Iran Stands Firm

“10Mehr” Group, July 24, 2025 — 

In the pre-dawn darkness, as institutions claiming to uphold order and law remained silent or passive observers, once again the monster of aggression and lawlessness donned the deceptive mask of world order and drove a poisoned dagger into the heart of international law. The blatant attack by two nuclear powers — the United States and Israel — on three peaceful sites in a country without nuclear weapons is not merely a unilateral violation of legal norms but an official death announcement for the global order that once claimed to uphold peace and justice.

Iran, this land with deep roots and a civilization spanning several millennia, today stands at one of the most critical moments in its contemporary history; at a point where naked aggression against its national sovereignty is not just an assault on an independent nation, but a sign that the world has entered a dangerous and lawless phase — a world where law becomes a tool of power, and “security” is defined in service of domination. In this bitter and perilous scene, international institutions — which ought to uphold the boundary between right and force— have either been silenced by the influence of Western powers or, through their inaction, have consented to participate in a historic crime.

The United Nations, the Security Council, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) — all of them — either remained mute in the face of this crime or, through shameful silence, revealed to the world the depth of their subjugation and dependence on the ruling powers.

Among these, the conduct of Mr. Grossi, Director-General of the IAEA, deserves serious scrutiny. He, who by principle of neutrality should defend the safety and nuclear sovereignty of member states, has effectively become an executor of Western policies. Not only did he fail to condemn the Israeli attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites even once during these ten days, but he also issued no legal or technical warnings regarding them. This questionable stance has revealed that in times of crisis, the Agency does not safeguard the rights of nations but rather acts as an instrument of pressure against independent countries. Now that this institution and its director have practically proven incapable of fulfilling a professional and impartial role, the discussion around Iran’s possible withdrawal from the NPT and a redefinition of its relationship with the Agency is no longer merely a symbolic threat but a real and nationally viable option.

But Iran has never been a land of surrender and submission. This nation is the heir to suffering and dignity; the children of a history in which resistance is born with honor, and rightful steadfastness is the essence of national life. A people who, over the centuries, stood tall against the bloodiest empires and most seasoned conspirators now stand with the same faith on their soil— resolute, aware, and proud. Those who are the silent pillars of this land — workers and farmers, teachers and retirees, the marginalized and families of martyrs and veterans — though they have borne for years the heavy burden of economic injustice and cruel sanctions, have neither remained passive nor withdrawn. They have always stood on the front lines of defending the homeland and remain the true sentinels of national security and the guardians of this land’s dignity; a living, unbreakable bulwark that no power can shatter.

Once again, the enemy has fallen into the same strategic mistake that led past aggressors to defeat. They have misjudged this nation; a nation that has repeatedly chosen honorable life over death and has drawn its identity and dignity from the heart of fire and blood in unequal battles. Those who imagine that pressure, threats, or destruction can break the will of Iranians have not only failed to read this nation’s history but have also failed to grasp its spirit. Iran stands firm— not with an illusion of power but with a truth deeper-rooted than any empire: the truth called its people.

In this battle — which goes beyond territory and resources and is a campaign for independence, dignity, and the future of nations — Iran fights not just for itself but holds the frontline of the struggle for liberation and justice across the Global South; for those who have, for years, breathed under the yoke of domination and plunder by modern empires. Today, if Iran is in the crosshairs of the rage and violence of great powers, it is not because of weakness but because of its steadfastness on the principles of independence, resistance, and the right to self-determination — because it is the echo of voices of people who refuse to be slaves to the system of domination. Iran, today standing tall, is not only its own defender but also an inspiration for another world — a world free from discrimination, humiliation, and aggression.

Let the enemy know and let friends remember: The Iranian nation is a nation with deep roots, wounded but relentless, forged in the crucible of sanctions and discrimination, and adorned with immense resolve. Today, the same people who have borne the heavy burden of inflation, inequality, and injustice for years, from north to south, from the margins to the hearts of cities, consider themselves not bystanders but the backbone of national resistance. The real defense force of this land lies not in its arsenals but in the pride of its children; in young people who have mixed their bread with their honor and unsettled the enemy’s sleep.

The time has come for the Islamic Republic of Iran, with a deep understanding of this unparalleled popular support, to rebuild its social capacities and prioritize the organization of resistance forces in neighborhoods, mosques, councils, labor unions, and the Basij. But this resistance does not find meaning only in the field of security and defense; social justice must be its support. If the downtrodden are in the front line of defense, they must also be in the front line of support: in housing, bread, education, healthcare, and dignity. Only through linking national dignity with social justice can we emerge victorious and proud in this unequal battle.

At the same time, the country needs deep and courageous cleansing at the managerial levels. For years, most decision-making seats in economy, politics, culture, media, and universities have been occupied by a small group of managers loyal to the West; those who, despite repeated bitter experiences of trusting the West, remain committed to the same path of intellectual and political dependence. A new generation must step forward — but not the children and relatives of this same privileged class now returning with Western-polished faces to reproduce the same old structures. The country needs forces rooted in the people: clean-handed, patriotic, realistic, resilient, and aware of the logic of power and global necessities. If the system wants to safely navigate this historic turning point, it must rely on this fresh social force for a long and multi-layered attritional battle, not on indifferent, comfortable elites.

We stand on the threshold of a decisive battle; a battle that does not merely target Iran’s geographic borders but the borders of dignity, independence, and the future of nations. On one side of this field stands the monster of neo-colonialism: an alliance of military-industrial complexes, war-mongering corporations, energy cartels, Zionist lobbies, and deceitful media networks seeking to reproduce global domination. On the other side stands a nation that, for centuries, has forged a shield for its dignity from the memory of resistance and faith; a nation with a grand history, deep-rooted faith, and revolutionary hope that, beyond Iran’s borders, inspires all the oppressed and free people of the world.

Now is the time to set aside petty differences and hollow rivalries; the country must mobilize popular capacities, rebuild solidarity networks, and strengthen grassroots organization in neighborhoods, councils, mosques, local Basij units, and labor unions. This war is not merely military; it is an attritional, hybrid, and multi-layered war. Therefore, there is no option but to rethink priorities, redistribute resources, and move towards a war economy— justice-oriented and people-centered. If the downtrodden are to stand at the front line of defense, they must also stand in the front line of support.

Iran is not alone. The hearts of all the world’s free people beat with Iran. This battle is the most honorable and clearest battle of our time; a battle for the salvation of humanity — and we — with all our shortcomings and wounds, shall stand at its front line.

Iran Lives — and it shall endure.