: “This is the revolution whose 40^th anniversary we are celebrating today. It started with one man who stood up for the sake of Allah without having any selfish motives or material benefits for himself.”

As noted by Lebanon’s Hezbollah Chief: “Those men who led the revolution suffered torture, imprisonment, oppression, expulsion and assassination, yet they did not give up. The Imam spoke against the relationship with the US and Israel and highlighted the importance of the Palestinian cause. He also spoke about the agriculture that was destroyed by the Shah, as well as the corruption, hunger, deprivation, poverty, disease, and other social ills that were spread in Iran.”

Seyyed Hassan Nasrollah recalled: “On the 11th of February, 1979, the Islamic Revolution triumphed and the Americans and the Zionists were driven out of Iran, resulting in real independence, which after 40 years is still preserved, placing Iran at the forefront of independent countries.

“The Iranian people stood firm in the face of the 8-year global war that was imposed upon them by the US, and backed by the Soviet Union and the Persian Gulf and Arab states. Iran triumphed and started rebuilding itself.”

In this context, Seyyed Nasrollah stated a list of challenging developments that the Islamic Republic of Iran has achieved over the past 40 years.

– In 1979 at the time of victory, Iran’s population was 30 million, today it is 80 million.

– During Pahlavi rule Iran did not have any position concerning scientific productions, while today Iran is first in the region and the 7th worldwide for its inventions, in addition be being 16th in the world in terms of the quality of education.

– Iran, which in 1979 had a mere 232 higher education centres, has now 3,000, with university professors numbering 80,000, the rising number of intellectuals crossing the 200,000 mark, and university students totaling over four million. At the same time the adult literacy rate is almost 100%, while last year some 107,000 books were published, and of the authors as many as 8,000 were female writers.

– Iran which used to import 70% of its medicines and pharmaceutical needs during Pahlavi rule, today Iran produces 97% of its rising requirements of various kinds medicines, vaccines and serums, ranking first in the region and 11th worldwide.

– In the field of defence industries, Iran which had nil production before the victory of the Islamic Revolution, today produces over 95% of its defense needs and exports five billion dollars of weaponry.

Seyyed Hassan Nasrollah said in his address to eager audiences in Beirut, Lebanon and neighbouring Arab states: “I’m not saying that the Islamic Republic, which for several reasons, on top of them the illegal economic sanctions, does not have any people living below the international poverty line, but we have to be fair in the presentation of the data, especially since Iran is situated in Asia and in the Islamic world – a region which because of historical factors has to depend on imports. Nonetheless, all these spectacular achievements of the past four decades are the outcome of the Iranian people’s great efforts, sacrifices, and persistence.”

He added: “The undeniable fact is that, the Islamic Revolution brought religion and spirituality, not just Islam, back to life; it restored the people’s faith in themselves, in God, in divine equations, and in the Almighty’s Power to grant victory.

“What I mentioned are facts even though most segments of the international media tries to disfigure the image of Iran, while concealing the actual crimes of their own societies and leaders. Some claim that it is an Israeli-Iranian war or a conflict with Saudi Arabia, and this is untrue. This is literally a US war against the Islamic Republic of Iran, in which the Saudi regime and other Persian Gulf states are only tool.”

Nasrollah asked: “Why does the US insist on its war on Iran?”

The answer is obvious he said: “First, because Iran is an independent country and makes its own decisions, in all fields, including oil, gas, minerals and wealth, without submitting to the US. Washington cannot tolerate these realities.”

“The second factor,” he said, “is Iran’s regional position and stance toward the oppressed countries and (occupied Islamic city of) Bayt al-Moqaddas. It means, even if the entire world were to abandon Palestine, Iran would never abandon al-Quds and the sacred places.”

Seyyed Nasrollah made it clear that neither Israel nor the US are capable of waging a war on Iran because the outcome will not be to their benefit.

He assured the audiences that Iran is ready to help Lebanon in various fields, “and it could back our country in the process of development, security and education without asking for any return.”

He pointed out that the Islamic Republic is ready to solve our biggest problem in the government today which is shortage of electricity. It has even offered Lebanon a deal to build highways that would solve its traffic issue for fifty years.”

Lebanon’s Hezbollah Chief posed the question: “Is the Lebanese cabinet ready to approve these Iranian offers?”

In conclusion, he assured that “with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei continuing the victory lap of the Islamic Revolution, we are in the era of victories, the victory of the nations and the oppressed ones, and Insha Allah (God Willing) this era will be completed by further victories.”

AS/MG