Iranian Leader's Representative in the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani: We Are Gaining Strength and Losing Dependency on America

Following are excerpts from an interview with Ali Larijani, Iranian leader's representative in the Supreme National Security Council and Presidential Candidate. Channel 2 of the Iranian TV aired it on March 20, 2005:

Ali Larijani: America's threats toward Iran are extensive today because of the good conditions of the region and of Iran. How can we extricate ourselves from this threat and make our model [of a regime] a prominent and inspiring one? This will happen when we attain a [high] geo-strategic status. Then they will have to accept our existence. We will be a fait accompli, and their relationship with us will have to be completely friendly and they won't be able to threaten [us]. We are on this path. During the days of the Shah Iran was in a disgraceful state in terms of its dependency on America. Now it stands on its own two feet, and is gaining strength. We must complete this path. This path will be complete when we increase our national strength. Our country's strength is linked to various elements, one of which is technology. When our country attains state-of-the-art technology, its strength will increase. Thus, in globalization they [the superpowers] do not allow marginal countries to attain state-of-the-art technologies. This is the reason we insist on the nuclear issue, which is the Iranians starting point for a broad realm of of state-of-the-art technologies.