Khamenei.ir

Leader’s Public Address in Sanandaj

Leader Warmly Welcomed in Kurdistan

One of the vicious policies of the Pahlavi era was regarding different ethnicities as foreign

Of course, I should tell you that the enemies will never stop pursuing their goals. An evil policy had been adopted in the country since the Pahlavi era: Alienating different ethnicities from one another. They used to alienate Kurds, Baluchis, Azeris, Arabs, and Turkmen from other people. They used to consider these ethnicities as aliens. Such policies were manifested in their behavior too. If you take a look, you will see that no major construction or cultural projects were carried out in this province during the Pahlavi era. They did not feel responsible and would not do anything in this regard. Construction projects were almost non-existent during the Pahlavi era. The same was true of cultural projects. Today, there are nearly 50,000 students studying at some twenty academic centers in Kurdistan province, while during the Pahlavi era the number of students in this province was only 360. The rate of illiteracy was also terrible during that era. Only 29 percent of the population of this province were literate! They Taghut regime of Pahlavi did not want the Kurdish people—this talented and smart people—to be literate. Only 29 percent of the population of the province—that enjoyed such great features and qualities—were literate! That was their construction work, and this was their cultural works! Their view of this province was a mischievous and fallacious one.

Leader Delineates Criteria for Qualified Presidential Candidates

Leader Meets with Families of Martyrs in Kurdistan

Leader’s Speech to Families of Martyrs in Kurdistan

Leader: Iranian Nation Will Enrage Enemies in Presidential Elections

Ayatollah Khamenei the Leader of the Islamic Revolution met this morning with thousands of enthusiastic nurses, teachers, and laborers from different parts of country. His Eminence described the role of nurses, teachers, and laborers of the country as very significant.

In the Pahlavi era, election was considered a purely theatrical show

Our nation was a passive element in the management of the country. Why? Because of the nature of the despotic governments that ruled in our country… However, after the Pahlavi regime came to power, elections were considered a purely political gesture. Except for a short time during the time of Mosaddeq - for a period of two years when the conditions were comparatively better, although there were many problems - the Majlis was shut down and all its authority was returned to the government. Except for this short period, democracy was reduced to rubber stamp elections. Throughout the post-constitutional era, everybody knew that elections did not at all mean popular vote. The court and the kings selected a number of people and there was an internal competition among them. The government only wanted to send submissive people into the Majlis, people who could protect their illegitimate interests. The people were completely ignored. Throughout the entire period, rarely did the people go to the ballot boxes to make a change in the management of the country. There was no such thing.

Leader's Speech to Nurses, Teachers, and Laborers

Leader's Message on the Terrorist Attack on Iranian Pilgrims in Iraq

The Invisible Net

Leader Attends Graduation Ceremony of Cadets

The enemies started the imposed war in order to smother the Revolution

The enemies started the imposed war in order to smother the Revolution, but this war only helped promote the Revolution and infused it with more revolutionary power and enthusiasm. Our dear youth regained their glory in the battlefields. Their talents started to flourish. The war turned them into great indefatigable commanders at a young age. It helped them to become resourceful and wise men. The Islamic Republic will always be indebted to these youth and their actions.

Leader’s Speech to Cadets

Leader Meets Armenian President

Leader Expresses Concern About Presidential Campaigning

Leader Meets with Hugo Chavez

They gave Saddam the green light to attack Iran

They gave Saddam the green light to attack our country. That was another measure taken by the US to harm our nation. If Saddam had not received the green light from the US, most probably he would not have attacked our borders. An eight-year war was imposed on our country, during which about 300,000 Iranian civilians and youth were martyred. Throughout the war, especially in the last few years, Americans supported and helped Saddam. They provided him with financial support, weapons, technical information, political assistance, satellite intelligence, and media support. They used to use their satellites to record the activities of our forces at the front. Then they used to send the information to Saddam to use them against our youth and forces.

MEK: When terrorists are armed, funded and respected

They supported the terrorists who killed our men, women, and children. They supported the terrorists who killed our great religious scholars and young children. They allowed these terrorists to continue their activities from inside their country.

Elections are the great investment of the Iranian nation

Elections are one of the foundations of our government. Religious democracy cannot be practiced with words only. Religious democracy is only possible through public participation, public determination, and rational and emotional engagement of the public in the developments that occur in the country. And that would be impossible unless there are appropriate nationwide elections and broad public participation. This democracy is the secret behind the constancy of the Iranian nation. The fact that you did not fear the threats of the superpowers in the last thirty years, the fact that the superpowers could not go beyond simple threats and deal you any severe blows, and the fact that the youth of this country demonstrated the necessary courage and sincerity to enter various arenas are all due to religious democracy. We must truly appreciate this. Elections are the great investment of the Iranian nation.

Leader Demands Genuine Change in US Policies

Leader’s Speech in Mashhad

Leader's New Year Message

The issue of Palestine is an issue of Islam regardless of being Arab or non-Arab

Two months ago the Muslim Ummah gained another victory - that is, the victory of the Palestinian Resistance Movement over their Zionist enemies in Gaza. That was a great and glorious victory. What victory can be more impressive than defeating a powerful army that had managed to defeat three powerful armies between 1967and 1973? What could be more impressive than 22 days of futile efforts of a powerful army against the resisting youth and persistent soldiers of Gaza? The Zionist army was forced to retreat empty-handed. In addition, the Zionist regime and its supporters, especially the US, were disgraced in the world. They were publicly disgraced. That was a great victory for all Muslims. It led Muslims to a kind of unity. This time they could not resort to the Shia-Sunni conflict. They brought up the issue of ethnicity this time. They started a debate, arguing that the Palestinian issue was an Arab issue and that non-Arabs had no right to get involved in the issue. The Palestinian issue is an Islamic issue. It is not peculiar to Arabs or non-Arabs. If ethnicity was dragged into the matters of importance to the world of Islam, the greatest source of discord would be created. When ethnicity is dragged into the matters of importance to the world of Islam, Arabs, Iranians, Turks, Kurds, Indonesians, Malaysians, Pakistanis, and Indians will have to be separate from one another. What will remain of the Muslim Ummah if such a thing happens? Is it not a disaster for the Muslim Ummah and its collective capabilities? These are the machinations of arrogant powers and, unfortunately, some people in the world of Islam have fallen for these machinations. They do not want to let the sweet memory of the victories in Lebanon and Gaza remain in the minds of Muslims. They found that situation unpleasant and, therefore, they thought up a source of discord to separate Muslims from one another.

The reason the 12th through the 17th of Rabi' al-Awwal was named the Week of Unity

As the members of the Muslim Ummah, we have been presented with this great blessing and we must make use of it. We must enlighten our hearts, faith, thoughts, and lives through the blessing of this holy religion. We must enlighten our world. Islam is a source of light and insight. We can get close to it and benefit from it. That is the responsibility of all Muslims. Unity, which is among the greatest and the most important duties of all Muslims, is one of the issues that I will stress today. The week leading to Rabi al-Awwal 12 was named as Unity Week at the beginning of the Revolution. That was because according to famous traditions narrated by our Sunni brothers, Rabi al-Awwal 12 marks the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). But according to famous traditions narrated by the Shia, the Prophet's birth anniversary falls on Rabi al-Awwal 17. At the beginning of the Islamic Revolution, the Iranian nation and government officials named the period between these two dates as Unity Week. They wanted Unity Week to be a symbolic representation of unity among Muslims. But it is not enough to choose names and talk about things. We must engage in action. We must move towards unity. The world of Islam is in need of unity today. There will be obstacles and sources of discord, but we must overcome these obstacles. All great aspirations require serious efforts. No great aspiration can be achieved in the absence of serious efforts. Unity among Muslims is not an exception: It requires efforts. It is our duty to make efforts to create unity in the world of Islam. This unity can solve many problems. It can bring about glory for Muslim nations and communities. Consider the current situation of the Muslim countries in the world.

When the Prophet (pbuh) was born, what intellectual disasters was the Arabian Peninsula suffering from?

The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) has described in many parts of Nahj al-Balagha the time before the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) was born. Specifically, he said, "the world lost its light and pride appeared." There was no light for humanity. People lived in a dark era. Ignorance, rebellion, and misguided beliefs - whose manifestations were most obvious where the Prophet (s.w.a.) was born and subsequently chosen as the Prophet of Islam, Jaziratul Arab [Arab Island] - pervaded the lives of the people. All the manifestations of darkness and misguided beliefs were represented in one form or another in Mecca and Jaziratul Arab. Misguided beliefs, polytheism that brings humiliation on mankind, savage social behavior, and brutal actions were examples of the norms at the time the Prophet (s.w.a.) was born and chosen as the Prophet of Islam. "And when the birth of a daughter is announced to one of them, his face becomes black and he is full of wrath. He hides himself from the people because of the evil of what is announced to him. Shall he keep it with disgrace or bury it (alive) in the dust? Now surely evil is what they judge!" [The Holy Quran, 16: 58-59]. That is an example of human morality at the time the Prophet (s.w.a.) was born and chosen as the Prophet. "And then there was guidance from misguided beliefs and light from darkness." Mankind was blind, but the Prophet (s.w.a.) made it see. Darkness pervaded the world until the Prophet (s.w.a.) enlightened it. That is the significance of the Prophet's (s.w.a.) birth and being chosen as the Prophet of Islam. Not only Muslims, but all humanity has benefited from this divine blessing.

The miracles that took place at the time of the birth of Muhammad (p.b.u.h.)

The birth of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) is not just a historical reality. It was an event that determined the path of humanity. The phenomena that took place at the time of his birth and were recorded in history are a clear sign pointing to the significance and reality of this event. According to some traditions, the birth of the Holy Prophet of Islam (s.w.a.) was a setback for all manifestations of atheism and polytheism throughout the world. The Zoroastrian Temple of Fars, which had kept its fire alight for a thousand years, went out when the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) was born. Idols collapsed in temples, leaving the servants of the temples wondering what was happening. That was the symbolic blow that the Prophet's (s.w.a.) birth dealt to atheism, polytheism, and materialism. In addition, the castles of the oppressive kings of the polytheistic Persian Empire were shaken. The battlements - fourteen battlements - of the Castle of Madaen collapsed. That was another clear sign pointing to the fact that the Holy Prophet's (s.w.a.) birth was a preface to fighting evil in the world. This birth had a spiritual as well as a practical aspect to it - that is, moral, intellectual, and social guidance of humanity. Fighting oppression, uncontrolled passions, and unlawful rule of oppressors over people were all the symbolic meanings of the Prophet's (s.w.a.) birth.

Leader's Address on the Holy Prophet's Birth Anniversary

Leader Urges Muslims to Create Unity

Iranian Nation and Officials Optimistic About Future