Leader’s guidelines for nation’s continued progress in the year 1398 (2)

Here is the second part of the New Year Speech of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, delivered at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad on March 21, the first of which was presented to you yesterday and which among other issues focused on the selfish goals of the exploitative western powers, who can never be considered the friends of Iran and supporters of the interests of the Iranian people.

Ayatollah Khamenei continued on the ulterior motives of the former colonial European powers, saying: “This is not particular to us either. It is not the case that westerners behave like this only towards the Islamic Republic or towards Iran. Western regimes behave like this towards all countries which they can bully. Notice that three centuries of colonialism crushed hundreds of millions of people. It destroyed their lives and exerted great pressure on them. The Europeans – at that time, the Americans were not there – used to colonize Asia, Africa and Latin America and suck up their resources. They would loot their wealth, would prevent them from making scientific, practical and technological progress and would keep them backward. The phenomenon of colonialism was not particular to us. It happened to all those countries which could be bullied by those powers.

“As for Iran, they began to strike blows on the country from the mid-Qajarid era (in the 19^th century). During the Russo-Iranian wars, the English betrayed Iran. They entered the scene as mediators, but they stabbed us in the back. They acted in the same away on the issue of the tobacco monopoly and on the issue of the enlightened Prime Minister (Mirza Mohammad Taqi Khan) Amir Kabir, and the way they treated him. It was the pressures of the English and European embassies in Tehran which forced the foolish king (Naseer od-Din Shah) to shed Amir Kabir’s blood, thus eliminating a man who could have transformed Iran. They behaved in the same way on the issue of bringing the dictatorial regime of Reza Khan to power. The Europeans and the Americans behaved in the same way for overthrowing the government of (Prime Minister Mohammad) Mosaddeq. They acted in the same way in different economic, political and security matters, on the issue of the imposed war and after that on the issue of the sanctions. We should not forget these events.

“Westerners have always behaved like this towards us. We cannot have any hope for their help. On the recent issue, the issue of JCPOA, what was the duty of the Europeans? Well, a seven-sided agreement had been signed– six countries on one side and Iran on the other side. One of the parties– the US– got out of the deal. What was the duty of the other parties? Their duty was to stand up against the US and to state that they would be committed to the deal. Their duty was to lift sanctions completely. They should have stood firm, but they did not do so with different excuses. Not only did they not stand up against the US, but they also got out of the deal in practice, despite the fact that they would constantly say to us that we should not get out of the JCPOA. They have even imposed new sanctions on Iran. This is how Europeans behave. What can we expect from them?

“Recently, it is being said that they have created a financial channel. Well, it sounds more like a joke! Of course, it is a bitter joke. This financial channel does not make any sense. There is a world of difference between what constitutes their duties and what they are saying in the present time. On our last international issue, the Europeans stabbed us in the back, just like what they did in the past. They betrayed us. They cannot be expected to do anything. We cannot have any expectations of them.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “I will tell you that this is how things are, generally speaking. This is the result of extensive study and it is based on our own experiences and those of the others: I will tell you that politics and power in the west and in western countries – mainly the US and European states – are oppressive, bullying, illogical and greedy. They know nothing about logic. Logic is not in their vocabulary. Deep inside, western politicians are savage individuals in the true sense of the word. You should not be surprised at this. They wear a suit, they wear a tie, they put on perfume and they carry a Samsonite brief case, but they are savages and they act in a bestial manner in practice.

“Notice that in the recent incident in New Zealand during which Muslims were killed, someone enters two mosques and fires several rounds of bullets at scores of worshippers, martyring more than 50 persons – and injuring many others. Well, is this not terrorism? The Europeans– neither their politicians nor their press– were willing to refer to this as a “terrorist act”, rather they referred to it as an “armed attack”. Is that an “armed attack”? Then what is terrorism? Whenever a crime is committed against even one single individual who is favored by them, they rally all human rights efforts and label it as a terrorist act in order to confront it, but in such a clear and vivid case, they do not call it a terrorist act. They are like this.

“I do not know of a country in the region and perhaps in the world which is as bad as Saudi regime, which is despotic, dictatorial, oppressive, dependent and corrupt. They (westerners) provide nuclear resources for such a regime. They have announced that they will build a nuclear power plant for them. They have announced that they will build centers for producing missiles. It is alright there, because that regime is dependent upon them. It is alright because it belongs to them. Of course, they are only announcing this. Even if they were to build such things, I personally will not be unhappy because I know that in a not-too-distant future, it will all fall into the hands of Islamic mujahids! [the huge gathering vociferously chants: “Death to the US”]

“Therefore, malice and mischief is in the nature of western powers and there is no difference between the US and Europe in this regard. Of course, the US is more malicious. For different reasons, the US is more malicious and it is not particular to the person who holds office in the US administration, rather their whole politics is based on this. They delivered a report to me showing that recently the US Congress has either passed or presented 226 bills and drafts against the Islamic Republic in the years 1396 and 1397. Two hundred and twenty six bills in order to show their opposition and malevolence against the Islamic Republic! This is malice.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Of course, I have a complaint about our own Majlis: how many bills and drafts has our own Islamic Consultative Assembly presented or passed against US malice? So, western powers are like this. We cannot have other expectations of them.

“Of course, some people inside the country embellish the image of the westerners. They try to justify the malicious acts of the westerners. They airbrush their image and prevent public opinion from realizing how much malice and malevolence exists in the nature of these apparently decent governments - governments such as France, Britain and other such regimes. There are people from the press and the media among them: the likes of Taqizadeh. During the Pahlavi regime, a certain Taqizadeh said something like this: that Iran should become westernized from head to toe. He meant that the lifestyle in Iran should be westernized. Today too new Taqizadehs utter such words. Of course, they do not say it with such naked clarity but that is what they mean.

“Those who keep injecting and promoting western thoughts, western lifestyle, western methods, and western nomenclature in our literature, our thought system, our universities and our schools are the new Taqizadehs. Those who stand behind the 2030 Education Agenda – that intends to turn the Islamic lifestyle into the western lifestyle – are today’s Taqizadehs. Of course, by Allah’s favour, our pious youth and our revolutionary people will not allow these Taqizadehs to implement their ideas.

“You should pay attention to this point. I am saying this because some people misrepresent my statements. These comments do not at all mean breaking our ties with western countries. It is alright to have relations. During the term of different administrations and throughout all these years, I have always encouraged them to establish relations with different countries: with our neighbours, with Muslim states, with different movements and orientations and with European countries, all in different ways. I still believe this. It is alright to have relations but what is problematic is following and trusting others. What I am saying is that we should not trust them.

“Many or at least some of our problems originate from trusting westerners. There is nothing wrong with establishing relations. You can establish relations, but you should fully know the other side. You should not confuse the path and take the wrong direction with their smiles, their deceit and their false statements. This is what I am saying. Otherwise, it is alright to be in contact. Of course, fortunately, our government officials have reached the conclusion today that one cannot take the same path as that of westerners. They have felt this. In the future, our behavior and conduct might differ as a result of this new knowledge, Insha Allah (God Willing).”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution continued: “Now that we have spoken about the west, I would like to add that there are two opposing orientations about the west, both of which are wrong: one orientation is based on unreasonable bias and prejudice and reluctance to see the positive aspects of the West. Westerners initiated a movement in the area of science. They endeavored hard and they made progress with persistence. The same is true of technology and some behavioural traits. I have spoken about them at length in different speeches. These facts should not be denied. We should learn every good thing wherever it is in the world.

“I have mentioned frequently that we have no objections to being learners. We will learn from anyone who knows more than us and this is alright with us. However, we should not be pupils forever. Therefore, having a reactionary attitude towards the west and having an unreasonable bias against the west which makes us reject whatever comes from that region – no matter what it is.

“The opposite point to this is “westoxication”. Westoxication is a grave danger. In the days of the westoxicated Pahlavi regime, an intellectual who was deep-rooted in religious matters – the late Jalal Al-e Ahmad who was the son of a religious scholar and who had deep religious connections – used to be in contact with us. He would express his respect and love for Imam [Khomeini] during his exile and brought up the issue of westoxication. Today, the issue of westoxication is an important issue. We should not forget it. Therefore, both prejudice and bias on the one hand and westoxication on the other hand are wrong. As I said, the West cannot be trusted. We should keep in contact, but we should not rely on them. We should benefit from their science and their positive aspects, but we should not trust them in any way. This is what I wanted to say in this regard. This was the second matter.

“Now, let us move to the matter of the economy. Now that we cannot trust the West, what should we do for the economy of the country? The issue of the economy of the country is an important issue. This is what I want to say in this regard: for the blossoming of the country’s economy, we need an endeavor which is both jihadi and scientific. The issues related to the economy of the country will not be resolved with laziness, with lack of energy and with lack of motivation. A jihadi endeavor should be made. Jihadi management should dominate the economic affairs of the country and decision-making. We should make a jihadi endeavor.

“Jihadi endeavor means an endeavor accompanied by effort, tirelessness and purity. In other words, we should clearly see that such individuals do not work for the sake of filling their own pockets and that they work for the people and for God.

“An endeavor should be like this as well as being scientific. They should sit and find the correct ways with scientific and precise methods. They should be knowledgeable and competent and they should have different resources at their disposal. Such individuals should sit and work. If this happens, the economy of the country will definitely be in full blossom.”

Ayatollah Khamenei, elaborating his points on economy, said: “I am not an economist, but I study and I ask for their viewpoints. I listen to their viewpoints carefully. Our experts believe that the capacities of the country for developing the economy are very rich and complete capacities. We have no shortcomings. Our human resource capacity is very good, our natural capacities are very good and our geographical capacity is also very good. In the statement on the ‘Second Phase of the Revolution’, I explained some of these capacities. So capacities exist and furthermore, there is money in the country.

“Also there are constant complaints about cash liquidity. Of course, this is correct. If liquidity does not receive attention, it will be harmful, but if it is managed efficiently and if it is guided towards investment, it will help the country blossom and it will develop the economy. Therefore, there is an abundance of capacities in the country.”

AS/SS