The Iranian ambassadors posted abroad and the Foreign Ministry officials called on the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei on Tuesday, August 21.
In an address to the audience, the Leader stated that furthering national interests is the major goal pursued by the country's diplomacy. Noting that Iran's foreign policy is mainly characterized by its rejection of the relations between hegemonic powers and submissive countries and by its wise and prudent opposition to the global domineering system, the Leader added that the experience of the past three decades bears witness to the victory of the Iranian nation in this confrontation.
Ayatollah Khamenei further referred to the presence of revolutionary forces in the Foreign Ministry as one of the significant and positive features of this ministry. He emphasized that the Foreign Ministry is expected to function and make plans in conformity with the county's national interests and contribute to the accomplishment of the long-term objectives of the Islamic Revolution and the medium-range goals of the country's 20-Year Perspective Document.
The Leader underlined the fact that the principles of the Islamic Revolution are inseparable from the national identity and interests and stressed that Iran's foreign policy should consider different issues from this viewpoint. He added that the pure religion of Islam offers a blueprint for man's prosperity and salvation.
"The Islamic Revolution has been launched in Iran to carry out Islam's political and economic and social and cultural blueprint. On the scene of international relations also, relying on the Islamic teachings, it rejects the oppressive domineering system and pursues peace and security and prosperity for all nations. Therefore, the global domineering system is opposed to our Islamic system in essence and by nature, and this is a reality which should never fall into oblivion," the Leader told the audience.
Ayatollah Khamenei also stated that the domineering and hegemonic powers regard the international diplomacy as a chessboard on which some countries should play the role of expendable pawns, the pawns that should be sacrificed whenever the interests of those powers are at stake.
"We would by no means accept the behavior of the domineering system. In other words, while we do not intend to exercise dominance and hegemony, we would not submit to domination either, and our diplomacy is characterized by the opposition to the global behavior of the domineering system and by the rejection of the ‘domineering-submissive' paradigm," Ayatollah Khamenei remarked.
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic hinted at the negative propaganda disseminated by the hegemonic powers with the intention of portraying Iran as a rebel country.
"The Great Satan America is trying to create a global dictatorship and, by trampling on the natural rights of nations, it is the one that has in fact rebelled against the human community and become a rebel country, but it is attributing this characteristic to the honorable Iranian nation. However, if standing up to the world's oppressors and bullies and supporting the oppressed is called rebellion, we feel proud of being a rebel," the Leader told the audience.
Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to the question posed by some individuals who ask whether the Iranian nation's standing up to the world's bullies would yield any results, considering the dominance that is being exercised by the hegemonic powers over the world. He added that those individuals who could not provide a clear answer to this question or who did not think that the Iranian nation's resistance would prove effective have renounced the principles of the Islamic Revolution and openly said that it is no use standing up to the bullying powers, and that one should come to terms with these powers.
As regards the answer to the above question, the Leader stated that the experience of the past three decades would help one assess the power and capabilities of the Iranian nation and provide an accurate answer to the question.
"In view of our past experiences and the decisive evidence that exists, it can be firmly said that, relying on the great power with which the Iranian nation has been imbued by Islam, we are able to stand up to the camp of the hegemonic powers and achieve victory over a camp which is even stronger than the present camp," the Leader observed.
Elaborating on those experiences which corroborate the possibility of achieving victory over the domineering powers, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the victory that was achieved by the Islamic Revolution over the former tyrannical regime and its supporters.
"A comprehensive analysis of the position of the former tyrannical regime and the way the Iranian nation achieved victory over that dictatorial and armed-to-the-teeth U.S.-backed regime will indicate that the victory of the Islamic Revolution was a miracle which occurred because of the Iranian people's reliance on Islam," Ayatollah Khamenei remarked.
The Leader also described the victory of the Iranian nation over the Ba'thist regime of Saddam Hussein as further evidence that enables one to predict the victory of the Islamic system in its confrontation with the world's hegemonic powers.
"The realities of the eight-year Sacred Defense show that although all the hegemonic powers of the East and the West and their followers had lined up behind Saddam and against the Islamic Republic system, the great Iranian nation defeated that seemingly powerful camp and threw Saddam and his supporters out of the Iranian territory," Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Republic referred to the increasing power of the Islamic Iran and its playing a more prominent role in the region and in the world.
"Despite all the threats and different pressures of the enemies, the Islamic Republic of Iran has steadily grown stronger in the scientific and political and economic and cultural and social spheres with the passage of time, and this same reality promises the ultimate victory of our nation in its confrontation with the hegemonic powers," the Leader remarked.
Ayatollah Khamenei cited the remarkable headway made by the young Iranian scientists in the field of nuclear technology as an example of the various achievements of the Iranian nation.
"All the influential countries tried to prevent the Islamic Republic from even getting close to the perimeter of nuclear technology, which was their monopoly. However, the Iranian nation, although under sanctions, attained this advanced technology, and now no power is able to take it away from us no matter how hard it tries," Ayatollah Khamenei noted.
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic referred to the rising status of the Islamic Revolution among nations, especially among Muslim nations, and the Islamic awakening of nations as other realities indicating the indubitable victory of Islam in its confrontation with the global domineering system. He described the victory of the Lebanese Hezbollah in the 33-day war against the Zionist regime's army as a sign of the great Islamic power and energy and as one of the surprising lessons.
Ayatollah Khamenei also hinted at the worsening situation of the Zionist regime in the occupied territories.
"The defeat suffered by the United States with respect to all its regional policies, including those on Iraq and Lebanon and Afghanistan, and the strategic deadlock that the Great Satan has reached in the Middle East are among other evident realities on the ground which show that if the Iranian nation and the officials of the Islamic Republic preserve their faith and hope and dynamism, they will be able to achieve victory in their confrontation with the global domineering system through pious deeds and appropriate planning and ceaseless efforts," Ayatollah Khamenei told the audience.
At the beginning of the meeting, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki presented a report about the outcome of a recent conference held in Tehran and attended by the Iranian diplomats and ambassadors posted abroad.
Mottaki also said that, thanks to a correct analysis of the regional developments on the part of the officials of the Islamic Republic and the coordinated activities of the Iranian embassies abroad, the Islamic Republic of Iran has attained a high and influential status in the region.