Leader slams US, French presidents, UK premier as “war criminals”

Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei denounced the latest crime of the US, France, and Britain in Syria.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in his speech last Thursday to a gathering of senior government officials, armed forces commanders, and foreign Muslim representatives to Tehran on the occasion of the auspicious anniversary of Mab’ath or God Almighty’s formal entrustment of the universal mission of Islam to Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), congratulated the ummah on the occasion and cautioned them against the plots of their common enemies, such as the US, the West European regimes and the illegal Zionist entity.

He denounced the latest crime of the US, France, and Britain in their unprovoked firing of a barrage of over hundred missiles, and called President Donald Trump, President Emmanuel Macron, and Prime Minister Theresa May “war criminals”.

Ayatollah Khamenei said Mab’ath or Be’that “is a unique and unparalleled event in the history of mankind and the climax of God’s grace upon humanity. Thanks to this glorious event, the path opened for humanity until the end of the world for proper and continuous progress.”

He said: “The gist of Mab’ath is towheed or monotheism, which means worshipping the One and Only God exclusively, without associating partners to Him, and making sure that carnal desires, temptations, lust and anger do not govern our life, nor do we submit to dictatorships, autocracies, and self-centeredness. The guiding apparatus of human life should be divine knowledge, divine power, divine grace, divine blessings and divine guidance, and this is possible by following the teachings of the Almighty’s Last and Greatest Messenger, Prophet Mohammad (SAWA).”

He continued: “Firstly, all those who, with their arrogance and selfishness, their oppression and autocracy, want to dominate the affairs of human societies, are rejected by the concept of towhid; hence, they oppose it. As God says in ayah 112 of Surah Anaam: “And thus We have made for every prophet an enemy - devils from mankind and jinn, inspiring to one another decorative speech in delusion.”

He pointed out: “All the prophets faced, encountered, and fought against autocrats, tyrants, and bullies. Without the opposition from the front of the truth, falsehood cannot be forced to retreat. The fact that humanity has continuously grown closer to divine teachings, since the beginning of history, until now, is due to combat—because, the truth must fight, as Allah says in ayah 8 of Surah Hashr: “The believers fight for Allah’s cause; and the disbelievers fight for the devil’s cause”.

The Leader added: “It means without fighting tyrants, autocrats, and the malicious oppressors, truth cannot advance. Combat is necessary; and the prophets all put up a fight. Monotheism implies the main boundaries, principles, and layout of combat. ‘la ilaha il-Allah” which means “there is no god but God’ is not solely a religious and conceptual motto; ‘There is no god but God’ is a source of great impact, a source of action. The first Islamic government in Medina during the time of the Prophet Islam started with the slogan ‘there is no god but God’. That is, governance is nonsense in divine religions, except if it is led by the almighty God and His appointees.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Just as the Prophet of Islam said, “declare, ‘there is no god but God’ and you will succeed”, the autocrats in that limited, small area of Mecca, began to oppose him. Then, later, when the Islamic government was established in Medina, again, governments, empires and world powers opposed Islam. This opposition has existed since day one till now; ever since, withdrawal has always been the outcome for the front of falsehood and it advances the outcome for the front of truth.”

He said: “The small population that lived in Mecca, under much pressure, has transformed into a vast human society, today, with great pride, great facilities, great hope and a bright future. This should be understood: the Islamic Ummah must refer to its core principle: towhid (monotheism).

“When we believe in monotheism we cannot accept coercion, we cannot accept oppression, we cannot but stand before oppressors: this is the nature of towhid. The fact that the Islamic Republic declares that ‘wherever there is an oppressed populous in need of assistance, we will be present,’ is for the same reason. That we insist on helping Palestine, is for the same reason; because, towhid warrants us to stand against the oppressor’s coercion waged on the oppressed. —This is the essence of towhid: Mab’ath reminds us of it; and it will certainly progress.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “Even though pressure on the Palestinian people has been extreme in recent days—over the past 70 years—you view a small, tolerant population that you think the Zionists could easily dominate, or estrange this nation, from their country, by cutting off their hands from their own lands; but, that same “weak” nation, has, today, turned into the powerful Palestinian nation that threatens the “mighty” Zionist regime. Hence, the Zionist regime feels weak and incapable against the Palestinian people. Undoubtedly, Palestinians will win over Zionists; and Palestine will be returned to the Palestinians.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Our presence, besides groups of resistance in West Asia, is for a good reason. Our presence in Syria, in opposition to US-supported terrorism, is not in vain. The claim that the Islamic Republic is seeking hegemony and wants to conquer a certain area is a nonsensical lie. We have no reason or desire for seeking hegemony over any part of the world. We do not need to, either. Thanks be to God, a big, flourishing, and affluent country is in the disposition of the Iranian nation. We got involved in the West-Asian region—in Syria—because there was, and there is, resistance against oppression. Thus, you witness, with God’s grace, thanks to the aid provided and thanks to the bravery of warriors, the Syrian forces have managed to defeat the US-supported terrorists—which were created by the West and their allies in our region, like the Saudis.”

He pointed out: “Those who once supported Daesh, discreetly or overtly, claim to oppose them today and somehow defeated them: that is an apparent lie. The US played no role in defeating Daesh. In his speech, a few hours ago, the US president said they managed to defeat Daesh in Syria: another blatant and obvious lie! They, where they thought it was necessary, entered and helped Daesh. When the main elements of Daesh were encircled, they saved them. Even before that, they were involved in creating Daesh. Using the Saudis’ and their allies’ money, they could create these vile creatures that would attack the nations of Iraq and Syria. However, the resistance against the US and its agents saved these two countries: the outcome will be the same in the future.”

The Leader made it clear: “Saturday morning’s military action on Syria was a crime. I, unequivocally, declare the President of the United States, the French President, and the Prime Minister of Britain as criminals; they have committed a crime. Of course, they will benefit from none of these attacks; just as it was while in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, where they were present over the past years committing the same criminal acts; they gained no advantage.”

The Leader said: Just a few days ago, the US President announced that they’ve spent seven trillion USD in Western Asia—or the "Middle-East" as he called it—and they [US] made no profit. He is right: they didn’t gain a thing. The US must know, from now on, too, no matter how much they spend or how much they endeavor, they will certainly gain nothing from this region!

“In face of such events, we should be increasingly aware and vigilant: Muslim nations, countries, and governments should gain more experience. They should realize what the enemies are doing: they want to damage the Islamic Ummah. Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan are not their only targets: the main target is the presence of Islam in the region; they want to damage this. Islamic governments [and their nations] must understand: Islamic governments must not serve the goals of the US and other invasive Western countries.

“It brings no honor to a Muslim country when the US president announces that they regard it as a "milking cow."--During the most recent of presidential election campaigns, last year, the current US president made this remark: He said that Saudi Arabia is just like ‘a milking cow’ for the USA. Is there any label more humiliating than this for a government and a nation to be called? They use Saudi money, and they call it a milking cow. There is no possible type of humiliation worse than this: Islam is against such humiliation. If they [Saudi leaders] are true believers of Islam, they should be treated with respect: this level of accepted humiliation is a sign of their lack of faith. They [the Saudi government members] are not true believers; they are liars just like their masters [the US and Western forces].

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: The US president stated that the US struck at Syria to fight against the use of chemical weapons: this is a lie. They never oppose the use of chemical weapons--or any other crimes against humanity. Right now Yemen is bombarded daily: the US is supporting attacks [on Yemen.] In different regions of the world, Muslims are under intense pressure: they [USA] support and help the oppressors of Muslims. They [the US government] are indifferent towards the troubles and pains inflicted upon Muslim nations.

For example, the USA also supported the cruel dictator Saddam. Thousands of people from Iran and Iraq were killed or injured by the chemical weapons used by Saddam. There are still, among our people, those who were injured at that time, and they suffer immensely. They [the US government members] are not always against chemical weapons [as they claim]; however, they get involved due to their own arrogant ambitions and accuse others of being dictators; whereas, they operate as one international dictator, themselves. Of course, dictators will never succeed anywhere in the world: they will certainly be defeated. The USA will surely be defeated in this region or any other region where they oppress others. The nations [that the USA targets] will certainly win: God willing, it is going to be so in the West-Asian regions, too.

Our nation is standing, thanks be to God. The Iranian nation, with forty years of experience, is steadfast in its resistance. We have been tested: retreating in face of the enemy only encourages the enemy. In confronting the enemy, resistance will repel the enemy.

As God Almighty says in ayahs 22 and 23 of Surah Fath: “And if those [Meccans] who disbelieve had fought you, they would have turned their backs [in flight]. Then they would not find a protector or a helper. [This is] the established way of Allah which has occurred before. And never will you find in the way of Allah any change."

As is clear, this is a divine tradition [on the path of Allah]: if you confront cruelty, oppression, bullying, malignancy, and world criminals, they would certainly have to retreat.--Quran Al-Karim reminds us of this definite path of history and God: this will come true, God willing. We hope that the Iranian nation, the Syrian nation, the Iraqi nation, the oppressed Palestinian nation, the Kashmiri nation, Myanmar, and the people of other places where Muslims are under pressure, God willing, will succeed in the near future, and they push back their enemies.”

AS/ME