Leader: Distrust in US, key component of Iran's soft power

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, granted an audience on September 18 to commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and hailed the IRGC as a “strong fortress of the revolution, a vital element for defending internal and external security, and an outstanding necessary identity for the progress of the country for moving toward ideals.”

He added “one of the key components of the soft power of the Islamic Republic is absolute distrust toward hegemonic powers, particularly the US.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said the edict issued by the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (God bless him) 36 years ago for establishment of the IRGC was a result of his insight and foresight. He said the Late Imam’s famous sentence that ‘there would be no Iran without the IRGC’ was because the IRGC is like a purified tree which produces faith, revolutionary values, Jihadi aspirations, and protection of the country and its dynamic system.

The Leader said, today 37 years since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, especially following the period of the Holy Defence during the 8-year war imposed by the US through Saddam, the truth of Imam Khomeini’s words are crystal clear, “and now it must be said that the IRGC is the strong fortress of the revolution.” Emphasizing that defending the security inside and outside the frontiers of Iran is one of the basic duties of the IRGC, he pointed out that “in addition to maintaining security, the IRGC is also playing a role and is effective in other fields such as construction, development, providing services to the deprived, and issues related to culture and art and production of revolutionary thought.”

Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned “security” as a very important issue that provides the ground for spiritual and material progress of the society, noting, “among duties of the IRGC is to ensure internal and external security [of the country] and if this external security does not exist, and the enemy is not stopped outside the borders, internal security would also be lost.”

The Leader said upgrading the might of the Armed Forces is a requisite for fending off military threats. Referring to recent remarks made by certain persons that the reason behind the progress of some countries has been dismantling of their military organizations, he said, “It is hard to believe such remarks from persons to whom they have been attributed, but if such remarks have been made in real, they are wrong statements.” As a matter of fact, he said: “Countries, which are said to have dismantled their military organizations, did not do this on their own volition, but they were totally destroyed during the [Second] World War and they were not allowed to have a military organization. No wise [country] would give up its defense force, [and] this is why the defense power of the country must be strengthened on a daily basis.”

Ayatollah Khamenei described “faith” as the main factor that strengthens defense capability of the country and noted, “This is the meaning of asymmetrical warfare and despite possessing advanced tools and equipment, the opposite side lacks faith.” He then said: “An outstanding example of asymmetrical warfare took place in Iraq and it was when the popular forces, which lacked advanced military equipment but were endowed with strong faith, managed to liberate regions [from Daesh terrorists], while military personnel of America and their allies had not been able to bring those regions under their control since the outset of their presence in Iraq.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader referred to the push made to “distort components of the Islamic establishment’s soft power” and said, “In addition to wrong statements about the defense capability of the country, some wrong remarks and distortions are made about some of the revolution’s concepts, whose danger [to the revolution] is more than [those] wrong statements.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution enumerated negation of “independence” and considering it as equal to isolation as a case of such distortions, adding, “The main goal of negating independence is [to pave the way for] obeying orders from hegemonic powers.” He stated that “independence, culture, and [religious] beliefs” are sources of a nation’s identity, so “for what reason should we give up our real identity and follow the wrong and despicable Western methods?” In this regard, he referred to abominable practice and cardinal sin of “homosexual relations” as an issue, which is against the exigency and creation of human beings, saying: “In global propaganda, they create such an atmosphere and ballyhoo that if any person rejects these wrong issues, he would feel isolated and this is why even some Western officials declare their support for such an erroneous way of thinking in order to garner votes.”

Equating idealism to lack of rationality was mentioned by Ayatollah Khamenei as another instance of distortion of the Islamic establishment’s soft power components. He said: “As a matter of fact, idealism is equal to rationality, because if a nation loses its ideals, it would be empty from within as is the case with the current situation of Western societies.” He said: “Ideals are what creates enthusiasm for progress and movement in nations and the loftier, better tested and more illuminated these ideals are, the more flawless the movement [based on them].”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution then referred to another case of distortion of the Islamic establishment’s soft power, saying, “One of the elements of the Islamic Republic of Iran's soft power is ‘absolute distrust in hegemonic world powers’, the [true] symbol of which is currently the US.” He then stressed the need to promote absolute distrust in the United States, saying, “Unfortunately, some people are not ready to accept this distrust and although they say it in their words that the US is the enemy, the true sense of distrust toward the US does not exist in them. When the real sense of hostility and distrust toward the opposite side exists in one, he would observe its requirements in negotiations and meetings and would not absolutely trust what the other side says.”

Ayatollah Khamenei remarked that absolute distrust in the United States is an outcome of rationality resulting from thinking and depth of experience. He said, “We have seen the issue of US hostility through the long years after the revolution and in recent issues related to the nuclear negotiations and [also] with regard to other issues.”

Pointing out a historical case in this regard, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “during the era of Constitutionalism, when the British were trusted and the path [of the Constitutional Revolution] was diverted toward their embassy, a basic blow was dealt [to Constitutionalism] and as a result the country lagged behind for 75 years.”

Addressing some regional countries, the Leader said, “If you are not vigilant and do not understand the stratagem of the US’ hegemonic system and are deceived by their smile, you may also move backward 50 or even 100 years. If today, we clear the way for negotiations with Americans and their temptations in different sectors, we would not only provide grounds for their overt and covert infiltration, but the planned progress of the country would never be realized and backwardness would be definitive.”

Ayatollah Khamenei then underlined the need for officials to be vigilant and watchful in the face of the infiltration and domination of the enemy, noting, “Americans insist that we negotiate with them issues related to the West Asia region, especially [the situation in] Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen. What is their real objective behind these requests for talks? They have no objective but to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran’s presence in the region [which they know] is the main factor behind America’s failures.” Referring to negotiation ploys used by Americans and their clear hostilities, examples of which were seen in nuclear negotiations, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Rationality calls on us to be absolutely distrustful of those who have made their animosity clear.”

Alluding to some whispers about the need for negotiations with the United States over regional issues, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution emphasized, “Negotiating with America is not only fruitless, but also detrimental and this issue has been made clear to high-ranking officials of the country with an argument and they had no answer to refute that [argument].” He then reiterated that talks will not reduce the existing hostilities between Iran and the United States, but will clear the way for US infiltration. Referring to the security that prevails in the country, the Leader said, “The enemy has focused all its effort on disturbing security in the country, [and] therefore, all organizations of the Armed Forces and other concerned organs must protect this security as an important achievement in today’s insecure world.” He stated that in addition to the security of the living environment, cultural and intellectual security are also very important, noting, “The IRGC must play a role in all these.”

The Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces then gave a number of recommendations to the IRGC and while mentioning “faith and revolutionary and Jihadi spirit” as the pivot of all capabilities of the IRGC, added that the revolutionary spirit must not be allowed to be weakened by getting attached to worldly pleasures and entering a race for leading a luxurious and extravagant life. The necessity of maintaining attachment between new generations of the IRGC and the concepts of the revolution and the importance of the issue of education, were other recommendations given by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. He described the “Basij” force as a “national potentiality” and while expressing satisfaction with numerous activities undertaken by the popular organ, laid emphasis on the need to give more depth to those activities. Referring to the model and future-building role of the Iranian nation in global developments, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “If officials and people manage to realize the Economy of Resistance in its real sense and rescue the country from the financial and monetary magic of the enemy and smash the value and domination of [the US] dollar in their economic life, they would also be saving other countries and would turn into a model for them.”

He said the reason why enemies are angry with the Iranian nation is because of the Islamic Republic’s inspiring nature, adding, “Despite massive pressures, sanctions and threats, the movement of the Iranian nation has become more transparent and courageous on a daily basis and the pure and blessed sapling of the Islamic Revolution has become more robust day by day.” Referring to the effort made by propaganda apparatuses that are controlled by Zionists in order to cover these brilliant realities, he said the warm welcome given to Iranian officials by people during foreign trips was another reason that the Iranian nation has turned into a role model.

Ayatollah Khamenei also emphasized the need to continue on this illuminated path with strength and getting increasingly ready both materially and spiritually, while pointing out, “The lesson from the holy Qur’an for us is that in the face of hostilities, we must show resistance and steadfastness by soliciting help from God, because God and His divine guidance are always with us.” He emphasized, “If we maintain our motivation, faith and firm resolve and make correct use of intellect and foresight, we will overcome the plots of enemies and unlike what some people think that we are under siege, we will overcome all [our] enemies.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution then noted, “I have no concerns about the future and believe that through divine Providence, the country’s future will be much better than its present.”

Prior to the Leader’s speech, Hojjatoleslam Ali Sa’eedi, his representative in the IRGC, congratulated the gathering on the occasion of the Ten Days of Imamate and Velayat, starting from the birth anniversary of Imam Ali al-Hadi (AS), the Prophet’s 10^th Infallible Heir to the anniversary of the grand dialogue of Mubahela between the Prophet of Islam and the Christians of Najran on Zilhijja 24. He described the approach taken by commanders and officials of the IRGC and the Basij force as a continuation of the discourse promoted by Imam Khomeini and the present Leader.

Also in the ceremony, IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Ali Ja’fari, said, “In order to fulfill its mission, the IRGC focuses on preserving potentialities of the Islamic Revolution, expanding its power across the Islamic world, helping with the realization of the ideals of the revolution, and fighting all symbols of aristocracy, corruption, discrimination and submission to enemies’ demands.” Major General Ja'fari also noted that promoting spirituality and maintaining the revolutionary spirit at all levels form the basis of the IRGC’s deterrent strategy. Stressing that “we won’t allow the US’ wicked plans for infiltration and transformation of the [Islamic] establishment to be realized,” the IRGC commander noted, “Rest assured that the roots and branches of any evil tree, which may want to help infiltration of US policies in this country, will be cut off and the Islamic Revolution will be safeguarded in its passage through its third evolutionary stage under the support and guidelines of the Commander in Chief [Ayatollah Khamenei].”

AS/SS