Ayatollah Khamenei the Leader of the Islamic Revolution met today with hundreds of university professors. At the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the importance of Quds Day rallies and said: "Quds Day is an international Islamic occasion and it is an important day on which the Iranian nation and other Muslim nations shout a truth that the arrogant powers had tried to silence for at least 60 years."His Eminence reiterated: "Establishing the Islamic Republic in Iran, announcing Duds Day and changing the Zionist regime's embassy in Tehran to Palestine's embassy was an aggressive move which countered the sixty-year colonial plot to wipe Palestine off the map of the world."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated that Quds Day guarantees the security of the country and that each Iranian who participates in Quds Day rallies contributes to national security and to preserving the achievements of the Revolution.
He added: "By Allah's favor, this year's Quds Day rallies will be more impressive in our country and in other Islamic countries."
Elsewhere in his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei said that scientific progress is one of the main pillars of the Iranian nation's resistance against the camp of arrogant powers. He stressed: "We owe these scientific advances - which have made the great Iranian nation confident, proud, determined and courageous - to our universities and academia."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that the enemies frequently create military, security, social and political threats, further adding that assassinating Iranian scientists, imposing sanctions on Iran and trying to provoke sedition in the country are among the efforts made by the enemy to bring the Islamic Republic to its knees. He said that the Iranian nation will continue standing firm against the camp of the enemies by relying on its scientific advances.
His Eminence said that university is the source of glory and scientific progress for the Iranian nation and stressed that the enemy will not ignore this source of national power.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the camp of hegemons is trying to wipe out religion and science in Iranian universities. He added that assassinating Iranian scientists is an effort to wipe out science in Iranian universities. "But the main method used by the enemy is to keep students and professors busy with unscholarly activities in order to thwart Iran's national wish of scientific blossoming."
Ayatollah Khamenei urged constant and accelerated efforts to make up for Iran's scientific backwardness and stressed that it is necessary to utilize all capacities of Iranian professors and students to bring about accelerated scientific progress for the country.
His Eminence referred to the enemy's efforts to wipe out religion and stressed: "The Iranian nation wants genuine happiness and true spiritual security. Achieving this essential goal is not possible in the absence of science or through science that is devoid of religion. Therefore, it is necessary that our society and especially our universities be religious in the real sense of the word."
He explained that being religious means having profound religious knowledge.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated: "Government officials should accept harsh scholarly and constructive criticisms of our prominent figures and they should not interpret such criticisms as opposition to the Islamic Republic."
Ayatollah Khamenei added that many of the harsh criticisms that are voiced are out of love for the country. "Government officials should be grateful to the prominent figures and intellectuals who make such criticisms."
His Eminence also advised Iranian students and professors to avoid damaging criticisms. He added that it is necessary to avoid playing into the enemy's hands and preparing the ground for suspicion in society.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the recent developments in the region have shown that western economic and political theories are wrong. He reiterated: "The regional developments and the poor economic conditions of western countries show that political and economic theories of the west are flawed. Therefore, we need to take further steps towards strengthening Islamic thought."