Ayatollah Khamenei the Leader of the Islamic Revolution met Wednesday night with seminarians and scholars of North Khorasan province. During the meeting, His Eminence said that the clergy are inseparable from the Islamic Republic and reiterated: "Islamic seminaries should consider themselves as soldiers of the Islamic Republic, they should make efforts for the Islamic Republic, they should be concerned about the Islamic Republic, and they should try to strengthen the Islamic Republic."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution added that the Islamic Revolution provided the clergy with a great opportunity to promote Islam. He dismissed as secular the idea that the clergy should not be involved in the affairs of the Islamic Republic.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that different fatwas have been issued according to which undermining the Islamic Republic is haraam. He reiterated that intelligence services of America, England and the Zionist regime are trying to promote the idea that there is a rift between the clergy and the Islamic Republic.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: "The Islamic Revolution would have never achieved victory in the absence of the clergy. This is because intellectuals and non-Islamic groups and parties lacked the capability, influence and credibility that our clergy enjoyed throughout the country."
His Eminence said that the clergy have a heavy responsibility in current conditions and reiterated: "Today the conditions in the country are like the conditions of the Battle of Ahzab during the time of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). All enemies of the Iranian nation have joined hands in the region and in the world in order to break the firm determination of our nation, but just as believers did not let fear and doubts enter their hearts during the Battle of Ahzab, the Iranian nation will also continue resisting the pressures by trying to increase its power and capabilities."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: "In the Battle of Ahzab, a number of hypocrites whose faith in God was not firm enough would criticize believers for refusing to back down, but the true companions of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) would tell them that they were not surprised or intimidated by the pressures and that they would continue their path."
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "The pressures will continue as long as we refuse to give in to the demands of the enemies and the only way to resist the effect of these pressures is to become powerful in different areas."
His Eminence said that the clergy can become powerful by studying hard and reflecting on religious teachings, further adding: "Besides acquiring knowledge, the clergy should always remain committed to piety, moral purification, religious obligations, midnight prayers and recitation of the Holy Quran."