“We are not warmongers, but we know how to fight – Iran’s First Vice President
“Why should a country with the longest coastline along the southern waters be blockaded? Why should a country thousands of kilometers away interfere?” he asked.
Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref, has urged countries and sheikhdoms in the Gulf region to prioritise the interests and welfare of their own people, saying the region would become “undoubtedly more peaceful” if they did so.
Aref made the remarks while addressing growing tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that the key issue was the welfare and security of people across the region rather than confrontation or attempts to eliminate one another.
He said regional countries were fully aware of the steps required to protect their interests, but warned against allowing external powers to dictate their policies.
“The system of domination will guide you along the path of its interests only as long as you remain aligned with those interests. Even a 10 or 15 percent deviation is enough to change that,” Aref said.
The Iranian vice president also insisted that Tehran was not seeking war, but maintained that Iran was prepared to defend its national interests.
“We are not warmongers, but we know how to fight. We will never compromise when it comes to our national and national interests, and we are willing to engage in dialogue,” he said.
Aref questioned the justification for foreign interference in the Gulf, particularly against Iran, which he noted has the longest coastline along the southern waters.
“Why should a country with the longest coastline along the southern waters be blockaded? Why should a country thousands of kilometers away interfere?” he asked.
He further said Iran had continued to engage with and advise Gulf countries and sheikhdoms despite Tehran’s use of some of their facilities and resources.
According to Aref, the security and stability of the Gulf ultimately depend on regional countries taking ownership of their affairs and resisting policies driven by external interests.
