TEHRAN – Ahead of Iran’s Day of Anti-Imperialism, the press conference for the conference “We and the West: The Thoughts and Views of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution” was held at the Islamic Revolution Research and Cultural Institute.

The event was attended by Mohammad Eshaqi, Deputy for Research and Education at the institute; Mousa Haqqani, the conference’s scientific secretary; and Mousa Najafi and Mohammad Javad Larijani, members of the policy council overseeing the event.

Es’haqi highlighted the historical and contemporary influence of Western civilization, saying, “Western countries have progressed from colonial powers to a system of global hegemony. In contrast, over the past 25 years, the Islamic Revolution has built a broad front of resistance that extends even into the United States, Europe, and their universities and think tanks.”

He added that the foundations of Western civilization—both theoretical, including human rights, democracy, secularism, and women’s rights, and practical, such as military, economic, and media power—are now facing a legitimacy crisis. “Recent events in Gaza, Lebanon, and other countries show the West’s limited commitment to human rights and the freedom of nations,” he said.

Larijani outlined Iran’s approaches to the West, contrasting a doctrine of compromise, which relies on concessions, with a resistance-based doctrine, which emphasizes national self-reliance, dignity, and principled engagement. “This approach does not reject interaction with the West but frames it within national interests,” he explained.

The conference, organized by the Islamic Revolution Research and Cultural Institute in collaboration with academic centers, will be held on November 10. It features 54 specialized sessions, including international meetings. In total, 533 abstracts were submitted, 385 papers were accepted, and 46 scholarly interviews were conducted with leading academics, highlighting Iranian-Islamic identity and strategies of resistance against global hegemony.