Iran FM Spokesman Criticizes US Official's Remarks on Iran

In a post on his X account on Thursday, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei responded to remarks made by Scott Bessent, a US official, regarding Iran. Baghaei wrote, "Today, 3 September, marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of Rais Ali Delvari - a symbol of Iran's resistance to British imperialism. On a day such as this, it is worth remembering Scott Bessent - the man who, in explaining his view of Iran, reached back to childhood memories of a backyard in South Carolina, where venomous snakes were killed with a machete and a rake."

Baghaei asserted that Bessent's perspective is flawed, stating, "He mistakes the depth of Iran's history and culture for the size of a childhood yard. More than a century ago, the British Empire brought the full weight of its power and brutality to Bushehr and Tangestan. They killed Rais Ali Delvari but the resistance continued... Your brutal 'war of choice' - an unlawful and unprovoked aggression - was meant to drive the Nation of Iran to collapse."

He further added, "What has collapsed instead is the illusion of your absolute power, and with it every claim to moral standing. History is far larger than a kid's memories and 'their' backyard." Baghaei emphasized that history has a clear judgment for those who still cast themselves as heroes of the yard, armed with a machete and a rake, while knowing nothing of Rais Ali Delvari.

Rais Ali Delvari was a prominent Iranian anti-colonial activist who led resistance against British forces in the early 20th century. He was martyred in 1915 during clashes with British troops in the Bushehr region. Every year, September 3 is named in Iran's official calendar as the National Day of Resistance against Colonialism, commemorating Rais Ali Delvari. According to Mehr News Agency, Baghaei's remarks were made in response to Bessent's earlier comments, which had drawn criticism from Iranian officials.