Text of report in English entitled "Fending for ourselves" by Iranian newspaper Iran Daily on 12 September

Iran's access to uranium enrichment technology has topped world news and views for almost three years as has our relations with the outside world.

Although Iran is a signatory to the non-proliferation treaty (NPT) and has the right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, the US and other western governments continue to oppose Tehran under the tired cliche' that one day Iran may divert civilian nuclear power for military purpose.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regularly monitors Iran's nuclear program and its inspectors are in and out of the country at will.

IAEA surveillance cameras have Iran's nuclear sites under full control, and yet the West continues to make baseless claims against Iran and its nuclear direction.

It is understandable that the US-led western powers simply do not want to see Iran make progress, especially when it is under almost three decades of American sanctions. The openly hostile and intimidating camp has spared no effort to make Iran's job as difficult as possible in economic, defence and other key developmental areas.

The anti-Iran and openly pro-Israel political crowd believes that an independent and resurgent Iran will serve as a paradigm for other developing countries and this will show the western bullies in a very awkward light.

For almost three years the US and EU openly threatened Iran that if it did not stop the uranium enrichment business, they would hurl the Islamic state before the UN Security Council.

And this is what it did precisely last month, but after the endurance of our people and statesmen had led to unprecedented progress culminating in the completion of the sensitive nuclear fuel cycle.

With the case in the UNSC, bourses in all Persian Gulf Arab states plunged to lows unrecorded in their recent history. In other words, instead of the referral hurting Iran it had a big negative impact on the pro-western Arab sheikdoms in the region.

It is well known that the regional Arab states are among the biggest markets for Japanese, Chinese, American and European goods.

Oil, which is the economic lifeline of all countries in the region, largely passes through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

One need not be a person of very high talent to understand that any instability in this part of the world will without doubt upset the free flow of oil and harm regional markets.

It is for this reason that the Europeans believe new sanctions on Iran will primarily hurt their vital interests more than they will hurt Iran and its economic development.

Those who have reservations about this reality would do better to read some recent history of our country.

A quarter century of cruel sanctions and non-stop provocations have taught us never again to look to the outside world, the West in particular, for help on key issues.

Under war and sanctions our youth learnt that self-help is the best help. We have to fend for ourselves. Failure to do so means taking sweet poison and after that more humiliation and subjugation.

Iran has a unique geopolitical status and is a gateway to the Caucasus, Central Asia and the warm waters. Both friend and foe admit Tehran's influence in the oil-rich region and beyond is of the ascending order.

Beside vast energy resources, we have our own dam and turbine building technology. Iran produces over 90 per cent of its food and medicinal needs. Progress in military defence too has been significant due largely to the western-backed and Iraqi-imposed war (1980-88) known to Iranians as 'Sacred Defense.'

Moreover, regional countries and the Islamic world are becoming vigilant and are opposing more vociferously America's destructive policies.

Military successes of Lebanon's Hezbollah in the unequal war against Israel, the election victory of Hamas in Palestine and America's twilight now more visible in Afghanistan and Iraq are issues the free world should contemplate. After all these developments, among other things, have underscored Iran's position and the fact that the bullying powers have to be stopped.

Independent Americans admit that sentiments against their country across the world have never been so daring and disturbing. Thanks to George Bush and his ilk.

In the meantime emergence of new economic powers like China and India and the establishment of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) are challenging America's economic and political clout. True, China and India as well as SCO states will not confront America for now, but they will not blindly obey Uncle Sam. There is no reason why they should.

A great many observers, mostly western, are of the opinion that in the next 10-15 years the West will no longer be the centre of world power. It is for the peoples of the world and their leaders to prepare for this eventuality and be on the right of history when things really start to change.