West in no position to block Iran’s nuclear energy program

Ayatollah Khamenei’s speech basically stresses Iran’s serious pursuit of peaceful nuclear energy program and that Tehran will not accept any limitations, a university professor tells Press TV.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has called for the destruction of nuclear weapons across the world, saying Iran never plans to build such arms.

Press TV has conducted an interview with Dr. Mohammad Marandi, from the University of Tehran, to further discuss the Leader’s speech on Iran’s nuclear energy program.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Of course, the main part of that speech when it comes to Iran’s nuclear program was that Iran is not seeking and has never been seeking nuclear weapons. However, if it did intend to produce nuclear weapons, nothing could have stopped it.

Now, what is the message, do you think, that these remarks are carrying for the west?

Marandi: I think the point really is that he is telling western countries that Iran under no circumstances will be intimidated, whether through threats or as a result of western propaganda.

So, basically he is saying that Iran will pursue its right, it will not appease western countries, Iranian nuclear program will continue to move forward, Iran will not accept any limitations and he gave the extreme example, saying that under no circumstances would we ever pursue nuclear weapons but theoretically speaking, even if we were, western countries are in no position to block Iran.

Iran is a very powerful and independent country and the Revolution 34 years ago proved that and the Revolution was to a large degree in order to create this independence.

So again he stresses that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful and it will remain peaceful but that western countries simply will not be allowed to dictate their terms to the Iranian people.

Press TV: Right. And of course, another part of that speech outside of the nuclear issue and the international section of it, was the recent disputes that we are aware they have been taking place especially after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came up with this controversial video in the Parliament and accused the Parliament’s Speaker and his family of corruption. He also referred, we know, to that dispute.

What do you think he was referring to when he said that? He did criticize both sides. Basically, what do you think that says about that situation?

Marandi: Essentially, I think the central point is that he believed that the three powers, the three branches of government should work together closely at a time when western countries are basically waging war against ordinary Iranians.

The fact that western countries are trying to block Iran from importing or exporting oil, or importing or exporting any goods by blocking the Central Bank as well, this basically is a form of war that is being waged against ordinary people and at such a time, the three branches of government must come together.

Basically, what we see in Iran, contrary to what people in the west often claim or analyze in the west or the western media, is a very dynamic political order where very different numerous political fractions attack each other whether in the media or in Parliament and the President basically, as usual did that but Ayatollah Khamenei said that he stepped beyond the bounds because he showed a film that does not prove anything against the Speaker of the Parliament or his brother, the head of the judiciary. And he also criticized the Speaker of the Parliament for going a bit of too far in his response to the President.

So, while open debate is something that exists and is welcomed in Iran but he is saying at a time when western countries are waging war, the heads of the three branches must be more vigilant.