A large group of faithful Iranian people said their Eid ul-Fitr prayers led by Ayatollah Khamenei. The Leader of the Islamic Revolution congratulated the Iranian nation and the entire Islamic Ummah on this Eid. He advised the audience to increase their piety and make efforts to preserve the spiritual qualities of the month of Ramadan.The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that renouncing material pleasures, reciting the Quran, gaining more familiarity with the Quranic teachings, involving oneself in prayers, dhikr, and supplication are the factors that prepare the ground for moral excellence and spiritual purification. He further reiterated: "Gaining the power to overcome carnal and materialistic desires is one of the greatest lessons that this month holds for us. This reality provides further evidence that when man is firmly determined, he can overcome his passions and avoid material attractions and unpleasant habits."
Ayatollah Khamenei touched upon the enthusiastic presence of the youth and people from various social backgrounds -with different individual, social, and political tendencies - in the gatherings devoted to dhikr and worship and added that this presence is a divine blessing for the Iranian nation.
His Eminence described the impressive nationwide Eid ul-Fitr prayers as a manifestation of genuine spiritual unity of the Iranian nation, further reiterating: "We must try to preserve this invaluable unity as the lesson and the spiritual blessing of the holy month of Ramadan."
Commemorating Imam Khomeini (r.a.), the Leader referred to the international Quds Day as one of the manifestations of the true unity among Muslim nations. He expressed his appreciation for the impressive rally of the Iranian nation on Quds Day and added: "This year in every part of the world of Islam - even in Europe, a continent that is under the pressure of prejudice on the part of European governments - Muslims voiced their support for the oppressed Palestinian nation whenever they found the opportunity to do so."
His Eminence said that this year Quds Day rallies demonstrated the failure of the 60-year efforts on the part of the Zionists and their supporters to destroy the memory of Palestine. "Thanks to Islamic Awakening, the world of Islam has grown much more sensitive and enthusiastic about the Palestinian issue. This enthusiasm is so intense that it could have prevented the occupation of Palestinian lands if it were present at the time Palestine was occupied."
Addressing the Palestinian nation, the legitimate Palestinian government, and Ismail Haniya, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "The Iranian nation has never abandoned you and will never abandon you."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution touched upon the fact that some Zionists have acknowledged their increasing weaknesses. He described the ultimate defeat of the Zionist regime as something certain. He expressed his hopes that the present generation of the Palestinian people will be witness to the Zionists' defeat.
His Eminence described unity as the only way to resist the aggression of the enemies of Islam. In this regard, he also touched on the heavy responsibility of all nations, especially the elites, intellectuals, religious scholars, and political figures of the world of Islam.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that national unity is of paramount importance and added: "unity is not the same as adopting identical views. On the contrary, it means that people with various tendencies must move shoulder to shoulder and consider national interests as preferable to everything else, especially their own interests. They must not allow selfishness enter political and social arenas."
His Eminence said that the prominent social and political figures have to shoulder a heavy responsibility in preserving and strengthening unity. "Through exerting all-out efforts, the dynamic Iranian nation and its enthusiastic young generation have accomplished important achievements these days, which has caused unbiased people throughout the world to praise these efforts. The continuation of this fruitful movement requires the preservation and strengthening of unity," he noted.