Iranian President Hassan Rouhani: War with Iran Would Be "Mother of All Wars"; West Cannot Expect Access to Persian Gulf While Denying Us Access to the Strait of Gibraltar

In an August 6, 2019 address to senior Iranian Foreign Ministry officials, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that peace with Iran is the “mother of all peace” and that war with Iran is the “mother of all war.” He said that other countries cannot expect to enjoy security while they harm Iran’s security and that it is “inconceivable” for other countries to prevent Iran from exporting oil while they allow other countries to export theirs. Saying that Iran should have access to the Strait of Gibraltar if other countries want access to the Strait of Hormuz, Rouhani said: “Peace for peace. Oil for oil... We are strong [and] we can do what we say... Security for security. Strait for strait.” The address aired on IRINN TV (Iran).

Hassan Rouhani: "I said this last year when I met you [senior Foreign Ministry officials] and the ambassadors. Peace with Iran is the mother of all peace, and war with Iran is the mother of all wars. I would like to reiterate this now. If you want security, and if your soldiers want security in the region, there can only be security for security. You cannot harm our security and expect to enjoy your own security. Peace for peace. Oil for oil. It is inconceivable that you prevent us from exporting oil while you let others export theirs. This is inconceivable. Oil for oil. You have realized by now that we are strong and that we can do what we say.

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"Security for security. Strait for strait. It is inconceivable for the Strait of Hormuz to be free to you while the Strait of Gibraltar is not free to us. This is inconceivable."