By Robert Fantina*
In his recent address to the Iranian people, Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, focused on several areas important to him, all Iranians, and peaceful people around the world. His topics, though separate, were related, and encompassed three main areas: 1) the need for people to be more diligent in their spiritual worship: 2) the requirement for Iranian society to strengthen itself from within, and 3) the dishonesty and barbaric cruelty of the United States regime. Although these issues will be reviewed independently, it will be clearly shown how they are related.
1. Ayatollah Khamenei opened his remarks with a reminder that the people need to pay more attention to God, or Allah the Exalted, as Iranian and/or Muslim tradition refers to the supreme being. He noted the blessings that come from doing so. The act of worshipping and following God will benefit everyone; life will not be without obstacles, but people will be able to better progress, when guided by divine direction.
2. Iranians must, Ayatollah Khamenei said, increase not only the production of goods, but also the consumption of those items manufactured in Iran. This will increase the need for production, thus reducing unemployment.
Further, he mentioned the problem of smuggling, which brings exports into the country illegally, making them available at low prices, and thus disrupting the sales of Iranian-produced goods. Any exports, even those legally entering the country, reduce sales of products produced domestically, and are to be discouraged.
Additionally, as he has done in the past, Ayatollah Khamenei praised the youth of Iran, noting their creativity, education and various other skills. These young people, who comprise over 30%
of the population, are Iran’s future, and they must be provided with opportunities and examples, both spiritual and temporal, to achieve their goals, and build a stronger Iran.
3. With sharp clarity, and sparing no words, Ayatollah Khamenei identified the various, insidious evils that are so inherent in the U.S. government. For example, many countries receive millions of dollars in aid from the U.S., yet there is no tangible benefit to the citizens of the countries receiving that aid. Any assistance is given as a means to steal the natural resources of the country to which that aid is given.
The suffering that the U.S. causes is boundless, as is its dishonesty. Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the agreement reached last year to regulate Iran’s nuclear program. This is an excellent example of U.S. duplicity; Iran has maintained its part of the agreement, while the U.S. has reneged on the promises it made. Said he: “Today, the officials in charge of our own diplomacy and those who were present in the nuclear negotiations from the first day to the last are saying that America has broken its promises. With its calm appearance and with the soft and glib tongue of its officials, America is damaging us from behind the scene. It is preventing our country from establishing economic relations with other countries.”
What do the violations of these internationally-recognized agreements mean? Again, Ayatollah Khamenei expressed it succinctly: “It means bullying, considering oneself as superior, refusing to be committed to one’s promises and regarding oneself as free of any commitment.” That is the U.S.
The agreement was made after extensive negotiations, which, as Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out, are worthless with the U.S. It is possible to negotiate with an enemy, he said, “...who is committed to his statements so much so that you can be sure that he will not violate his promises and his commitments with any excuse. You can speak to this enemy.” The U.S., however, doesn’t fulfill that requirement. Ayatollah Khamenei continued: “However, when it is proved that the enemy is malicious, one that has no scruples about breaking his promises, that smiles and speaks with a soft and glib tongue, and that justifies his actions when you ask him why he has broken his promises, then you should know that it is not possible to negotiate with this enemy. The reason why I have been repeating for many years that we will not negotiate with America is this.” There can be no real negotiations with the United States. Further: “The officials of our political and diplomatic affairs are explicitly saying that the Americans want to take everything, but give nothing in return!”
And while the U.S. received the brunt of Ayatollah Khamenei's criticism, as it should, he also singled out other Arab countries who oppose their Arab neighbors, always with U.S. support and weaponry.
Saudi Arabia, a barbaric regime, has followed the U.S.’s direction, and established relations with Israel, one of the most brutal colonizing regimes on the planet today. This, Ayatollah Khamenei describes as “...stabbing the Islamic Ummah in the back. There is no doubt that what the Saudis have done – overt relations with the Zionist regime – is really a dagger that has been pushed into the body of the Islamic Ummah from behind”. One does wonder how an Arab nation can actually enter into diplomatic relations with a country that violates international law constantly, and oppresses and kills Arabs within its own, dubious borders, as well as in Palestine. But as Ayatollah Khamenei pointed it, Saudi Arabia is only following the example of the United States.
And Saudi Arabia is also involved in the U.S. bombing of Yemen, where both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, as Ayatollah said, “...do not differentiate between children and adults’” as they commit mass murder there.
And Ayatollah Khamenei also mentioned the U.S. support for DAESH, often referred to as ISIS, stating that U.S. officials have admitted that DAESH was created by the U.S., in order to make Islam feared and hated. This enables the U.S. to maintain the support of its citizens as it bombs Muslim countries.
Although the U.S. hypocritically proclaims its desire to resolve problems in the Middle East, the opposite is true. As Ayatollah Khamenei expressed it: “The Americans claim that they want to solve regional problems, but in reality, it is the opposite of this. They themselves have created or intensified these problems. They are a barrier to solving the problems.” The Middle East does not need an imperial nation to resolve its troubles and conflicts. Ayatollah Khamenei further said: “If things are in the hands of regional peoples, they will resolve the problems on their own.” This, clearly, is true. And Ayatollah Khamenei issued a warning to the Arab world: “Once more, we would like to invite the Islamic and Arab governments which are around us to avoid trusting America. They should know that America is not trustworthy. America looks at them as a tool: a tool for preserving the Zionist regime and their own arrogant outlook and interests in the region. In reality, America is not interested in them in any way. It uses their money and their resources for its own interests. It uses them in order to create a rampart for itself, to preserve the Zionist regime and uphold its own arrogant goals in the region.”
Lastly, Ayatollah Khamenei points out the weakening role of the U.S. on the world stage. As its influence diminishes, the possibility for peace everywhere grows. The decline of the U.S. will benefit the world over.
This address by Ayatollah Khamenei clearly described Iran’s bright, successful future, one that will be achieved despite the United States’ efforts to thwart it. The U.S. has never learned, even with clear evidence from Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, among many other countries against which it has unjustly waged war, that a nation’s citizens cannot be bombed, starved or sanctioned into acquiescence. The opposition of the U.S. only strengthens the will of the people. Ayatollah Khamenei’s recent, eloquent address, further underscores this fact.
* Robert Fantina is an author and peace activist. His writing has appeared on Mondoweiss, Counterpunch, Trutout and other sites. His latest book is Empire, Racism and Genocide: a History of US Foreign Policy
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