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Iranian Islamic scholar Shahaboddin Haeri Shirazi said in an interview posted to the Didar News YouTube channel on July 11, 2023, that Iran must reconsider the goals of the revolution, that the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was "stupid," and that the struggle with the U.S. is bringing about Iran's destruction. He said that Iran has turned the greatest economic and military power in the world, [the United States], which was once a supporter of Iran, into an enemy, and that the there is no difference between the U.S. and countries like Russia, China, Britain, and Germany, with whom Iran has diplomatic relations in order to serve its national interest. Haeri Shirazi also questioned why it is Iran's job to destroy Israel, and he said that while Israel does transgress against the Palestinians, confronting it should be done by all the Islamic countries. Haeri Shirazi added that making this Iran's number one goal has led the Arab countries to actually seek alliances with Israel.
Shahaboddin Haeri Shirazi: "The [1979] seizure of the U.S. Embassy was one of the most stupid things th at ever happened. If a country believes an embassy is spying on it, it can shut it down. Iran could have given them 48 hours to leave, and then cut off relations.
"No country could ever say that these diplomats must be taken hostage."
Interviewer: "This would mean that you are not willing to accept the international norm."
Shirazi: "This is a declaration of confrontation with the United Nations. The late imam [Khomeini] declared two days later that this was the second revolution. This was the strategic mistake of our regime. I say that we must reconsider the goals of the revolution. The struggle with the U.S. is bringing about our destruction. It is completely pointless. There is no difference between the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, and Germany. They are all part of the material civilization. Do you plan on marrying one of them, and trying to find out who is telling the truth and who is lying? We want diplomatic relations with them to preserve our national interests.
"With the takeover of its embassy, we humiliated the U.S., which had been supportive of our country. We punched it in the mouth, we trampled it underfoot. We took down its flag, we trampled all over it. Mr. Khomeini called it 'The Great Satan' and [coined] all these slogans that we have been chanting for 44 years. The U.S. used to support us. We do not need to create our own opponents in this world. We have turned the number one economic and military power in the world into our enemy.
"It is not our responsibility to destroy Israel. But somehow, it has become our goal. Who said that this was our job? Our Islamic jurisprudence does not demand this. Israel transgresses against the Palestinians? Yes, I accept that. But should we not have priorities and know what is important and what is not? Should we not take people's strength and capabilities into consideration before we decide on our [foreign] policy? Is it our duty to go anywhere where there is an invasion? No. If Israel deserves to be punished, then all the Islamic countries should do it together, find some sort of sanction [against it] in order to support the Palestinians.
"By throwing ourselves in the middle of this, we led Arab countries to seek refuge and forge alliances with Israel, for fear of being harassed by Iran. When our drones attacked the Aramco [installations in Saudi Arabia], we should have known that the Saudis, Emiratis, and others, would seek an alliance with Israel."
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