TEHRAN, Mar. 03 (Press Shia) – Spokesperson of Iran’s Foreign Ministry Bahram Ghasemi criticized some countries for spreading Iranophobia to justify their heavy military expenditures.

Bahram Ghasemi reacted to the accusations leveled at Iran for using its influence in the region as a means to reach its goals. The Iranian diplomat who was addressing journalists on Friday elaborated on malevolent efforts of some countries to spread Iranophobia.

“We have witnessed, during the recent weeks, that some gatherings and officials of regional and cross-regional countries have referred to the regional influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran as an evil phenomenon to create worries and concerns about Iran,” said the Iranian diplomat. “The ministers of some countries of the region attending at Munich Security Conference and also the statement of Saudi King after his recent visit to Malaysia are bringing up the issue of Iran’s infiltration in the region and have voiced concern against it.”

Mr. Ghasemi tried to answer the question what these countries intend genuinely behind these claims and referred to the victory of the Islamic Revolution of 1979 which according to him realized the independence and emancipation of Iran from foreigners. He continued that due to Iran’s old roots of culture, civilization, and history and thanks to the rich of human recourses in Iran, the Islamic Republic tackled the tides and ebbs of the last years and accumulated more power in areas of politics, economy, science, technology, etc., to rise to a higher regional position.

“Certainly, Iran’s regional influence is undisputable, however this cultural and historic influence on other nations and Muslims has been there from the past and easily you can trace it in the works and ideas of some Iranian scholars,” asserted the spokesperson of Iran’s ministry of foreign affairs. “It is natural, with this cultural and historic background and history of opposing oppression of domestic and foreign exploiters to have a special place at the heart of the oppressed nations after the victory of the Islamic Revolution.”    

He affirmed that the influence if spiritual, cultural and natural and not to be acquired, or traded or removed, by money, arms, and propaganda. “No country is able to eliminate this influence as it is beyond the will of countries.”

“Such influence is the fruit of history, civilization, culture, language, religion, and people, accrued in the course of centuries,” highlighted the Iranian diplomat. “The important thing here is the nature and essence of this influence which is undoubtedly different from what is said to be in the foreign gatherings, consciously or unconsciously, as a negative phenomenon, propagandized by some countries of the region.”

He underlined that the influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran is not of hard nature and not based on military power. Ghasemi said that a simple look at the military expenditures of the world and drawing a comparison between the military costs and the spending on arms acquisition made by Iran vis-à-vis some regional and cross-regional powers will easily clarify the truth.

“In addition, Iran’s military forces, in contrast with the armies of the region, have never got involved in any military operation against any country in the region and will never do, have never attacked any country for political ends, have never been dispatched to any country, nor have never felt greedy about the land of any other country.”