In an interview with al-Mayadeen television channel, the President said about Iran-Syria relations and his trip to the country, "The relations between Iran and Syria are completely strategic and these relations will continue. My trip is also in line with the strategic relations between Iran and Syria, and we will emphasise on strengthening relations".
Before his trip to Syria, which is the first official trip of a high-ranking foreign official to Syria after about 13 years of civil war in this country, Ayatollah Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi explained the goals of this trip as well as regional relations and issues in a detailed conversation with Al-Mayadeen TV channel.
President's interview is as follows:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
It is an honour for me to be able to speak to the dear Arab people at this hour.
What has been the secret of the success of the Islamic Republic in various fields, I believe that the secret of the success of the Islamic Republic is related to the religion and religious orientation of the people and the relationship with God. Our people believe in God and this belief in God is the secret of their authority.
If you observe the performance of the enemy against the Islamic Republic of Iran, you will see that their attacks are focused on these very secrets of the success of the Iranian nation. You see that the enemy is attacking people's faith to weaken the faith of our people and youth, because this is the secret of our power.
These are the elements of power in Islamic Iran and we think that this experience of the Islamic Republic of Iran in becoming strong and impervious to enemy attacks can be a lesson for other nations.
Regarding a question about Iran's relations with other countries, he said, "During my visit to Beijing, the Chinese President said that during his earlier visit to Saudi Arabia, he had reached a proposal".
It was decided that a person be appointed by the Saudi government and that we send a representative and a delegation on our behalf for the bilateral dialogue between the two countries.
The King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia sent their National Security Adviser, and we also decided to send the Secretary of the National Security Council, and it was decided that they discuss issues of concern to the two countries, and it was also decided that political relations between the two countries would resume ties.
Therefore, we welcomed the restoration of these relations, and certainly the relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and the rest of the Islamic countries, would help to exchange expertise between countries of the region.
In my first speech after taking office, I declared frankly that we can negotiate with Saudi Arabia, and we are ready to resume the work of diplomatic missions in the two countries.
Regarding other Arab countries, they must be able to decide for their own future. For example, Lebanon and the Lebanese must decide on how to solve their own issues. We believe that foreign intervention in Lebanon is what causes problems in the country. If the Lebanese decide, as well as the Yemenis, if they decide their own fate, and were able to carry out internal dialogues, then they can solve their problems
The Zionist Regime cannot compete with the Palestinian youth, and it cannot conquer Gaza, and it cannot challenge the West Bank. The circumstances today have greatly changed.
The Zionist Regime, whether in the thirty-three-day war or in the twenty-two-day war and the eleven-day-war, faced a catastrophic failure, so how does this regime want to confront and attack the centre of power and pride in the region, which is the Islamic Republic of Iran, and confront a nation that is present on the battlefronts with this might?
Today, the circumstances are pivoting in favour of the Resistance and against the Zionist Regime. Day after day, the Zionist Regime is heading toward its demise. Therefore, I want to say clearly that the current conditions in the new world order are in favour of the Resistance and against the Zionist Regime.
The threats made by the Zionist Regime are sometimes empty, and they know it. The evidence for that is that they cannot confront the Resistance youth in Palestine and the region.
So how does it make threats about attacking Iran? This is farcical talk that no one in the world believes or takes seriously. Because Iran's power today is within the country, and Iran's power in the region is of an unmistakable magnitude.
The first blunder and step made by the Zionist Regime will be its last, and there will no longer be this thing called the Zionist Regime to even take another step. We have said and announced this in various forums, and they know very well that we are serious about this view, this step, and this decision.
Regarding the relations with Syria, the President said, "Syria has always been on the frontlines of the Axis of Resistance, whether during the time of President Bashar Al-Assad’s father, the late Hafez Al-Assad, or during the tenure of President Bashar Al-Assad".
Today, the circumstances have drastically changed in Syria, and the difference is that it is known that the Resistance has paid off. President Bashar Al-Assad has stood firm, and he deserves appreciation.
The Syrian people have also been courageous. They have proven that they are a people of Resistance and that this era of Resistance is considered a golden era in the history of Syria.
By creating ISIS and various takfiri groups in Syria, the Americans created sedition and sought to divide Syria and created many differences. But many countries all over the world have come to the realisation that Syria is not one to fail and be dealt defeats, and they have come to reconsider their ties with it.
The ties between Iran and Syria are highly strategic and highly important, and we stress that these relations will continue and span several spheres, including security, economy, and culture. We are two Muslim peoples, and our ties go way back. There exist many bonds between the two Muslim and brotherly peoples, and we hope that, under the great Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khamenei, who fully stressed the need for the resistance to have a united front, the ties between the two countries will continue to develop.
The Supreme Leader and the government have announced many times that we will never regret supporting the resistance. In accordance with this policy, we never hesitate to support the resistance, and we will not hesitate. Ever. And my visit to Syria comes within the framework of supporting the resistance
We must stress several issues related to Syria. Firstly, the sovereignty of the Syrian government all over Syrian lands. We affirm this, and we believe that the US must leave Syria as soon as possible. We believe that Syrian sovereignty should prevail over all Syrian lands.
We, during the tripartite summit in Tehran, with the participation of Turkey and Russia, must emphasize emboldening Syria's sovereignty over all Syrian lands. This is for the benefit of Syria and the benefit of the region.
Regarding the reconstruction of Syria, we are ready to cooperate with the Syrian people and government, and we, in the Islamic Republic, have highly qualified technical teams and companies capable of playing an important role in the reconstruction of Syria.
We condemn US unilateralism. We think we should not be under anyone's authority, and we must not exercise authority over others. We believe that the countries of the world are not limited to three or four countries that consider themselves the rulers of the world, such as the United States. The Islamic Republic of Iran relies on constructive relations with all countries on the basis of common interests.
We consider that these relations are good relations for us, and we are ready to join BRICS, and this provides the Islamic Republic of Iran with new possibilities to play an important role using its own capabilities and abundant energies.
The enemy wanted to isolate us, limit our relations and hinder our presence in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and regional and international organizations, but its attempts were met with failure, and our relations with the world are growing by the day.
Regarding Martyr Soleimani, the President said, "We consider Martyr Soleimani the hero of fighting terrorism. He confronted the offensives of ISIS and the Takfiri groups through help from the popular resistance groups in Iraq and Syria, and he was successful".
In cooperation with the Iraqi and Syrian people, and in cooperation with Lebanon's Hezbollah, he was able to eradicate the stream of terrorists. Who assassinated him? The US President at the time.
They though that by assassinating Haj Qasem Soleimani, they would assassinate his thoughts, and they are today seeing the ramifications of this all over the region. The people of the region and its youths are very proud of Soleimani, and he has become a school of thought for our people and the resistance's youth all over the region.
Lebanon's Hezbollah has a top position not for only Lebanon, but also it is a great support for the Resistance in the region. When Hezbollah chivalrously withstood the large-scale Israeli aggression, they proved, for the first time, that Israel is not invincible. Hezbollah inspired the Palestinian youth to stand up to the Zionist Regime.
Today, we see the Palestinian youth admirably withstanding Israeli aggression and contending it. This is what they learned of Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah is a remarkable character. In addition to being a knowledgeable cleric, he is an excellent politician and revolutionary. He enjoys a remarkable flair for captivating the hearts of his audience, appealing to the different sects of the Lebanese constituency. In Iran, specifically, we consider him a prominent individual, and we see his character as immortal in light of his struggle and resilience against the Zionist Regime.
This confidence in their own capabilities has been engraved into the Iranian people's minds, and this, in itself, is the key to the Iranian people's success and victory.