TEHRAN – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi delivered a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in which he addressed Iran’s new approach to foreign policy, among other things. 

At the beginning of his carefully worded speech, President Raisi criticized the desecration of the holy Quran, saying that the Quran burning is unprecedented in history. “This is the first time that they burn the words of God and they think that they can suffocate the voice of heaven forever. But the teachings of the Quran for human beings can never be burned,” Raisi said, referring to the burning of the holy Quran in Sweden recently. 

President Raisi also inveighed against war against Islam. The fire of desecration and distortion won’t defeat the truth, Raisi asserted.

The Iranian president said a new world order is emerging. “The world is transitioning to a new world order and this is irreversible. The Western dominance over the world is no longer sustainable. The decrepit liberal order, which had been at the disposal of the insatiable capitalists, has been put aside,” Raisi said. 

He added, “The project of Americanizing the world has failed. The Iranian nation takes pride that thanks to its Islamic Revolution has played the biggest role in exposing the domineering sides of the West and East.”

Raisi pointed out that Iran believes that a new East and West should not be formed.  

“Iran has marked a new chapter of beneficial relations with neighboring countries and the Islamic Republic's neighborhood policy is a benevolent policy for the region. We warmly shake every hand that reaches out for friendship,” he said. 

The Iranian president also reiterated Iran’s position regarding the presence of foreign troops in the region. He said twice that the presence of such troops from the Caucasus region to the Persian Gulf not only is not part of the solution but also part of the problem.

President Raisi has also criticized the mainstream Western media for not telling the truth about Iran or censoring it. He the Western media propagated “lies” about Iran during last year’s unrest. Last year, the Iranian nation was targeted with the biggest psychological war of history, he said.

The Iranian president also praised General Qassem Soleimani for his counterterrorism efforts, saying that his assassination by the U.S. was a gift to the Daesh terrorist group. 

Ayatollah Raisi also lambasted the U.S. for violating the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

He called on the U.S. to put an end to its crisis of not being able to make decisions.

President Raisi also touched on the investment opportunities of Iran, saying that the country is a unique land of opportunities for investment