Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Covenant Party congress, Zarif said the modern world is no longer defined by rigid blocs or permanent alliances, but by interconnected networks and issue-based coalitions.
He argued that relying on fixed allies is unrealistic in today’s global order and stressed that even traditional adversaries can cooperate on specific issues when interests align.
Zarif described an enemy-driven mindset and zero-sum thinking as ineffective, warning that framing internal groups such as youth, women, the private sector, or digital connectivity as threats only reproduces insecurity in practice. He emphasized that threats are often constructed mentally before they materialize in reality.
Highlighting Iran’s deep civilizational roots, Zarif said national pride should not translate into attempts to recreate past empires or glories, which he described as impractical and costly in current conditions. Instead, he called for realistic idealism grounded in existing human, cultural, and economic capacities.
Zarif stressed that Iran’s greatest asset is its people, noting that no external power has ever been able to dominate the Iranian nation.
