Leader: Enemies targeting Islamic establishment

On Saturday, July 2, during the last days of the blessed month of Ramadhan, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, granted audience to university students, heard their viewpoints, gave them important guidelines, and after leading the Evening Prayers, shared Iftar or fast breaking with them in a harmonious atmosphere.

At the gathering, which was also attended by representatives of student associations views were shared over academic, cultural, social, political and economic issues. Followings are excerpts from his speech to students.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution cautioned against plots hatched by enemies of Islam to try to undermine the dynamic Islamic System of Government in Iran, and highlighted the “special” role Iranian students could play in thwarting the plots. He invited them to express their positions toward JCPOA, or the nuclear accord with the 5+1 countries, Resistance Economy, and the unabated hostility of the US toward Iran. He said: “Given the current sensitive conditions inside the country, those with a weak faith will become hapless and disappointed while strong believers will persist no matter how much the conditions get tougher.” He drew a parallel between the current circumstances and the Battle of Ahzab (or Confederates) in the lifetime of Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny), adding: “Today also, the bullying powers are arraying troops against the Islamic Republic of Iran and are targeting it from all fronts. Under such circumstances, those with weak faith and perhaps inner tendencies toward the enemy express disappointment and disillusionment and inferiority, but people with strong faith resist with firmer determination and will, no matter how difficult the conditions.”

Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized in his general call to students to turn to the Holy Qur’an, and to Islamic teachings in shaping their future. He said lackadaisical attitude toward the daily ritual prayers and following carnal desires are the two main factors of decadence and weakening of steadfastness and combat. He cautioned that flouting religious restrictions and constraints weakens the inner faith. The Leader of the Islamic Revolution then pointed to the decisive and unavoidable conflict of the Iranian nation against Global Arrogance, saying: "The hostility came out into the open when the Iranian people decided to become independent and advanced – an objective that was in contrast with the vested interests of world powers." He added: “Iran needs no excuse for the fight against arrogance since the endeavour is based on revolutionary backgrounds. This fight does not need any pretext because this fight goes on as long as the Iranian nation is standing [firm] based on its revolutionary zeal and background and Islamic beliefs and it will end in two fates; either the Islamic Republic becomes so powerful and capable that the opposite party will not dare launch any aggression or the Islamic Republic will lose its identity and will be left with a spiritless appearance.”

Ayatollah Khamenei defined the Islamic Revolution as a framework of core values including justice, scientific progress, ethics, democracy, and rule of law. He said several barriers are in the way, but by progressing towards the destination through prudence and perseverance, most of the hardest problems would be tackled. In this path, the role of university students is of great importance, he added. The Leader of the Islamic Revolution encouraged the students to clearly state their demands to the country’s high-ranking officials; saying: “With precise and correct information, demands can set the ground to further effort on the part of authorities.”

Before his speech and guidelines to the gathering for proper tackling of problems, he addressed a number of issues and concerns raised by representatives of student associations. Ayatollah Khamenei hailed the university students as a treasure trove and a point of strength. He emphasized that this invaluable treasure should not be wasted, saying: “Students should find a deep insight into developments in the country, in the region and on the international scene, otherwise, discerning the difference between friends and enemies would prove to be difficult.” The Leader encouraged the student associations to express their stance over critical issues in clear words in order to strengthen the position of friends as well as to disappoint enemies in pursuing their malicious plots. He said: “In taking positions, student associations need to draw upon accurate, reasonable and timely information.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution warned that the enemies have embarked on a complicated and extensive media campaign against the Islamic establishment and its main objective is to cover up the strong points of the Islamic Republic and highlight certain negative points in a bid to insinuate despair and disillusionment into the minds of people and youth. He said the foreign media’s deliberate blacking out of adequate coverage of the massive and lively presence of people in the International Qods Day rallies this year was an example of the enemy media’s dubious behaviour. He added: “The Qods Day rally on the Last Friday of Ramadhan by fasting people in very hot weather is really phenomenal, but this distinctive phenomenon was not reflected as it should have been in foreign media, while if there is a negative point they magnify it hundreds of times.”  

He further said referring to the rejection of the US feelers for cooperation with Iran in Syria, in view of the fact that Washington is the main culprit in the crisis in that country and the growth of Takfiri terrorism: "Student associations should interpret my position in rejecting cooperation with US, except for specific matters, and present it to people with strong reasoning.”

He illustrated his point by referring to the plots devised by the West, the US in particular, both before and after the Islamic Revolution, including the tyranny of the Pahlavi dictatorship and the current illegal sanctions against Iran.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action” (Iran’s nuclear agreement with world powers), “[resumption] of ties with the US”, “Economy of Resistance” and the “Future of the Country” were among important issues about which student unions, in their capacity as soft war officers, must express their revolutionary, well-reasoned and strong positions. Such stances must be widely reflected in campus magazines. Meantime, these stances could be spread across the society through other methods like speeches by the representatives of unions before Friday Prayers sermons in big cities.” He pointed to the hypocrisy of the US, saying: “JCPOA proved that the US government and Congress are still enemies of Iran. Wise political insight dictates that such an enemy should be confronted with tact and we should not yield to its treacherous plots.”

He said: “The Islamic Republic of Iran urges the US to avoid involvement and interference in the region, since Iran’s position on regional issues rests upon a framework informed by wise foreign policy.”

Ayatollah Khamenei told the meeting: “Revolutionary organizations should rely on their commonly nurtured views on fashioning a future for the Revolution.”

He also called students to participate in free discussions when they come together with like-minded as well as diverse groups to “discuss the most pressing issues of intellectualism in the country,” a thing he believed would have been endorsed by the Father of the Islamic Revolution, the Late Imam Khomeini (RA).

Ayatollah Khamenei concluded: “Resistance will definitely lead to victory and I will stand against arrogance as a religious and legal duty, and I trust the Iranian nation as standing with it.”

AS/ME