Mahmoud Sarabi

‎“I am an imperialist, therefore I am” is the title of a speech by HaSsan Abbasi, head of ‎the Center for Doctrinal Strategic Studies and a security and strategic analyst for Iran’s ‎Revolutionary Guards, also knows as the Passdaran. Abbasi was speaking at the ‎Engineering campus of the Tehran University on 16 Azar [December 7], marking the ‎Student’s Day in Iran. ‎

The speech began more than an hour late after the scheduled 2 o’clock. Dr. Abbasi ‎entered the building at around 3 p.m. He first spoke briefly about student movements all ‎over the world, mentioning them one after another in a bullet-point format, finding anti-‎imperialism to be a common theme among them. However, he argued, “no student ‎movement in the world is dependant on imperialists, but unfortunately, streaks of such ‎movements have been detected in Iranian universities recently.” ‎

Without making any direct accusations, Abbasi addressed critical students in Iran: “some ‎students are only foot soldiers of the West.” ‎

He added, “I pity students that are beholden to imperialists and who propagate against ‎Iran in the Western media." ‎

Basiji students and students from the Islamic Student Associations interrupted Dr. ‎Abbasi’s speech several times to applaud. ‎

Dr. Abbasi posed the question, “we first have to see essentially what imperialism is and ‎what it means.” He responded to his own question, “imperialism means that the whole ‎and the majority are subordinated by the part. In other words, imperialism means that ‎others help to develop one region, one area, one thing – not the people or the majority.”‎

He concluded, “therefore, imperialism is a negative concept.” ‎

He continued, “We only have three imperialist countries in the world, which are not ‎completely imperialist either.” ‎

The United States, Israel, and England were the three countries mentioned by Abbasi. He ‎added, “We have to know the reason behind the West’s progress. It is not because of ‎ism’s that are propagated in the world like imperialism, feminism, communism, ‎individualism, etc.; they had other plans that helped them progress. They progressed ‎because of their conquests.”‎

Abbasi noted, “Great Britain is a county as large as our own Sistan and Baluchistan, but ‎has conquered 114 times its territory.” ‎

He mentioned England as the great imperialist and noted United States, Canada, Australia ‎and New Zealand as countries beholden to Britain. ‎

He then noted, “the British meaning of imperialism is that the prime minister of Australia ‎or Canada, who has been elected by popular vote, must be ratified by the Queen of ‎England. Therefore, imperialism means conquest."‎

Abbasi's speech was held at the University of Tehran. Three bodyguards were protecting ‎him at all times and did not allow any student to come near him. ‎