On the occasion of Norouz and the beginning of the new Iranian year, Ayatollah Khamenei the Leader of the Islamic Revolution met with the people of Mashhad and the pilgrims to Imam Reza's (a.s.) holy shrine. Speaking at the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei strongly criticized the false claims made by the US government about supporting democracy and human rights. He said that the US government is not in a position to talk about democracy and human rights considering its crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan and its support for the crimes which are committed in Gaza.
He further touched on areas in which the country is in need of intensified efforts and described the necessities of the fourth decade of the Revolution. He further praised the unity and unanimity of the Iranian nation in opposing the efforts of the enemies during the post-election events and said that the Iranian nation will continue to make progress while the enemies of the Iranian nation will only achieve failure and backwardness.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the Islamic Republic is based on belief in God and the teachings of the prophets. He further cited verses from the Holy Quran and said that believing in God and Islamic teachings will result in moral perfection as well as material prosperity and will help humans achieve comfort and progress. "It is due to this reason that the Islamic Republic is based on these principles," he noted.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution touched on the new Iranian year which was named "The Year of Intensified Effort and Labor" and added that choosing names for every year is not a ceremonial move and will not help solve all the problems of the country either. "Rather, it shows everyone the right path. And considering the lofty goals of the country and the nation in the current year, everyone should have great determination and make more serious efforts."
Ayatollah Khamenei touched on the efforts made by the officials during the past year to reform the norms of consumption and added that the country is still far from achieving this goal. "But what is important is to pursue this goal because problems will still persist if the norms of consumption are not reformed."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that gaining knowledge and engaging in research are one of the most important manifestations of intensified effort and labor and said that academic and research centers of the country should set lofty goals in this regard and pursue them with great determination and serious efforts.
Ayatollah Khamenei also urged the executive and legislative branches of the government to cooperate in this regard. He added: "The administration is responsible for carrying out this plan and all the organizations of the country, including the legislative branch, should cooperate with the administration in this regard. On the other hand, the administration should also enforce the laws which are passed by the legislative branch."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that engaging in innovative thinking, reading books, and increasing general knowledge are other areas in which the country is in need of intensified effort and labor.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that fighting poverty, corruption, and injustice are the most important areas in which the country is in need of intensified effort and labor. He further urged everyone to make non-stop efforts to achieve this fundamental goal.
Elsewhere in his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei said that the vigilance of the nation was manifested both during and after the presidential elections and added that this opened a new chapter regarding the insight of the nation.
Referring to the vigilant presence of the nation during the post-election events, Ayatollah Khamenei described the year 1388 as the year of the Iranian nation and their brilliant presence in different arenas. He said that the 40-million turnout in the elections and the historic and enthusiastic presence of the people in the elections was an important event and a manifestation of the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic. "Even if they deny these facts, the world's politicians and political analysts realize that the Iranian nation has maintained its position and still believes in the principles of the Islamic Republic thirty years after the Revolution."
Ayatollah Khamenei described the Islamic and republican aspects of the Islamic Republic as inseparable. He further touched on the post-election events and stated: "I do not accuse anyone. But I am aware of the enemies' policies and their plans. After analyzing the post-election events and the way they were organized, the people as well as independent, sincere, and perceptive analysts attributed these events to foreigners."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the victory of the Iranian nation in the big test which they were put to during the post-election events and said the attempt to change the result of the elections though violence and riots was against the law and Islamic Sharia.
He said that dividing the people into "losers and winners" and "the majority and the minority" was a clear plan by the enemies which was aimed at creating discord among the people.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the enemies of Islam and the Islamic Republic supported the rioters during the post-election events and reiterated that if they could, the US, Britain, and the Zionists would have sent their forces to Iran during the post-election events in order to fulfill their evil plan. "But they knew that this would not be to their benefit. Therefore, they entered the scene through politics and propaganda hoping to mislead internal and international public opinion through supporting the rioters. But they failed to achieve their goal."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution further touched on the necessities of the fourth decade of the Revolution which has been named the decade of justice and progress. He said: "Considering the realities and the fact that the required infrastructures have been created, the fourth decade of the Revolution is an appropriate time for taking great strides towards achieving progress and administering justice."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the educated, enthusiastic, and self-confident youth of the country provide the strongest support for the country in its movement towards achieving progress and administering justice.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution further described the obstacles which lie ahead of the Iranian nation and said that the Islamic Republic has enemies like other countries of the world. "But unlike the US government which is hated by the nations of the world, the Islamic Republic opposes the enmity of arrogant and bullying powers, the Zionist capitalists, and the enemies of humanity."
Ayatollah Khamenei referred to insight and courage as two essential factors in confronting the enemies and added that the country will be faced with failure if the officials of the country lack courage when dealing with the arrogant powers. He further stated that the enemies may achieve their goals thorough deception if the officials of the country lack insight and courage.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to his last years' New Year address and added: "The officials of the country carefully considered the apparently extended hand of the US President to see if an iron hand lay under a velvet glove. Unfortunately, that was the case."
Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the covert and overt claims by the US government and their messages and letters regarding their interest in starting relations with the Islamic Republic on the basis of justice and said: "In practice, all these claims proved to be false. The US President adopted the worst stance during the post-election events. He described the rioters and those who attacked the people as a civil movement and inadvertently revealed the nature of his goals."
He further strongly criticized the false claims made by the US government about supporting democracy and civil rights and added: "The US government ignored the great movement of the Iranian nation during the elections and their unanimous presence in different arenas. Americans continue to kill the people of Iraq and Afghanistan and support those who kill Palestinian children in Gaza. Yet, they claim to support human rights."
He added that the realities have proved that the US government is not in a position to talk about democracy and human rights.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that governments which adopt an arrogant attitude towards the Islamic Republic should know that the Iranian nation and officials will reject them. He added that the Iranian nation and officials are aware of the true nature of these governments and will not give up their rights under any circumstances.