Hawzah News Agency- Professor Ali-Akbar Reshad, custodian of the Imam Reza (AS) Seminary Complex and head of the Tehran Provincial Seminary Council, opened his advanced jurisprudence class by addressing the US exit from Iraq after roughly 22 years of occupation, drawing historical lessons from the imposed war, the occupation of Iraq, and America's failure to achieve its regional objectives.
He stressed: "The US withdrawal from Iraq is the result of resistance — not negotiation, compromise, or backing down."
The Imposed War: A Lesson from Contemporary History
Professor Reshad noted that Iraq's developments over recent decades offer important lessons for history. One such lesson, he said, dates back to the 40-year period when an arrogant, self-deluded, and ambitious figure attacked an independent Muslim nation that had recently undergone a revolution and renewed its governance — at a time when it apparently lacked sufficient means to defend itself.
He added: "Saddam Hussein imagined he could reach Tehran in three days and topple the Islamic system, deluding himself into thinking he could occupy Khuzestan and plunder Iran."
The head of the Tehran Provincial Seminary Council pointed to the all-out support global powers gave Saddam's regime: "All powers stood behind him — both Western powers, namely the US and European countries, and the Eastern power, the Soviet Union at the time. This support came in diplomacy, international institutions, and arms transfers. Advanced weapons, weapons of mass destruction, and unconventional arms, in addition to financial and material aid, were placed at Saddam's disposal."
The Sacred Defense: A Model of Resistance Rooted in the People
Professor Reshad pointed to the Islamic Republic's victory in the eight-year Sacred Defense: "We defended valiantly for eight years and, for the first time in history, not only did we not lose a war — we won. Over roughly 200 years, whenever an external power attacked Iran, part of the country's territory was severed. But this time, not even a handspan of Iranian soil was lost."
He identified faith and popular backing as among the most important lessons of the Sacred Defense: "A country with a popular government, arising from the heart of the people and relying on faith and domestic capacities, can stand against a massive onslaught through the faith of its people, national determination, and divine leadership — even if powerful nations provide it no equipment and it fundamentally lacks strategic weapons."
Reliance on Foreign Powers: A Strategic Error
The custodian of the Imam Reza (AS) Seminary Complex pointed to Saddam's occupation of Kuwait: "After facing defeat and exhaustion in the war with Iran, Saddam managed to occupy his neighboring country within a day or two, and its rulers fled and left the country."
He identified another key lesson from regional developments: governments and nations relying on foreign powers for security. "The greater lesson," he stressed, "is that governments and nations tie their security to a foreign power — America."
Professor Reshad pointed to America's motives for its military presence in Iraq: "America once again entered the region and Iraq, coveting oil and energy. Saddam could not resist America because the people were not behind him, and he was ultimately captured in that condition."
Recalling an account from his martyred brother about Saddam's capture, he added: "My brother recounted that when they dragged Saddam out of that hole in such humiliation and a soldier placed his boots on his face, I felt sorry for him — I did not want even my enemy to be so degraded."
America Entered Iraq Under the Pretext of Security
Professor Reshad rejected America's claim of being in the region to help nations: "The idea that a power enters the region and we imagine it has come out of compassion is false. America came, and as soon as it seized the oil, it established itself there and continued its presence."
He pointed to US claims about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq: "America claimed Saddam had nuclear weapons and that it was going to Iraq to destroy them, while there was fundamentally no such thing — and even if there were, they failed to discover or eliminate it."
The custodian of the Imam Reza (AS) Seminary Complex added: "America used this pretext to dominate the region's rich energy resources, and that is exactly what it did."
Iraqi Resistance: The Cause of America's Exit
Professor Reshad noted the contradiction between America's hegemonic claims and ground realities: "At the height of its superpower claims, while threatening several countries and saying it will come and occupy them, America is evacuating another region it had previously occupied."
Asked what force prevented America from maintaining its presence in Iraq, he said: "America experienced this humiliation not before the Iraqi government, nor even before Iraq's current army, but before the resistance — Hashd al-Shaabi."
The head of the Tehran Provincial Seminary Council stressed: "The Americans were defeated by the Iraqi resistance front and were forced to evacuate the region."
Pointing to the array of Iraqi resistance groups and their connection to the regional and global resistance, he said: "The power of Iraqi resistance consists of several groups that can be described collectively as a front — a front comprising the sum of resistance currents in the region and even on a global scale, which today are united and cohesive."
Security Cannot Be Achieved Under American Protection
Professor Reshad pointed to the message of these developments for regional countries: "These countries that apparently bear the name of state must know that security cannot be achieved under America's wing."
He added: "America stayed in Iraq for 22 years, but the result of its presence was the plunder of oil and a large number of killed. This is the outcome of the security America brings to regional countries."
Professor Reshad expressed hope that regional countries have understood this reality and learned from it.
America's Exit Was Not Achieved Through Negotiation or Compromise
The custodian of the Imam Reza (AS) Seminary Complex stressed that victory is not achieved through arms alone or negotiation: "Iraq's evacuation by America was not achieved through negotiation, nor through backing down, surrender, or compromise. It was resistance that forced America to leave."
He added: "A number of devout, faithful, and mujahid groups — lacking major, strategic weapons — stood against a superpower that considers itself the superior power on Earth, and this faithful, devout group expelled America from their country through resistance."
Negotiation Must Not Become the Main Strategy
Professor Reshad stressed the need for some officials to learn from Iraq's experience: "This part of Iraq's developments should be a lesson for some of our officials, so they do not rely so much on negotiation and dialogue and do not beat its drum."
He continued: "We are not saying negotiation is absolutely forbidden, but one should not pin hopes on it. Negotiation is truly not two-sided — one side wants to impose its will on the other."
The head of the Tehran Provincial Seminary Council noted: "When you sit at the negotiating table and imagine the other side recognizes you as an independent, equal party — while it fundamentally does not consider you a party at all — you cannot pin hopes on its outcome."
America Has Never Honored Its Commitments
Professor Reshad pointed to America's record of violating commitments and treaties: "How many times must they violate their commitments and covenants? Have they honored their pledge even once?"
He added: "From before the revolution's victory — the spy den treaty and the Algiers Accord — to the latest experience we had this year, we have always faced broken promises."
Stressing that the issue is not merely the content of agreements, he said: "On paper, it may seem that four clauses favor the other side and ten favor us, but the problem is that the other side does not accept that paper in the meaning we imagine."
Professor Reshad criticized the repeated use of the term "memorandum of understanding" in some officials' rhetoric: "When the other side does not accept a commitment, there is no understanding — and officials should not keep speaking of a memorandum of understanding and matters that were not part of any understanding at all."
Nuclear Technology: Beyond Weapons
The custodian of the Imam Reza (AS) Seminary Complex addressed views suggesting abandoning nuclear technology to prevent war: "It is heard here and there that some say if the nuclear issue is weapons and has become a pretext for war, we do not want to fight — so let us hand it over and set it aside."
Stressing the need to recognize nuclear technology's importance, he said: "Nuclear technology is not merely weapons. Our sophisticated weapon is our faith, and it may be said we do not need nuclear weapons — but nuclear technology is a different matter."
Professor Reshad added: "Today, nuclear technology means agriculture, industry, medicine, treatment, and technology. Nuclear technology today is the symbol, manifestation, peak, and summit of every country's and civilization's progress in the world."
He continued: "Today, possessing nuclear technology is one of the indicators of countries' scientific and technological progress, and the enemies do not want the Islamic Republic of Iran's scientific and technological progress."
US Withdrawal from Iraq: The Beginning of Exit from the Region
Professor Reshad concluded by expressing satisfaction with the US withdrawal from Iraq: "We are very pleased that America, at the height of its arrogance, self-delusion, and claims, is today leaving the region."
He called the event the beginning of America's exit from West Asia: "We hope this process continues in other occupied regions of the world."
The custodian of the Imam Reza (AS) Seminary Complex added: "God willing, in the future we will witness America being forced to leave the entire region, because it no longer has security here."
He noted: "That power that entered under the pretext of providing regional security is now itself in insecurity and must strive to defend itself."
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