'West suffers from moral degradation'

Press TV
Monday February 18, 2008

Iran's foreign minister says the West can no longer have things its own way by resorting to terror, military threats and economic pressure.

Manouchehr Mottaki made the remark Monday in a speech to the Scholarly Muslim Women's International Conference on Spirituality, Modesty and Family, being held in Tehran.

“Injustice in international relations and structural inefficiency of the corrupt global system are what we are talking about,” said Mottaki, noting that Iran bears no animosity toward other countries.

“Iran is talking about a world free from hatred and the moral, social and material deviations pervading the policies of various countries. Meanwhile, it is stressing the point that the US system of hegemony has failed,” he added.

Liberal democracy has encountered serious hurdles, Mottaki said, adding that not only are the social theories of Jean-Jacques Rousseau in sharp contrast with the realities of the contemporary world, but the absence of spirituality has led to a kind of moral confusion and lack of understanding which has erected a barrier in the way of resolving various issues.

The Iranian foreign minister also criticized the lack of family stability in Western countries and said basic social structures like the family have virtually lost all meaning, having been replaced by such morally reprehensible social bonding as seen among homosexuals.

Commenting on the role of Muslim women in their societies, Mottaki said it was incumbent upon the people and governments of Islamic states to provide every possible means for the full and constructive participation of women in all fields of social activity.