Leader Meets with Members of Assembly of Experts

 Ayatollah Khamenei the Leader of the Islamic Revolution met this morning with the head and members of the Assembly of Experts. He said at the meeting that the camp of Islam is gaining more power on a daily basis while the camp of arrogance is becoming more desperate.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution started his speech by explaining international conditions of the Islamic Republic and the behavior of the camp of arrogance. He added: "Today the most obvious point about the behavior of the camp of arrogance is the existence of a disorder called hyperactivity, whose symptoms include too much activity that has no aim and focus."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that passing numerous resolutions, imposing several rounds of sanctions, broadcasting negative propaganda, leveling allegations against the Islamic Republic, efforts to keep internal enemies active and making use of all media, political, cultural and economic means against the Islamic Republic are the manifestations of a widespread movement by the camp of arrogance against the Islamic Republic. "All of these activities, which are accompanied by confusion, are indicative of the increasing power, experience and awareness of the camp of Islam after the passage of 30 years. This is because if the camp of Islam were weak and vulnerable, there would be no need for all these plots and planning."

His Eminence described as weak and feeble the current position of the western world in international arenas and even in the countries that are under its domination. He added: "This increasing weakness is the result of the spread of Islamic Awakening which has caused some regional allies of the west to reconsider their positions in order to ease the pressure of the Islamic movement and the dead end they have reached, and they have been unsuccessful so far. This feeble position is what the camp of arrogance enjoys."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated: "Issuing anti-Iran resolutions, adopting positions against the Islamic Republic, the fitna of the year 1388 which was evidently caused by the enemies and the outrageous insult to the Holy Quran are actions that the camp of arrogance has resorted to as a result of weakness and desperation, and the leaders of arrogance openly admit the power of the camp of the Islamic Republic."

Ayatollah Khamenei added: "Although these actions will bring about more power for the camp of the Islamic Republic, they should not cause conceit and lack of vigilance."

His Eminence said that the only way to avoid lack of vigilance is to engage in constant reform and reiterated: "The prerequisite for reforming other people and society is to reform oneself. And if elites and influential people of society reform their relationship with God, there will be many grounds for reforming other people and the youth. This is because the people have always carried out their responsibilities in different historical stages."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that boosting the morale of the people is an important duty that government officials and clergymen should fulfill. He pointed out that the issue of unity is constantly being repeated in society and added: "We should not just speak about unity. Rather, unity should be realized in society in a practical way."

Ayatollah Khamenei added: "Unity requires that we strengthen the common grounds and highlight them for the people. We should not let our personal problems with certain people overshadow all our actions. We should not speak about secondary issues - which are against our national interests - instead of primary issues and common grounds."

He further stressed the need for identifying the plots designed by the enemy to counter the camp of the Islamic Republic. "The enemy has focused all its planning around two axes: Separating the people and the government and shaking religious faith of the people, especially the youth."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the people are the main support of the Islamic Republic and added: "For this reason, through its propaganda the enemy is trying to undermine public trust in our government officials and present every good and appropriate action by our government officials as an inappropriate and wrong action that works against national interests."

Ayatollah Khamenei reminded the audience of the enemy's plots during the past 30 years to undermine public trust in government officials. He also referred to Imam Khomeini's (r.a.) style of dealing with these plots, and added: "Throughout his leadership which lasted for ten years, Imam Khomeini (r.a.) used to constantly support government officials of the time in spite of certain objections that were raised. Of course this position did not mean that Imam Khomeini (r.a.) supported every detail of the measures taken by the officials of that time. But Imam Khomeini (r.a.) insisted that public trust in government officials should not be undermined in any way."

His eminence reiterated that he has supported different administrations during the past 20 years based on Imam Khomeini's (r.a.) style.

The Leader of the Islamic said that advances that have been made so far are the result of sincere, faithful and tireless efforts made by government officials of the country and added: "It is not right to undermine public trust in the administration or other branches of the government because of a single action taken in a certain part of the country. The comments that some people make go against the truth, and this is exactly what the enemy is after."

Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated that care should be taken not to play into the hands of the enemy.

His eminence touched on the efforts to develop a gap between the people and religious beliefs, further adding: "It is necessary to act in a wise manner in the face of these plots and efforts to undermine the ethical and religious norms."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that it is the duty of all government officials, especially the officials of the executive branch, to work hard and promote ideological and religious matters. "Of course clergymen, Islamic seminaries and prominent religious and academic figures have a heavier responsibility to fulfill in this regard."

Ayatollah Khamenei added that prominent figures of universities and Islamic seminaries are responsible for strengthening religious beliefs of the people and countering organized actions of the enemies. He stressed that there is an evident gap in this regard.

His Eminence referred to cultural and artistic organizations as the framework and reiterated: "The content of these frameworks should be prepared in different intellectual committees inside universities and Islamic seminaries so that the ground is prepared for creating valuable religious art works, otherwise frameworks will gradually become devoid of appropriate content and some flaws in the productions of our cultural and artistic organizations are due to this reason."

Elsewhere in his speech, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution explained the internal conditions of the country. He referred to the insistence of the people on Islamic and revolutionary values and principles and added: "During the past 30 years, many measures have been taken and many attacks have been made in order to oppose the Islamic and revolutionary spirit of the Islamic Republic so that the people develop problems with the essence of the Revolution, but by Allah's grace, these efforts have not produced any results."

Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated that in spite of all these efforts, the faithful people and government officials resisted and helped the Revolution move forward.

His Eminence referred to last year's presidential election as an example of the people's adherence to the values and principles of the Revolution. He said that the people did not support the slogans and comments that were devoid of religious and Islamic content and that they voted for slogans and plans that supported Islamic values, social justice and simple lifestyles.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated: "The people's love for Islam is the reason why they love and respect our government officials. And if we astray away from the path of Islam and the Revolution for a moment, the people will express their hatred towards us."

Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated: "The slogans of the Islamic Revolution are alive today, and Imam Khomeini's (r.a.) thoughts and comments are so popular that even the people who used to oppose Imam Khomeini (r.a.) and spoke about burying the Revolution are now repeating the words of the Imam and claiming to support the Revolution in order to attract the people's attention."

His Eminence referred to the fitna of the year 1388 as another example of the people's insistence on the principles and values of Islam and the Revolution. "In that fitna, after the masks of those who had caused the fitna was removed, even those who had voted for someone other than the President insisted on the principles and values. And we saw that on the 9th of Dey and the 22nd of Bahman they took to the streets and showed that the elements of the fitna were a small minority."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution concluded: "Today the accepted method in the country is the style and path of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) and the values of Islam and the Revolution. And this is a very great achievement."

Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the amazing scientific, technological and industrial advances of the country and added that the cause of these advances is a bigger source of pride than the advances themselves. "This is because these advances are the result of the revitalized spirit of national self-confidence among the young scientists of the country."

He added that the spirit of self-confidence is a great achievement that should be preserved and strengthened.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed that this spirit of self-confidence is the same spirit that Imam Khomeini (r.a.) was trying to revitalize among the people and the youth. "These things are very enjoyable, and they are a source of pride. Those who constantly speak about the weaknesses should take these things into consideration."

Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated: "The important point is the driving force that should push the country forward. By Allah's grace, the movement of the country is progressive and is accompanied by hope and appropriate goals."

His Eminence added: "Today the country is the scene of efforts and reconstruction, and important achievements have been made. And this is very valuable."

Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated: "The pressures by the enemy and the difficult conditions of the past 30 decades have made the people and government officials more resistant, and the new round of pressures will only make the people more resistant."

His Eminence said that these pressures are doomed to failure and reiterated: "Our experiences during different stages of the Revolution show that the resistance of the people will make these pressures ineffective."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed that what is going on is a war of wills and reiterated: "If the Islamic Republic was supposed to be defeated, it would have failed during the first decade of its life when the country enjoyed less capabilities and was less experienced than today. But today the power and experience of the Revolution and the country are far more than they used to be during the early years of the Revolution."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that the people are more enthusiastic than they used to be during the first decade of the Revolution. "Today the faith and determination of the young generation are not less than the first generation of the Revolution, if not more."

His Eminence stated that the presence of the people on the scene is the main factor behind the victory of the Revolution and the achievements made by the Islamic Republic during the past 30 years. "The reason behind the presence of the people on the scene is the existence of hope. Therefore, we should keep this hope alive in the hearts of the people, and we should avoid any comment or action that causes suspicion and distrust among the people," he added.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that distinguishing between primary and secondary issues is another important point in the domestic arena and reiterated: "By developing an appropriate knowledge of the primary issues, we should avoid turning secondary issues into primary issues. Of course this does not mean that secondary issues should not be put forward. Rather, these secondary issues should not be turned into primary issues and a criterion for opposition and agreement."

Ayatollah Khamenei added: "The criterion is to adhere to the path of righteousness, Islam, revolutionary principles, Imam Khomeini's (r.a.) goals and opposition to the arrogant powers."