• Sir, first of all thank you very much for speaking with us; Iran has a new Supreme Leader, what does that mean for your military effort and the confrontation with the United States, and Israel?

That means the system is quite functioning. As you see, that Ayatollah Khamenei was martyred, and the Expert Assembly decided that Ayyatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei would be the new leader. Therefore, the system is quite functioning and army is trying its best to defend the country. And the government is doing its best to fulfill the needs of the people.

• U.S. President Trump has demanded complete surrender by Iran. What is your response to that?

As a professor of psychology, I would like to state that Donald Trump is quite illiterate about the Iranian culture and the personality of Iranians, which is the product of 5000 years of civilization, and rich heritage strengthened by Shia Doctrine; As well as Islamic mysticism. I remember that one of the Israeli politicians once said that Iranians who have a background of 5000 years of civilization, know very well when to be patient and when to resist.

• What does that mean for your military effort now? because there is a big force against Iran?

They are prepared to continue their defense against aggression.

• How strong is the military still? The United States said it has drastically degraded the Iranian military capabilities as far as missiles concerned, and drones concerned. How much longer can you do this?

That is one of the false narratives that the United States government is producing. Iranian military is quite strong, as you see. Because they have the armament and the arms they need, which are produced in Iran. As a matter of fact, we are not dependent on any other country for weapons and arms. And therefore, as they are motivated by Islamic responsibility, and doctrine of Shia, they are continuing their defense against aggressors.

• So, your side is ready for a long war, if the United States and Israel choose that? You consider this as an existential threat to the Islamic Republic?

It is an existential threat to the Islamic Republic, and therefore we have to stay with full might, as we are doing now.

• Is your side seeking or will you seek a ceasefire with the United States at this point, and with Israel?

I don’t see any room for diplomacy anymore. Because Donald Trump have been deceiving others, and not keeping his promises. And we experienced that in two turns of negotiations; while we were engaged in negotiations, they attacked us.

• What does the fact that Ayyatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is now the Supreme Leader mean for all this? Does that mean the structure of the military and supreme leadership are as one going forward ready to prosecute this war for as long as it takes?

Yeah, exactly. The responsibility of the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to lead the defense capabilities of Iran. And therefore, as Ayyatollah Khamenei was doing that, now the new leader would do that. And he’s the commander of the Armed Forces too.

• President Trump said he wanted to have a say in the new leadership of Iran, and he has also said that he does not think very highly of Iran’s new supreme leader. What is your answer to that?

That is not his business. Iranians are mature enough to do their job, as you saw in the election of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, we proved that the Iranian system is quite functioning, and this has been foreseen in the Iranian constitution. Therefore, it is functioning very well, and that’s not the business of Donald Trump or any other person to intervene in Iranian internal matters.

• How does all of this end? If you say right now there is no room for negotiation, President Trump says he wants complete surrender, what does that mean to you?

There is no room unless the economic pressure would be built up to extent that other countries would intervene to guarantee the termination of aggression of Americans and Israelis against Iran.

• So, you are talking about the Gulf countries? Presumably, you are saying Gulf countries and other countries who are suffering from as well need to put end to this war.

You know, this war has been producing a lot of economic pressure on others in terms of inflation, in terms of lack of energy, and so, if it be continued, the pressure would be increased a lot more. And therefore, others have no choice but to intervene.

• President Trump says that he wants, still has the goal that Iran should never have the nuclear weapon, and he wants to get rid of Iran’s highly enriched Uranium. Would you still be willing to talk about that? Is that even still an issue for you?

We have been quite clear that this is the legitimate right of the Iranians to have enrichment and that’s not something we could just forget.

• Do you believe that in the future you would be able to speak to the Americans again at some point?

I don’t think so, unless there would be a guarantee that Americans and Israelis would not dare to strike Iran again.

• Finally, what is your message to President Trump as we sit here and the war is going on?

I’d like to say that as you know we have a proverb in Iran that “the chicks are counted at the end of autumn”. Or as you may say it “the proof is in the pudding”. That means that what is important for us, is the end of this game. And we are ready to continue that game.

• How it ends? How the war ends? You mean the end of this game, you mean how this war will end?

The end of the game, would be the time that American and Israelis would come to this understanding that these strategies won’t work, and they have to stop their aggressions against Iranians.

• Thank you, much Sir.