Ayatollah Khamenei the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces met today with Air Force commanders. During the meeting, His Eminence stressed the importance of hard work and reiterated: "If a country is determined to safeguard its dignity, identity, interests and security, it needs to engage in hard work and innovation."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that lack of vigilance has been the main cause of backwardness in Islamic countries over the past centuries, further adding: "The opposite of lack of vigilance is awakening, which brings about dynamism. It is necessary to work hard enough to make more progress than the opposing camp."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the wave of Islamic Awakening in the region is indicative of the progress that the Islamic Republic of Iran has made. He stressed: "Today the slogans of the Iranian nation have spread to the entire region and the countries that used to follow the arrogant powers are currently supporting the Iranian nation. They are pursuing the same goals and shouting the same slogans."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: "The recent developments in the region show that the Iranian nation has managed to find supporters and friends over the past three decades."
Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated: "We are not claiming that we gave rise to these movements. This is not logical. But it is also illogical to say that the awakening of the Iranian nation, which caused such uproar over the past three decades, has had no effect on the awakening of other countries."
His Eminence said that Iran was the source of Islamic Awakening in the region and added: "The Islamic Republic and the Islamic Revolution, which gave rise to this awakening, are moving towards a true and stable identity."
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "This Islamic identity has made us rely on God, feel proud of being a Muslim and rely on the capacities that Allah the Exalted has bestowed on us."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that materialistic western civilization has not managed to bring about genuine happiness for humanity, further adding: "The world did not benefit from indulging in materialism. It did not benefit from the promotion of sexual freedom. Humanity did not benefit from the materialistic movements that were started in Europe in order to sweep aside spirituality and divine restrictions. These movements brought about neither justice nor public welfare."
His Eminence stressed: "Deliverance from these inauspicious movements is the message of the Islamic Revolution: paying attention to spirituality and ethics while taking human needs into consideration, which is the same thing that exists in Islam."
Elsewhere in his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei said that every year on the 22nd of Bahman the people hold massive demonstrations to celebrate the victory of the Islamic Revolution. "By Allah's grace, you will see that this year the people will step into the arena once again."