In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
All praise is due to God, Lord of the Worlds; and may peace and greetings be upon our Master, Muhammad; and upon his pure Progeny, particularly the Remnant of God on earth.
You’re very welcome here. I’m pleased to be present in this gathering, which is a manifestation of growth and a shining example of national power and the strength of our youth. The medalists, both in sports and in scientific fields, brought joy to the people. Through your determination and effort, you made the Iranian nation happy and brought excitement to the youth. This has immense value.
The medals you’ve won this year over the past few months as a result of your efforts have a distinction over ordinary medals in my view. Why? Because we’re in the midst of a soft war. In a soft war, the enemy tries to make the people depressed and to lose all hope of their own abilities. By winning these medals, you were able to move in exactly the opposite direction of the enemy's efforts. With what you’ve accomplished, you’ve demonstrated and revealed the capability of young Iranians and the power of the Iranian nation that is manifested in its youth. Thus, it can perhaps be said that these medals have twice the value. This was the strongest possible response that could have been given to the enemy, and you did that.
Our dear Iran is the epitome of hope. It’s the epitome of hope. The insinuations that some individuals make about the youth, the young generation, or others like them losing hope are unsubstantiated claims. Iran is the epitome of hope. The Iranian youth are gifted and capable. It’s vital that we recognize and understand the talent, skill, and strength of young Iranians. The Iranian youth possess the qualities that enable them to reach the peak, just as you have reached a peak by becoming a “World Champion” in a certain sport or in a certain scientific field. You’ve reached the peak. Iranian youth have the ability to advance themselves to the top, provided they put in the effort, of course. Such talent exists within them, and what is needed is resolve, effort, and action.
In our country, certain sectors have advanced by leaps and bounds since the Revolution. The progress was rapid. One clear example is the remarkable performance of our young athletes this year in wrestling, volleyball, and several other sports where they have shown themselves to the world. We were never like this before. We didn’t have such capabilities. What our athletes have demonstrated this year may well be unprecedented in the history of Iranian sports. The same is true in the Olympiads. In the scientific Olympiads, our young students have reached the top, and they were able to defeat their competitors in a genuine competition. In other words, Iran reached the top in an international competition. Every action you take is in fact credited to Iran. Everything you accomplish brings honor to our nation. The flag these gentlemen displayed [after winning] is extremely valuable. The prostration [sujood] they perform and the prayer of our athletes after victory are extremely valuable. They’re a representation of the Iranian nation.
These young Olympiad participants are like shining stars today. If they continue their efforts, they will become [radiant] suns in ten years’ time. What I insist on and what I urge the officials to do is to not abandon these young people. They shouldn’t be satisfied with just what they’ve achieved so far, and they must move forward. If this “star” moves forward, it will be a “sun” ten years from now. Great things can be accomplished.
Of course, we have seen our youth doing such things since the beginning of the Revolution. As you know – and our youth may have read this in books – two years after the victory of the Revolution, [our enemies] imposed a war on our country that lasted eight years. This 8-year War, which started just after the Revolution, was fought amid severe shortages and with bare hands, but it ended in victory for Iran. That is to say, Iran was able to defeat its enemy, Saddam Hussein, who was being supported from all sides. Who accomplished this feat? The youth. The innovations came from the youth. We witnessed these firsthand. These young people were able to devise military innovations in such a way that they overcame the limitless capabilities of the enemy. This was the situation on the battlefield.
The same is true in the field of knowledge and in the battlefield of science as well. Now after the passage of years, our students rank among the top in global research in many research centers. They’re in the very top ranks and at least among the top ten. Our youth have accomplished great things in the fields of nanotechnology, laser science, the nuclear industry, in various military industries, and in important medical research. Just a few days ago, I was informed that one of our leading research centers had found a treatment for a disease that was long considered to be incurable. This is extremely important. Our youth are working hard, and our country is moving forward. The nation is working, and you’re an example of that working. This is the state of our youth [today].
The enemy doesn’t want to see such a situation. First, it doesn’t want to see such a thing. [Furthermore,] it seeks to put an end to it if it can. The enemy cannot stand seeing us making progress in science and technology, advancements in the service sectors, or advancing in the field of sports. But even the amount of progress that exists and which it cannot prevent, the enemy tries to portray in a misleading manner with its lies and distortions. This is what the enemy does. It magnifies certain flaws, conceals some clear realities, and says the opposite of what the truth is.
When you stand at the peak in sports or science, you’re actually demonstrating that the overall situation in Iran is bright. This is contrary to the enemy’s propaganda, which tries to portray it as being somber and bleak. You want to show that the situation in Iran is bright. They want the Iranian youth to lose confidence in themselves. This is what the enemy seeks to do.
Of course, the youth must increase their efforts. Young people possess an inexhaustible power. Young adulthood is a remarkable power that knows no end. No matter what you do, no matter what effort you put in, and no matter how much you use this power, it only grows stronger. The power of young adulthood is a power where the more you work, the greater and stronger it becomes. Our youth should increase their efforts and use their talents to the benefit of their own nation. This is what’s important.
Now, some people may wish to live in another country. However, they should realize that they’ll be foreigners there. Those of you who go to some other country, you need to understand that no matter what you do and no matter what you achieve there, you’ll still be a foreigner there. [But] here, this is your home and this is your soil. This [country] belongs to you. It belongs to your children and your future generations. Young Iranians need to keep this in mind.
A foreigner can never live with true peace of mind in another country. You can see for yourselves how they currently treat immigrants – as they call them – in the US and other places. That’s because they’re foreigners there. They’re treated that way because they’re foreigners. They’re confronted with hardships, bitterness, disregard, and complete ruthlessness. So this is what I wanted to say with regard to you, the Olympiad participants, and to my dear ones who have also performed good programs.
In all fairness, these dear, young teenagers performed remarkably and gave memorable performances. I myself had never seen the kind of traditional Baastani sports movements that these young people perform except for one other time right here. Of course, teenagers shouldn’t do heavy training. They should do as much stretching and light physical activity as they can – exercises like these. Heavy training should be postponed for a few years. So that was regarding sports and the Olympiads.
These days, some absurd remarks were also made about our dear Iran. It’s impossible for us to not say something about that. While in Occupied Palestine, the US President attempted to give hope and boost the morale of the disillusioned Zionists with a handful of empty words and his buffoonery. What I understand from the US President’s trip to occupied Palestine, the actions he took, and the statements he made is this that they’ve lost all hope. During the 12-Day War, they were struck such a hard blow that they couldn’t believe it. They weren’t expecting it, and they’ve lost hope. He [Donal Trump] went there to raise their spirits. He went there to pull them out of their despair. His remarks were the kind of words that are directed at disillusioned officials. That was the kind of rhetoric he used.
They didn’t expect that an Iranian missile built by the hands of the Iranian youth could with its flames and fire reduce the depths of some of their sensitive research centers to ashes. They didn’t anticipate such a thing, but that’s what happened. Iranian missiles were able to penetrate into the depths of several of the Zionist regime’s important centers to destroy and eliminate them. These missiles were built by young Iranians.
We didn’t purchase them from anywhere else. We didn’t rent them from anywhere. They were built by the Iranian youth. This is a distinctive feature of the Iranian youth. When young Iranians enter a field, put in effort, strive, try, and prepare the scientific infrastructure for themselves, they ‘re able to do this kind of work and accomplish great things. Our Armed Forces and military industries had these missiles ready. They used them, they employed them, and they still have more. Should the need arise, they will be used again.
As I mentioned, my conclusion is the following. The absurd remarks that man uttered there - his frivolous words and vulgar behavior - were meant to encourage the other side [the Zionists, because] they have lost their hope.
However, there are a few points we should take note of.
The first point is that the United States is, without a doubt, the primary accomplice in the Gaza war. He even admitted to this himself in his remarks. He said, “We worked together in Gaza.” Even if he had not said it, it was obvious. Their resources, their weaponry, their capabilities were made abundantly available to the Zionist regime so they could be dumped on the heads of the defenseless citizens of Gaza. The US is complicit in this crime.
He says, “We’re fighting terrorism,” yet in these attacks, more than 20,000 children, infants, and youngsters were martyred. Were they terrorists? Children as young as four or five years old, newborns – you killed [over] 20,000 thousand of them! Were they terrorists? You are the terrorists! You are the terrorists who create Daesh [ISIS] and unleash them upon the region, and then you keep them in reserve so that you can use them one day. That’s what’s happening now.
A number of Daesh [ISIS] elements are under the control of the United States. They are being held somewhere so that they can be used whenever they want. You are the terrorists! The United States is the terrorist! During the Two-Year War on Gaza, according to official statistics, 70,000 people were killed. In the 12-Day War in Iran, in addition to the indiscriminate killings and the bombs they dropped on over a thousand civilians who were martyred, they also assassinated our scientists. He boasts of having assassinated Iranian scientists. Yes, you assassinated scientists – you assassinated the likes of [Mohammad Mehdi] Tehranchi, [Fereydoun] Abbasi, and others; however, you cannot assassinate their knowledge.
He boasts about bombing and destroying Iran’s nuclear industry. Very well, keep dreaming! But who are you to interfere simply because a country has a nuclear industry, dictating what is permissible and what isn’t? What authority do you hold in the world? What business is it of the US whether Iran possesses nuclear capabilities and a nuclear industry or not? These interferences are improper, inappropriate, wrong and coercive.
I heard that, right now, people across all US states are chanting slogans against him in the streets. According to the reports given – which you heard – seven million people are chanting slogans against this individual in different cities and states across America. If you’re that capable, calm them down. Go silence them. Send them back to their residences. They interfere in the affairs of other countries; they build military bases.
The United States is the terrorist. As a matter of fact, the US is the true manifestation of terrorism. He claims, “I’m on the Iranian people’s side.” He’s lying! Against whom are these secondary sanctions that the US has been imposing for years – sanctions that have affected many countries out of fear of its impact – directed? They are against the Iranian nation. You are the Iranian nation’s enemy. You’re not their friend.
He says, “I make deals. I want to make a deal. I want us to make a deal with Iran.” A “deal” in which the outcome is predetermined through coercion is not a deal; it is an imposition, and the Iranian nation will never submit to imposition. The Iranian people will never submit to imposition. This is not called a deal. [He says], “Let’s sit down and talk to achieve ‘this’ outcome.” He ascertains it. That’s coercion. Iran cannot be influenced by this bullying, like certain other countries.
He points out that in this region – which they call the Middle East and we call West Asia – there is death, destruction, and war. Well, it is you who start the wars; the US is the architect of war. In fact, it is the US that launches and creates the wars. In addition to terrorism, it engages in warmongering. This war belongs to them, these deaths belongs to them – it is a result of their actions; the actions the US takes in this region. What is the purpose of all these military bases?
Why has the US established all these military bases in various countries across the West Asia region? What are you doing here? What does this region have to do with you?
This region belongs to its people. Therefore, the stance articulated by this individual was entirely false, much of it was lies, and it is indicative of bullying. Bullying might have an effect on certain nations, but, by the Grace of God, it will never affect the Iranian nation.
May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
