In a session entitled 'the Secret of Influence' on the theoretical foundations of the US national security and ways to infiltrate the Islamic Republic of Iran held in Mashhad, Gholam Hossein Elham said that Islam is the main point of difference between the US and Iran because America’s definition of Islam has led to the formation of groups like ISIL.
Pointing out that Iran's power is based on Islam and Islamic identity, Elham emphasized that, “the most important point of divergence between the US and Iran relates to intellectual matters; therefore, as long as Islam exists, they will be in conflict with us.”
“ISIL has emerged abusing the name of Islam and has waged Islamic war against Islam; while the secular view would approve of this issue by merely considering it as a different interpretation of Islam,” stated Elham.
He further asserted that, “ISIL is destroying the capacity of the Islamic Revolution to eliminate the purity, wisdom, and holiness of Islam to replace it with the Amercian version of Islam which is violent and irrational.”
Enumerating several pieces of evidence suggesting the US determination to change the Islamic Republic of Iran, Elham continued, “in addition to polarization of society through the monopoly of nuclear weapons, the US has also caused religious and ethnic challenges between Islamic countries and has turned integrated countries into discrete and separate parts.”
“The only country that has managed to maintain its identity and is not dependent on the West is the Islamic Republic of Iran and the US is after changing this situation,” added Elham.
He further noted that, “one of the US strategies to gain influence upon countries like Iran is through cyberspace; therefore, we need to identify and stop America’s activities which might lead to spread of American Islam.”