Iran's Political Transformation After the War

It was a conscious effort by Iran that even leaders at the level of Putin and Xi Jinping did not come in person — instead delegations came, lower-level officials came. Because Iran believes that lower-level officials are closer to ground reality. This is a general point I am making, not about any one specific country. So when the Saudi Arabian delegation came, I was told a particular verse of the Quran was read out before them, one that clearly said: remember the Battle of Badr, that Muslim unity is essential. When the Qatari delegation came, they were told to repent — that verse was read to them. Then when the Turkish delegation came, they were told that passivity is wrong — to keep talking and not move to action is very wrong. So all of this was a new kind of diplomacy, a new kind of politics. Iran as a country changed quite substantially, and it moved into a revolutionary mode. It went into war mode. Its economy also went into war mode.