The press conference for the closing ceremony of the “We and the West” conference on the views and thoughts of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution was held at the Islamic Revolution Cultural Research Institute with the presence of Mohammad Es’haqi, Educational and Research Deputy of the Office for the Preservation and Publication of the Works of Imam Khamenei; Musa Haqqani, Scientific Secretary of the conference; and Musa Najafi and Mohammad Javad Larijani, two members of the conference’s Policy Council.
In his remarks, Mohammad Es’haqi referred to the nature of Western civilization and culture, stating: “Western countries have moved from colonialism to a hegemonic system, while the Islamic Revolution, in the nearly half a century since its victory, has managed to create a broad front of Resistance whose boundaries have even reached inside the United States, European countries, their universities, and think tanks.”
He continued: “From the perspective of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, the ideological foundations of Western civilization in areas such as human rights, democracy, secularism, and women’s rights, as well as its practical foundations, including military, economic, and media power, are currently facing a legitimacy crisis. Recent events in Gaza, Lebanon, and other countries show that the West has the least commitment to human rights and the freedom of nations.”
Es’haqi further emphasized: “With the victory of the Islamic Revolution, these ideologies and principles have been challenged more than ever, and it has become clear today that Western civilization has the least respect and commitment to the rights of nations, human rights, and the rights of women and children. Signs of the decline of Western civilization and the deadlock of its projects across different parts of the world are evident. Their projects are no longer implemented as successfully as before, and in Central Asia, Latin America, and West Asia, they have faced successive failures. These defeats are heavy for a civilization that considered itself the cornerstone of human progress.”
Continuing, Musa Haqqani, Scientific Secretary of the “We and the West” conference, explained the purpose of the event: “Understanding the nature, strategies, and colonial and domineering methods of Western civilization and the hegemonic system is one of the main objectives of this conference. Islamic awakening, understanding the capacities of Iranian-Islamic identity, and the discourse of Resistance in confronting the hegemonic system are among the other key focuses of this scholarly movement. To achieve these objectives, we have defined twelve main axes.”
Haqqani elaborated on these axes: “The nature of Western civilization and what must be known about it; the colonial nature of the West and its historical evolution from old colonialism to neo-colonialism; strategies, methods, and factors of Western domination over the world; colonial powers and their historical colonial background along with territories under their control; anti-colonial revolutions around the world; Iran’s civilizational capacities in confronting Western domination and colonialism; strategies, methods, and approaches of Western domination with a focus on Iran; the doctrine of Resistance and religious anti-dominion movements in Iran; anti-domination and anti-colonial figures in Iran and the Islamic Revolution; foundations and strategies for decolonization and models for confronting the hegemonic system; the colonial and dominating nature of the Zionist regime; and the colonial and dominating nature of the United States.”
Following this, Musa Najafi, a member of the conference’s Policy Council, highlighted the necessity of theoretically and intellectually clarifying the relationship of the Islamic Revolution with Western civilization: “In recent decades, practice within the Islamic Revolution has outpaced theory, and theoretical discussions have received less attention, while Martyr Morteza Motahhari considered the lack of planning for the future as one of the afflictions of Islamic movements.”
This political thought researcher, referring to the historical roots of the East-West confrontation, stated: “The duality between us and the West has a long history, from ancient Iran and the battles with Greece to the conquest of Constantinople and the fall of Andalusia. However, the new confrontation began after the French Revolution and Napoleon’s presence in Egypt, when the West considered itself the center of the world and others as its periphery.”
Najafi added: “The political thought of Imam Khamenei is civilizational and principled. It is not merely reactive; rather, it has clear foundations and is consistent with the other intellectual components of the Islamic Revolution. This thought has been realized in practice at different levels of governance, reflecting a kind of practical political thought.”
Mohammad Javad Larijani, a member of the Policy Council of the “We and the West” conference, said: “Western countries consider liberal democracy the best form of democracy in history and have achieved notable successes in governing their own societies. At the same time, an important aspect of Western behavior must be understood: Western societies are security-centered, and security is placed above all else. As an example of this priority, before September 11, detaining individuals for more than 24 hours without judicial authorization was not permitted in the United States or Europe, and torture was legally prohibited, though it sometimes occurred in practice. After those events, however, laws were enacted that allowed suspects to be held indefinitely without limits. Even in the United Kingdom, certain interrogation methods, such as simulated drowning (waterboarding), were permitted. The reason for this shift lies in the Western worldview that places security above all.”
He continued: “In the Islamic Republic, two doctrines exist in dealing with the West. The first is a doctrine of despair, which assumes that there is no choice but to accommodate the United States. The second element within this doctrine is a form of reversed courage, meaning that some principles may be compromised to protect the country. The third basis is relative trust in the West; that is, despite the West’s faults, some degree of trust is necessary. The second doctrine is the Resistance doctrine. Under this approach, any despair or paralysis in the face of the United States is rejected. Iran has not been paralyzed in science, technology, or national capabilities. The Resistance doctrine, based on the teachings of Imam Khomeini (ra) and Imam Khamenei, emphasizes rejecting despair, relying on internal capacities, and preserving national dignity and independence. This doctrine does not preclude interaction with the West, but it defines such engagement strictly within the framework of national principles and interests.”
At the end he concluded by saying, “The Leader of the Islamic Revolution’s decree on nuclear weapons demonstrates that in the school of the Ahl al-Bayt such a thing as use of unrestricted violence is not permissible at all. Even in the case of a war, Iran doesn't fight like a savage. Firm legal and jurisprudential limits are maintained.”
The “We and the West” conference, organized by the Islamic Revolution Cultural Research Institute in cooperation with scientific and research centers, is scheduled for November 9. The conference aims to provide a critical analysis of the foundations and principles underlying Western thought, lifestyle, and civilization; to examine the nature, strategies, and colonial and dominating methods of Western civilization; and to explore Islamic awakening, as well as the capacities of Iranian-Islamic identity and the discourse of Resistance in confronting the system of hegemony.
The conference, which began last year on November 5 with an informational session, has hosted 54 specialized sessions, both in-person and virtual, across various cities in Iran, as well as international sessions in several countries, examining different dimensions of the confrontation between imperialism and the Islamic Revolution.
On the sidelines, 533 abstracts were reviewed, with 385 papers ultimately accepted. During the course of the conference, 46 academic interviews were conducted with university professors and other leading figures in Iran’s academic community.
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