Iran ‘only force left to counter hegemony of evil Epstein Class’: Envoy 

Iran’s ambassador to Rome has stressed that the world has become aware of the importance of the Islamic Republic’s role in confronting the US hegemony, amid worldwide protests condemning the US-Israeli aggression against the country.

In an interview with InfoPal, Mohammad Reza Sabouri stressed that the global public opinion recognizes the legitimacy of Iran’s resistance to the “evil” Epstein Class and its followers throughout the West.

His remarks come amid files linking US President Donald Trump, along with other US, Western and Israeli officials, to the late convicted child sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein.

“Iran is now the only force left to counter the expansion of evil. It’s not just a slogan: in practice, Iran represents a barrier against the hegemony of the most evil individuals and the followers of Epstein,” Sabouri said.

Iran, he said, is “facing the authors and supporters of genocide,” referring to the US-backed Israeli crimes against Palestinians in Gaza.

Sabouri touched on anti-war demonstrations held in support of Iran around the world. “It is clear that the global public opinion understands this reality well and recognizes Iran’s legitimacy in front of the front of evil,” he said.

He cited the analysis that Israel has pushed Trump to launch a war against Iran through the Epstein files. “The emergence of such hypotheses is consistent with the facts and the ongoing dynamics.”

A new survey has recently indicated that a majority of likely American voters believe Trump ordered fresh aggression against Iran at least partly to divert attention from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal that has overshadowed his presidency.

Referring to Trump’s electoral slogans, Sabouri noted that one of them was to “avoid war and oppose American involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts.”

“However, we see that the United States has gone to war against Iran, a large country in the region, and has become bogged down in the conflict,” the envoy said.

“Furthermore, Trump had placed the slogan ‘America First’ at the heart of his political and economic programs, while now we observe that it has transformed into ‘Israel First’,” he added.

Israel and the US are “the most aggressive entities”, the ambassador said, adding “this has generated global public support for Iranian resistance.” 
“Even from a geopolitical standpoint, Iran has always resisted domination in the region, and the current aggression aims to establish that domination, but it faces Iranian resistance.”

‘Iranian civilization will survive’

Highlighting the ancient civilization of Iran and its history of countering various types of invasions and aggressions, Sabouri said, “This history shows the capacity for resistance against external aggressions.”

“The current aggression, which targets personalities, civilian homes, girls’ schools, and hospitals, is no different, in our view, from the Mongol invasions of past centuries. Iran’s response is the same: resistance, and Iranian civilization will survive,” he stressed.

He referred to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz in the wake of the aggression, emphasizing that the strategic waterway is “not closed”, but maritime traffic takes place under “particular conditions”.

“No coastal country, including Iran, can allow the free passage of enemy ships that would reinforce hostile actions,” he said.

“Our armed forces control the traffic, and countries not involved in the aggression can transit with prior authorization. Any cooperation with the aggressors will be met with an appropriate response.”

While the strait is not closed, Sabouri said, the fear of conflict “has discouraged the transit of tankers and commercial ships”, pushing up energy prices.

“In the past, Iran ensured the security of navigation in the Persian Gulf, while the American military presence has increased insecurity,” he added, noting that the current crisis in global energy markets is more severe than any time in the past.

The economic fallout of the war imposed on Iran will not remain confined to the region but will affect the daily lives of people around the world, Sabouri said.

“Some analysts talk about an ‘inflationary tsunami’. Oil and gas prices have already risen significantly, and further attacks on Iran could push them even higher, with repercussions on the daily lives of citizens around the world.”

The Iranian ambassador stated that economic stability depends on the end of the aggressions and the respect for international law.

Israeli censorship, Iranian retaliation  

Elsewhere in the interview, Sabouri said Israel is censoring reports on the retaliatory Iranian attacks, but to no avail.

“It is not possible to deceive world public opinion for long: those who seek the truth recognize the media censorship and the losses suffered by the Zionist regime,” he said, adding Iran’s defensive capabilities have inflicted significant damage to the illegal entity.

He also touched on Iran’s retaliatory attacks against US bases and interests in the region, saying Tehran “respects the territorial integrity of neighboring countries” and “remains faithful to the principle of good-neighborliness”.

He reiterated that Tehran’s military actions “are directed against the American forces, considered aggressors, present in the region”, saying Iran is a country “tied to spiritual values” unlike the US and its allies.

Sabouri highlighted the concept of martyrdom in Shi'ism, which has maintained a central role in Iran.

“The concept of martyrdom proposes that losing one’s life in the pursuit of sacred values represents a victory in itself. This has been demonstrated by our leaders and people during this war: they sacrifice their lives to defend religious and national values and to resist domination.”

He also touched on the unprecedented show of national unity, marked by massive rallies night after night for nearly the past month across Iran in the face of US and Israeli attempts at “regime change”.

“This is one of the effects and manifestations of being an ancient civilization. The United States and the Zionist regime do not understand this aspect, which has led to miscalculations,” he said.

“The Iranian people, even if they have differing opinions on certain issues, have always united in the face of any external aggression, maintaining cohesion and unity,” he added.

He cited the unity and solidarity in the face of the 1980s aggression of Iraq’s former dictator Saddam Hussein, as well as the 12-day US-Israeli war in June, and the ongoing war on Iran as “examples of this phenomenon in contemporary history”.

European countries urged to adopt independent policies

Sabouri touched on “historical and long-standing” relations between Iran and Italy, saying they have weakened due to Rome’s alignment with illegal sanctions on Iran, the US withdrawal from a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran and its violation of international law.

He called on European countries to “adopt independent policies based on common interests, avoiding escalation and instability”.

“Europe faces the greatest security risk since World War II due to American unilateralism and the ‘Israel First’ policy,” he warned. “Avoiding this risk requires a concrete commitment to international law.”

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