Iran’s Expediency Council, a religious advisory council with quasi-legislative powers, and Imam Hossein University held an international webinar on Tuesday to discuss “why the era when the U.S. was the world’s superpower is in the past, and how Washington’s policies have had a negative effect on the world,” as Iran’s state-run PressTV put it.
The event was held at the former U.S. embassy, scene of the 1979 hostage crisis. Iran’s Tasnim News referred to the former embassy as “the den of espionage,” deeming it an appropriate venue for a conference on American decline.
According to PressTV, the participants agreed doom was at hand for the United States, although apparently not until after next year, because they resolved to hold an even bigger conference on American decline in 2021:
The participants also said, there have been routine violations of international laws and norms coming from Washington under Trump, but these are not unique to his administration. They said, the US is in decline on multiple fronts, and can no longer paint itself as a moral leader in a globalized world where multilateralism and the fundamental norms of international law prevail.
According to new survey by the Pew Research Center, because of the complacency, arrogance and militarism of US leaders and the deep and bitter divisions among US voters, a biggest danger might come later. The survey says the US has long used the dollar to borrow money cheaply, and Americans have been able to sustain their lifestyles through cheap imports. But if international investors lose confidence in the US’s general effectiveness as a country, that advantage will vanish, too.
Iranian media was generally vague about how many “international” figures of any stature were involved in the conference. Iran Press quoted a few foreign speakers:
Dr. Ahmed Bensaada (Author of Arabesque Américaine) said that all of the US embassies in the world are “nest of spies.”
Another speaker at the conference, Konrad Rekas, from Scotland, referred to Iran’s revolution as a great example for the whole world, especially the people of Yemen, Iran Press reported.
Professor Claudio Moffa from Italy said: “Iran is the main country standing to defense peace in the region; a country with a rich civilization like Iran has the right to build its nuclear industry.”
Bartosz Bekir, a researcher from Poland, said: “I am very impressed by the braveness of Iranian students.”
The university’s “commander,” Mohammadreza Hasani Ahangar, gave an opening speech in which he claimed the Iranian revolution of 1979 flipped the balance of power in the world from the democratic West to an Iran-dominated Middle East, and the entire planet is now “fighting with Iran” in a campaign of “Holy Defense.”
“The world is moving on two railways, Islamic civilization, and the West civilization railway. We are seeking for a practical prescription to move the world on the Islamic civilization railway,” Ahangar said, predicting that Iran would take a leadership role in an increasingly intelligent “cyber civilization.”