New Delhi, May 2 (). Abdul Majid Hakim Elahi, the representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran in India, spoke openly about the politics of the Middle East, the role of America and the recent war. He described this war as a kind of blessing. Relations between Iran and its neighboring countries will now become stronger.
During an exclusive conversation, Ilahi said that I think this war was also a blessing. I am saying this because Arab countries are also happy with this. They were forced to buy weapons from America every year. Every year they had to spend about 500 billion dollars, just to buy weapons. Still they did not get much benefit from these weapons.
Ilahi said that I do not want to take the names of the kings of some Arab countries, but he himself said that America sent us all these weapons. He even had to give very expensive and beautiful aircraft as ‘gifts’ to America. You must have heard? Well, this is their own matter.
He said that now he finally understood that America cannot protect them, cannot bring them peace nor can they provide security. He understood this. Even the foreign minister of a western country said in an interview that we are going to change the policy of our relations with America.
Now they have realized that we are all people of this region, the Middle East, and we have to live together. If there is any problem then we will have to solve it together ourselves. For this reason, I am sure that relations between Iran and its neighboring countries will be better and stronger than before.
Ilahi told that earlier America always used to tell him that if I am not there, you will not be able to survive even for a week. The President of America himself had said this. His tone was quite rough and there were many things which I do not want to say here.
Ilahi said that I just want to say that Iran has no quarrel with its neighbors. Even during this war, Iran never attacked its neighboring countries. He just protected himself.
Ilahi said in response to a rider, I am asking you, when was Hezbollah formed? In 1995 or 1994? I don’t know exactly. Let’s say it was made after Iran became an Islamic Republic, which has been about 47 years, right?
Let us go back to the earlier times, when the Islamic Republic of Iran had not yet been formed. Was there no conflict between Iran, Lebanon and Israel at that time? It was, of course it was.
Before becoming an Islamic Republic, half of Lebanon was under Israeli occupation. Israel had reached Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.
So this crisis is not because of Hezbollah. This crisis is because of Israel. Israel itself killed people in Sabra and Shatila, three Lebanese villages. They murdered thousands of innocent people. This happened during the time of Ariel Sharon. All this happened before the formation of Hezbollah.
Then why do people say that Hezbollah is the problem? Can you name even one attack that Hezbollah has launched? Never. Throughout Hezbollah’s time it has always defended itself.
Why was Hezbollah formed? Because he wanted to drive Israel out of his country and he did so.
These people are not Iranians, they are Lebanese. They love their country. Some of them are Shia, some are Sunni and some are also Christian. All of them have stood together to protect their country.
Even today, some parts of Lebanon have been under Israeli occupation for more than 50 years.
I don’t understand why there is this feeling that Israel has the right to do whatever it wants. But if someone else stands up to defend himself, he is called wrong.
The real crisis is not because of Hezbollah. The crisis is because of Israel.
—
AY/PM
