Thousands of university students who were members of the Student Basij Organization met the Grand Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei on Thursday, May 26.
Speaking at the meeting, the Leader called the Student Basij Organization the symbol of modernity in its real sense, religious zeal and progressiveness in different arenas in the country.
"The progressiveness of the Basiji organs, especially of the Basiji students, in the realm of modernity means identifying basic social needs and deficiencies and making incessant efforts to fulfill those needs and fill the existing vacuums," the Leader told the students.
Pointing to the fact that knowledge and intellect constitute the major components in all arenas, the Leader stressed that committed intellectual individuals and the Basiji students are mainly characterized by their mental products and new ideas.
Ayatollah Khamenei further stated that the real meaning of Basij is keeping one's presence on the scene, but he emphasized that such presence is not required only at the time of the enemy's military aggression, but that the Basiji students should keep their vigilant and strong presence on various scenes at all times.
"The arena where the national and political identity of our nation and its culture, beliefs and religious faith are threatened, the scientific field where efforts are needed to make up for our scientific retardation, the social arena where there is a need to administer justice, the cultural sphere where there is the necessity of countering alien cultural onslaught that is aimed at estranging our nation from its cultural roots are all the scenes on which the Basiji students are expected to keep a wise, strong and vigilant presence," he pointed out.
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic noted that the outcome of a society in which scientific progress and development is devoid of spirituality is the Western world today, where justice, morality, humanity and respect for human rights are missing and where the prevalent logic is the law of the jungle, a logic that regards the taking of any action by powerful countries as something permissible.
Ayatollah Khamenei called on the Basiji students to avoid superficiality in their religious beliefs and acquire a deep knowledge of Islamic thought and ideology.
"One of the main features of the Basiji thinking is the thirst for justice. The intelligent Basiji students should call for the implementation of policies aimed at administering social justice, and they should prepare the groundwork for realization of justice through their efforts and legitimate demands," he told the audience.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader referred to the upcoming presidential elections in Iran, emphasizing that what bears great significance with regard to the elections is a high public turnout on the Election Day. He noted that the intellectual and knowledgeable students are able to play an influential role in society, and he called on the students to make every effort so that a massive voter turnout in the upcoming elections may be ensured.
"In electing the next president of the Islamic Republic, certain criteria such as competence and efficiency, deep faith in Islam and the revolution, believing in justice and not discriminating in favor of the rich and against the poor as well as liveliness and vitality should be taken into consideration. Besides, considering that youngsters constitute a major portion of our population, it is advisable that a youthful dynamism be created in the entire Executive," the Leader observed.
Ayatollah Khamenei also stated that another criterion for electing the next president is whether he is influenced by the enemies and whether his election is welcomed by the enemies or not. Touching on the prattle uttered by U.S. officials regarding the presidential elections in Iran, the Leader noted, "These morons do not know that, whatever the say, the Iranian people will act contrary to that."
He went on to say, "One of the criteria, as the late Imam Khomeini often stressed, is that the Iranian nation should always act contrary to what the enemies want, since the enemies try to promote their own interests."
The Leader of the Islamic Republic further hinted at certain remarks made by U.S. officials concerning the existence of supervision in the Iranian presidential elections.
"In the Western countries, despite all their propaganda, the most rigid and complicated kinds of supervision are enforced, and there are numerous hurdles in the way of taking up top government positions. This is why for the past two hundred years no individual from outside the two mainstream parties has been elected president of the United States," he told the students.
The Leader also stated, "Even in the European countries there is no political group really opposing the political system and constitution of those countries. The so-called opposition groups differ with their governments only on minor issues, and they all believe in the same principles and tenets."
In conclusion, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized the fact that the top executive and managerial positions in the country will all be filled by young people in the future.
"You should try to increase your knowledge and power of mind and deepen your religious beliefs, so that you will be able to lead the country to its bright future with efficiency and strength," the Leader told the students.
Before the Leader's speech, the representative of the Basiji students Hussein Tarikhi, a student of nuclear physics, said at the meeting that the main concerns of the Basiji students are the administration of social justice, the software movement and the campaign to open new horizons in science, certain cultural and social issues and the plots hatched by the arrogant and postmodern colonial powers against the Iranian nation, especially with regard to its peaceful use of nuclear energy.