Velayati Criticizes Rubio's Remarks on Iran and Western Civilization

In a post on his X account on Saturday, Ali Akbar Velayati, the Leader's adviser on international affairs, criticized recent remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Velayati pointed to what he described as a contradiction in Rubio's speech, noting that standing firm "to the last man" is praised in the context of ancient Greece, while the steadfastness of the Iranian nation is disparaged with the label of a "death cult." He argued that lauding resistance for "one's own" while disparaging it for "the other" is not civilization but sophistry in the service of domination.

Velayati emphasized that Rubio's problem is not with the Islamic Revolution but with a strong and independent Iranian civilization. He also stated that those who perpetrated the catastrophes of Hiroshima, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan have no right to lecture others on morality.

Velayati's remarks came after Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei also criticized Rubio's portrayal of Western civilization during a visit to Greece. Baghaei accused Rubio of presenting a selective historical narrative that links ancient Greece to the modern United States to legitimize the use of force.

According to Mehr News, the statements reflect ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States over historical narratives and allegations of double standards.