Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, met Sunday morning with commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps who are attending the annual meeting of IRGC commanders. Speaking at the meeting, His Eminence described the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps as “the solid trench of the Revolution”, “an outstanding element in safeguarding domestic and foreign security” and “a prominent, unique and much-needed identity for the progress of the country and for movement towards ideals.”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the existence of some deviations with the goal of confronting and distorting the main elements of the soft and spiritual power of the Islamic Republic, saying: “One of the most important elements of the Islamic Republic’s soft power is complete distrust of imperialist powers – headed by America – and this distrust should increase on a daily basis.”
In the beginning of his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that Imam’s (r.a.) command to form the triple forces of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps originated from the broad and insightful outlook and from the enlightened heart of that “great and divine man”.
Pointing to the significance, value and high status of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, His Eminence said: “The reason why Imam (r.a.) made that well-known statement – ‘If the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps did not exist, the country would not exist either’ – was that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is a blessed tree from whose identity, faith and revolutionary and jihadi movement blossoms. And preserving the country and the Revolution is dependent on the continuation of these important elements.”
He stated that the requirement for achieving the great ideal of the Revolution – which is forming the new Islamic civilization and defending the Islamic Republic against the plots of the enemies – is launching a revolutionary and jihadi movement. He added: “After the passage of 37 years from the Islamic Revolution, particularly after the Sacred Defense Era, the truth of the statement that that deep and experienced man – who always relied on God – made about the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has become clearer than ever. It should be said that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is the solid trench of the Revolution.”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that defending security internally and beyond the borders of the country is one the fundamental responsibilities of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps: “Besides ensuring security and attending to matters related to defense, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is influential in other areas as well– such as infrastructure, development, rendering services to underprivileged classes, attending to cultural and artistic matters, and producing revolutionary thoughts. These measures should continue and the public in the country should be informed of them.”
Describing the defensive, infrastructure and cultural measures that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has adopted as outstanding and prominent, the commander-in-chief of the Iranian Armed Forces reiterated that such an evaluation of the measures that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has adopted is realistic and impartial. He stressed: “Even the enemies of the Islamic Republic and the Revolution have made such an evaluation about the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.”
Ayatollah Khamenei stated that preserving the identity of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is an important course of action that requires vigilance and constant identification of detriments, saying: “Preservation does not mean lingering in time. On the contrary, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps should not be satisfied with its achievements in the arena of science, technology and innovation because the enemy is changing its tools and making new achievements. Therefore, its forward movement should not be stopped in any way.”
His Eminence described security as a very important issue which prepares the ground for the worldly and after-worldly progress of society: “One of the responsibilities of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is ensuring domestic and foreign security. If foreign security does not exist and if the enemy is not confronted outside the borders of the country, domestic security will be undermined as well.”
He stressed that the main requirement for putting an end to military threats is the increasing power of the Armed Forces, adding: “In recent years, some officials have sometimes made certain statements implying that the elimination of military threats and the threat to wage a war has been because of such and such courses of action. This is while such statements are not correct because the only element that puts an end to military threats has been and will continue to be defensive and military power, and instillation of fear in the enemy.”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to recent statements saying that the reason behind the progress of some countries is the closedown of their military organizations: “It is very difficult to believe that those to whom these statements have been attributed have actually said such things. But if such statements have really been made, they are definitely wrong.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said: “The countries which have been said to have closed down their military organizations did not do so voluntarily. The reason why their military organizations have been closed is that they were destroyed in world wars and they were not allowed to have military organizations.”
The commander-in-chief of the Iranian Armed Forces added: “No wise person puts his defensive force aside. So, we should strengthen the defensive power of the country on a daily basis.”
His Eminence pointed to faith as the main factor in strengthening the defensive capability of the country and added: “Asymmetric wars work in the same way. In such wars, the other side suffers from lack of faith despite the fact that it has advanced tools and equipment.”
He reiterated: “A clear example of an asymmetric war occurred in Iraq. During that war, the popular forces of Iraq – which did not have advanced military equipment but which enjoyed a great degree of faith – managed to free regions which the American soldiers and their allies could not conquer since the beginning of their arrival in Iraq.”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution touched on the issue of distorting the elements of the Islamic Republic’s soft power and said: “As well as the wrong statements that are made about the defensive power of the country, there are also some wrong notions and distortions about some revolutionary concepts. Such notions and distortions are even more dangerous than those wrong statements.”
Ayatollah Khamenei stated that rejecting the concept of independence and considering it as equal to isolation is one of these distortions: “The purpose of rejecting independence is following the systems that domineering powers have designed. Unfortunately, some people are repeating this notion whether knowingly or unknowingly.”
The commander-in-chief of the Iranian Armed Forces described “independence, culture and belief” as the main source of identity for nations and stressed: “Why should we abandon our true identity and follow wrong and ridiculous western methods?”
His Eminence reiterated that the shameful issue of homosexuality is one of those cases which are to the disadvantage of humanity. He added: “In global propaganda, they create uproar and tumult in a way that if someone rejects such issues, they will feel isolated. That is why even some western politicians advocate such wrong thoughts in order to win votes.”
He mentioned: “The result of rejecting independence which westerners stress is this. Now, should we abandon the divine and enlightened philosophy of Islam and follow such a ridiculous thought?”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that another distortion of the elements of Islamic Republic’s soft power is considering idealism as equal to irrationality: “Idealism is the same as rationality. If a people lose their ideals, they will become empty from the inside, just like the situation that western societies are in today.”
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: “Ideals are what engender enthusiasm towards progress and movement in nations. The loftier and the more experienced and enlightened these ideals are, the more precise the movement will become.”
Another distortion that the commander-in-chief of the Iranian Armed Forces cited was the elimination of the Islamic Republic’s distrust of imperialist powers in the world: “One of the elements of the Islamic Republic’s soft power is complete distrust of imperialist powers in the world, which are headed by America in the present time.”
His Eminence stressed the necessity of developing this complete distrust of America, adding: “Unfortunately, some individuals are not willing to accept this distrust. Although they mention in words that America is the enemy, but a genuine sense of lack of trust in America does not exist in them.”
He continued: “When you have a feeling of enmity and a genuine distrust of the other side, you observe the requirements of this distrust in your negotiations and meetings and you never trust the other side’s statements.”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that this complete lack of trust in America is a result of rationality that originates from thinking, depth and experience, saying: “We have witnessed America’s enmity in the course of many years after the Revolution, during the recent nuclear negotiations and in other areas as well.”
Citing a historical example, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “On the issue of the Constitutional Movement, when the English were trusted and when the people steered towards their embassy, a fatal blow was delivered to us and the result was that the country remained backward for 75 years.”
Addressing regional countries, the commander-in-chief of the Iranian Armed Forces mentioned: “If you are not vigilant, if you do not understand the plots that American imperialism hatches and if you are deceived by their smiles, it is possible that you too will remain backward for 50 or even 100 years.”
His Eminence stressed: “Today, if we open the way for negotiations with the Americans and for their temptations in different areas, not only will this prepare the ground for their overt and covert infiltration but it will also eternally prevent the country from achieving the desired progress. And under such circumstances, backwardness will be certain.”
He reiterated that officials should show vigilance on the issue of the enemy’s infiltration and domination: “The Americans insist that we should negotiate with them on issues related to West Asian countries – in particular Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. What is their real goal of asking us to negotiate with them? Their goal is nothing other than preventing the presence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the region as the main factor in American failures.”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution cited examples of the tricks that the Americans use in negotiations and of their overt enmity during the recent nuclear negotiations, adding: “Reason dictates that we completely distrust those who have shown their enmity in a clear way.”
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the existence of some “whispers” that the Islamic Republic should negotiate with America on regional matters, stating: “Not only is negotiating with America not beneficial, but it is also harmful. This has been discussed with the high-ranking officials of the country by presenting cogent reasons and they did not have anything to say in rejecting it.”
The commander-in-chief of the Iranian Armed Forces stressed that not only do negotiations not decrease enmities but they also prepare the ground for the enemy’s infiltration, reiterating: “The enemy is doing his best to undermine the security of the country. Therefore, all the military organizations and other organizations affiliated with them should protect this security as an important achievement in today’s insecure world.”
His Eminence highlighted the importance of cultural and intellectual security as well as security in people’s living environments: “The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps should play its part in all these areas.”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution mentioned that all the capabilities of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps pivot around faith and revolutionary and jihadi spirit, adding: “You should not allow your revolutionary spirit to be undermined through a materialistic outlook and through entrance in the competition of materialism and extravagance.”
He also stressed the necessity of education and preserving the bond that new generations in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps have with revolutionary concepts.
Describing Basij as a national capacity and expressing his joy at the existence of many activities in that popular organization, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that such activities should be given depth.
The commander-in-chief of the Iranian Armed Forces reiterated that the people of Iran can be role models in global developments: “If officials and the people can achieve the economy of resistance in the real sense of the word, if they help the country to get rid of the enemy’s monetary and financial tricks and if they destroy the value and mastery of the dollar over economic life, they have saved other countries as well as themselves and they will become a role model for them.”
His Eminence said that the reason why the enemies are angry at the people of Iran is the inspirational nature of the Islamic Republic, stating: “Despite the existence of massive pressures, sanctions and threats, the movement of the people of Iran has become bolder and more transparent every day and the good and auspicious sapling of the Islamic Revolution has become stronger on a daily basis.”
Referring to the efforts of propaganda apparatuses - those which are under the influence of Zionists - to cover up these brilliant realities, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution mentioned that the warm reception that peoples give to Iranian officials in their foreign trips is another evidence of why the people of Iran are role models: “The Islamic Republic is still in the beginning of its path towards achieving lofty goals and ideals, but even this amount of moving forward and showing independence, resistance and firm determination has conquered the hearts of other nations.”
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the necessity of continuing this enlightened path with power and with worldly and after-worldly preparedness, saying: “The Holy Quran teaches us that we should resist and stand up to enmities by asking for God’s help because God and His guidance are with us.”
The commander-in-chief of the Iranian Armed Forces added: “If we preserve our motivation, faith and firm determination and if we use our wisdom and intelligence correctly, we will overcome the plots that the enemies hatch in all areas. Some people wrongly think that we have been besieged, but we will bring all our enemies to their knees.”
His Eminence reiterated: “I have no worries about the future and I believe that by Allah’s favor, the future of the country will be much better than the present time.”
