Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, visited the Defensive Industry Exhibition on Wednesday afternoon and afterwards met with the Minister, officials, researchers and experts of the Ministry of Defense. Speaking at the meeting, His Eminence stated that increasing defensive and offensive capabilities is Iran’s inalienable right.
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed the necessity of continuing the path of increasing defensive power, saying: “In a world where bullying and imperialists powers rule – who have the least morality, conscience and humanity, and which have no scruples about transgressing against countries and killing innocent people – developing defensive and offensive industries is completely natural because security will not be achieved as long as these powers do not feel the power of the country.”
Ayatollah Khamenei described visiting the Defensive Industry Exhibition as sweet and satisfying, adding: “The reason behind this satisfaction is seeing knowledgeable, research-oriented, thoughtful, active and religious forces – which is very satisfying and enjoyable – as well as seeing the defensive capabilities of the country which play a considerable role in increasing the level and coefficient of the country’s power.”
His Eminence reiterated: “The existence of such forces and elements in the defensive industries of the country is like a very precious jewel which is indeed priceless.”
He highlighted the necessity of increasing the capability of defensive industries and stated: “In a situation where bullying powers in the world have unfurled the umbrella of their power without any mercy and in a situation where they openly bombard wedding ceremonies and hospitals with the excuse of terrorism, shed the blood of hundreds of innocent individuals and answer to no organization and association, we should increase our defensive capability and power so that bullying powers feel threatened.”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: “Of course, we have certain prohibitions on developing defensive industries because weapons of mass destruction – such as chemical and nuclear weapons – are forbidden on the basis of our beliefs and religious principles.”
Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned: “Prohibitions on using chemical weapons is related to offense, but in case of a chemical attack, increasing our capability in defensive areas is not a problem.”
His Eminence added: “Apart from these prohibitions, there is no other prohibition in any area for increasing our defensive and military capability, and progress in these arenas is a responsibility.”
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces referred to the strategic position of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the sensitivity of West Asia and the constant greed of imperialist powers, saying: “In order to ensure the security of the people, the country and the future, offensive capabilities should increase as well as defensive capabilites.”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution pointed to the concern of some imperialist powers about Iran buying defensive equipment from other countries and added: “These powers themselves are not committed to any moral principle while they claim to be men of reason and justice and speak about the moral eligibility of countries for having or not having some defensive equipment.”
Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the U.S. government does not have the moral eligibility to speak about the Islamic Republic of Iran. He reiterated: “Neither the party which holds office in America today nor the rival party – which held the previous administration – have moral eligibility because both of these two parties have committed various crimes and created many disasters.”
His Eminence stressed that the greatest sin that has been committed by the party of the current administration in America is creating dangerous terrorist networks: “The current American administration attacks – ostensibly - some terrorist groups, but it exempts other terrorist groups. This means the rule of politics over morality.”
He added: “The previous administration in America is also responsible for the crimes that have been committed in Iraq and Afghanistan. In these countries, millions of innocent people were murdered. Even thousands of Iraqi scientists were identified and assassinated by the ‘Blackwater’ death squad.”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “Therefore, neither of these two well-known parties in America is preferred to the other in terms of moral eligibility.”
Ayatollah Khamenei added: “In America, we are faced with such administrations. Therefore, if we think that we can enter into an agreement and reach common points with America through negotiations, this is wrong.”
His Eminence stressed: “My insistence on the necessity to avoid negotiating with America is because of this reason. Experience has proved that in negotiations, the Americans are after imposing their own demands instead of reaching an understanding, a clear example of which is the recent events [nuclear negotiations].”
Elsewhere in his statements, the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces thanked the Ministry of Defense and experts and researchers in different organizations of the Armed Forces and stated: “One of the most significant factors behind the progress of the defensive industries of the country is the relationship between the defense sector, and universities and knowledge-based companies.”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution highlighted the necessity of cooperation between industries and universities: “This cooperation will be beneficial for both sides, a clear example of which can be witnessed in the Ministry of Defense.”
Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned that these achievements are a result of the great scientific movement that has been launched in the past 12 years. He stressed: “The software and scientific movements – which have turned into a public discourse in the present time and which have prompted our young scientists to break the barriers of science – should continue with power because progress in every arena will prepare the ground for new achievements in other arenas.”
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