Ayatollah Khamenei further referred to some sentences from the last will and testament of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (peace and greetings be upon him). In those sentences, great emphasis had been placed on piety, order and discipline and fostering friendship among Muslims.
Elaborating on the importance of order and discipline, Leader of the Islamic Republic stressed that the whole universe itself is governed by order, discipline and certain laws. He noted that order is even quite evident from different bodily functions, such as blood circulation and heartbeat, the function of the lungs and respiratory system as well as other bodily organs.
"Therefore, if human beings observe order and discipline in their everyday life, they will be able to establish a harmonious and congruous relationship with their surroundings and use everything in the most effective and proper manner," he stated.
Ayatollah Khamenei went on to say:
"If there is a disorder in the bodily functions, it is considered an illness, or it is accompanied by an illness. Likewise, any disorder in the life or behavior of an individual or society is also regarded as a malady and an unhealthy condition. Therefore, order plays a major role in the life of both the individual and society.
"Nonetheless, in his last will and testament, the Commander of the Faithful first put emphasis on piety and then stressed the necessity of order and discipline in the life of an individual or society. This indicates that order and discipline should be based on and associated with piety and virtue.
"Another point stressed by Imam Ali (peace and greetings be upon him) in his last will and testament is the need to consolidate the bonds of friendship among Muslims by bringing their hearts closer together and by boosting their trust and confidence in one another."
Further in his statements, the Leader noted:
"The Commander of the Faithful spent his life in guiding and showing the right way to the people of his time and the next generations of the Islamic community as well. He also did his utmost during his rule to administer and dispense justice in society. But he was martyred by those who could not tolerate justice and equity. Imam Ali (peace and greetings be upon him) was indeed the epitome and paragon of justice, piety and virtue, and he was martyred because he tried to promote and institutionalize these values in society."
As regards the Iranian people's deep love for Imam Ali (peace and greetings be upon him), Ayatollah Khamenei stated:
"Thank God, the Iranian people are devoted and steadfast followers of the Commander of the Faithful and have great respect and admiration for him. But it is also necessary for us to observe the guidelines of Imam Ali (peace and greetings be upon him) in our everyday life.
"I pray to Almighty Allah to bestow on us the ability to act upon his guidelines and follow the path that was trodden by the Commander of the Faithful so that we may be counted among his true followers."
In the second sermon, Leader of the Islamic Republic touched on some domestic and international issues, particularly the recent developments in the Islamic world and the main problems facing Muslim nations.
Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the arrogant powers, especially the United States, are currently escalating their plots and hostilities against Muslim nations.
"Today, no Islamic country is immune from U.S. plots and provocations. Even those Islamic and Arab countries that have had traditional friendly ties with Washington are today under pressure and prone to threats from the United States.
"The various comments made by U.S. officials in their interviews and on different occasions reveal that Washington intends to de-Islamize the Middle East, a region which is of great strategic and geographical importance and which is rich in oil and other natural resources. In other words, the U.S. aims to subvert the Islamic thought and ideology in the Middle East in order to pave the way for its domination of the region," he noted.
The Leader referred to the fact that the United States, motivated by its increasing covetousness, is making an effort to expand its sphere of influence.
"Thus, if Washington manages to dominate and establish its influence over the Islamic world, especially the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region, it will be able to control the vast oil and gas resources, which are considered the lifeline of the industrialized world."
Ayatollah Khamenei further stated that the covetous attitude and expansionist policies of the White House officials have even prompted the European countries to express strong opposition to Washington's policies, since they have a clear understanding of the threats emanating from these policies.
Referring to the issue of Iraq, the Leader pointed out that the U.S. had initially planned to attack Iraq unilaterally and unconditionally in order to take control of its oil fields and so as to gain another foothold in the Persian Gulf region.
"It was quite clear to the world that the United States was pursuing certain self-serving and colonial objectives with regard to Iraq. Thus, the European countries, having knowledge of U.S. objectives, used their power in the UN Security Council to prevent Washington from taking unilateral military action against Iraq, and they have so far been able to hinder U.S. invasion of that country. However, U.S. officials have not yet ruled out the possibility of military aggression against Iraq, and they are still considering this option," he noted.
Elsewhere in his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei touched on U.S. hostility to the Islamic Republic.
"Today, some 24 years after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in this country, the United States is still holding its hostile attitude toward the Islamic Republic, hatching all kinds of plots and machinations against the Iranian nation and government. The reason for this hostility is that the United States has suffered a heavy blow from the revival of Islam in this country.
"The fact is that Iran was the main U.S. base in the region under the former regime. But the Islamic Revolution, which stemmed from the Islamic awakening of the Iranian people, culminated in the overthrow of the corrupt Pahlavi regime and put an end to U.S. domination of this country and its exploitation of our natural resources. This is why U.S. officials bear a grudge against our brave and faithful nation and our Islamic government."
With regard to the overbearing and domineering attitude of the United States toward other nations, the Leader noted:
"What should be borne in mind is that those who are intoxicated by power are always prone to make grave mistakes. Today, U.S. officials, like all those intoxicated by power, are making very serious mistakes, and they are bound to suffer the disastrous consequences of their mistakes. Indeed, in the not too distant future, these mistakes will bring the United States to its knees."
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out that one of the most serious mistakes being made by Washington is its all-out and unconditional support for the Zionist regime and its conniving at the most atrocious and appalling crimes that are being perpetrated by the Israeli soldiers against the innocent and defenseless Palestinian men, women and children, who are the real owners of the occupied lands of Palestine.
"Washington has given the Zionists carte blanche to commit any crime they wish against the innocent Palestinian people. This is one of the most serious and irremediable mistakes that U.S. officials are making, and they will surely pay dearly for their blind support of the Zionist entity.
"Despite all this support, the Zionist regime has come to a dead end in its efforts to crush the strong resistance and Intifada of the Palestinian nation, and it has no way out of the present quagmire in which it has got bogged down.
"The brave Palestinians have clearly shown that they are able to confront the savage Israeli soldiers, who are armed to the teeth, with just empty hands, thus setting an example to other oppressed nations who are under the yoke of the arrogant powers," he stated.
In conclusion, Leader of the Islamic Republic called on all Muslims to face up to their responsibilities toward their Palestinian brethren.
"Today, it is the duty of all Muslims to extend spiritual, moral and material support to the oppressed Palestinian nation and do their utmost to promote the cause of Palestine and restore the rights of Palestinians," the Leader stressed.