The Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei led the Eid al-Fitr (fast-breaking feast) prayers in Tehran on Saturday, October 13.
Hundreds of thousands of faithful residents of Tehran took part in the blessed Eid al-Fitr prayers held at the Imam Khomeini Prayer Grounds following one month of fasting and worship and supplication to Almighty Allah.
In the first sermon of the prayers, Ayatollah Khamenei expressed his felicitation to all the Muslims throughout the world, especially the honorable Iranian nation, on the auspicious occasion of the Eid al-Fitr. He described the fast-breaking feast as the feast of thanksgiving to Almighty Allah for all the bounties and blessings of the holy month of Ramazan.
The Leader referred to deep faith and firm devotion to Islam as the prominent quality of the Iranian nation. He stated that the Iranian people from all social strata and walks of life and with different tastes and inclinations have a bright record with respect to their making the most of the divine feast in the holy month or Ramazan.
"The Iranian people should indeed feel grateful to Almighty Allah for the success that has been bestowed on them in performing the acts of worship and supplication and remembrance of Allah," the Leader added.
Ayatollah Khamenei also called on the Iranian people to try to preserve the great lessons of the holy month of Ramazan and benefit from their blessings during their entire lifetime. He referred to cordial ties and communion with Almighty Allah, national unity pivoting on religion and monotheism of the Iranian people from different social strata and with different tastes and tendencies, and generosity and almsgiving as among such lessons.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Republic criticized the extravagance and prodigality of certain social strata, describing it as a national flaw.
"The Iranian people should try to turn the lesson of moderation learned from the holy month of Ramazan into a national culture. If this is done, the repeated threats uttered by the enemies regarding sanctions, even if the sanctions are applied, will become ineffective," the Leader stated.
In the second sermon of the Eid al-Fitr prayers, Ayatollah Khamenei expressed his gratitude to the Iranian people for their massive nationwide rallies and parades on the International Day of Quds. He pointed out that the parades and rallies brought honor to Iran and the Iranian people and displayed their national dignity and grandeur, showing to the world that the Iranian nation is still in the front line of defending the right of the Islamic ummah concerning the issue of Palestine.
The Leader further referred to the attempts made by the United States and Zionists to surround Palestinians in limited parts of the occupied territories such as the Gaza strip and the west bank of Jordan River.
"The enemies of Islam are doing everything to make world public forget the issue of Palestine. However, their plot is foiled by the parades and rallies which are staged by nations on the International Day of Quds, the parades and rallies which also imbue the oppressed and lonely Palestinian nation with hope and confidence," the Leader remarked.
Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the Zionists' policies and measures are all aimed at destroying the Palestinian people's motivation for resistance. Praising the Palestinian people for their resistance and perseverance, he added, "Palestinians and the Hamas government which has emanated from the Palestinians' vote are standing firm despite all the pressures because they know that it is the Palestinian nation that should liberate Palestine, and the support expressed by the Islamic ummah will help to increase their resistance and perseverance."
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic hinted at the attempts that are being made by the U.S. administration to hold another so-called peace conference. He stated that any gathering that has so far been held in the name of peace has been disadvantageous to the Palestinian people.
"This is the reason why the Palestinian nation has rejected the upcoming conference. Therefore, why are other governments going to attend a conference that is regarded as an artifice by the Palestinian nation?" the Leader asked.
Referring to the heavy defeat suffered by the Zionist regime in its confrontation with the Lebanese Hezbollah last year, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the main objective of U.S. attempts to hold the autumn conference is to save the weakened Zionist regime. He called on all the Palestinian groups to strengthen their unity and brotherhood and exercise vigilance.
"The enemy is hatching plots and engaged in conspiracies in your homeland. Therefore, be careful not to line up against each other," Ayatollah Khamenei told the Palestinian groups.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Republic touched on the issue of Iraq, describing it as one of the distressing issues of the Islamic world. He stated that the American occupiers are either unwilling or unable to restore security in Iraq.
"The occupiers would not even allow the popular Iraqi government to counter the crimes resulting from blind terrorism. This reality shows that blind terrorism is supported and approved of by the occupiers," the Leader observed.
Ayatollah Khamenei further stated, "Therefore, the American and other occupiers are the main culprits in the current situation and responsible for the human tragedies taking place in Iraq."