On the eve of the Iranian Air Force Day, the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, received a large group of Air Force servicemen, including high-ranking and commanding officers, on Tuesday, February 7.
Speaking at the meeting, the Leader stated that the Islamic Revolution of Iran paved the way for the Iranian people to tread the path to honor, national sovereignty and independence. He pointed out that the Iranian nation would continue treading this path with strength, patience and prudence, and that it would show no signs of weakness in the face of any threat whatsoever.
The meeting was held on the eve of the 27th anniversary of the historic allegiance paid by a group of Air Force servicemen to the late Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini, in 1979.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces described the expression of allegiance to Imam Khomeini by young revolutionary Air Force servicemen as a turning-point in the Islamic Revolution and a momentous event which played an effective role in the revolution's victory.
Referring to the great endeavors made by the Air Force personnel in the course of the Sacred Defense and their valuable measures to achieve self-sufficiency, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that while relying on Almighty Allah, observing strict military discipline and preserving their spirit of devotion, self-confidence and creativity, the Air force servicemen should make every effort to defend the honor and dignity of the Iranian nation.
The Leader pointed out that the most important lesson conveyed by the epical event of Ashura is that Muslims, undaunted by threats, should try to undertake momentous responsibilities. He noted that since the Islamic Revolution's victory, the Iranian people have been relying on their native potentials and striving in various spheres of activity to put an end to their dependence and attain self-sufficiency.
"Today, the Iranian nation's innate ability to attain nuclear technology has deeply confused the world's arrogant and hegemonic powers, and their recent commotion and outcry stems from their confusion. The fact of the matter is that domineering powers are opposed to the independent nations' attainment of scientific power," the Leader told the audience.
Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the false claims made by Western powers, especially the United States, to the effect that the Islamic Republic is pursuing nuclear weapons. He noted that there are ulterior motives behind such false claims.
"Over the past two and a half years, the Islamic Republic of Iran removed whatever suspicions they had and took away all their excuses for making such claims. Consequently, in the end, Western countries had to acknowledge that what actually concerned them was not a nuclear weapons program, but that they were concerned about the attainment of nuclear technology by the Islamic Republic," Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out. He stressed that what Western countries want is by no means acceptable to the Iranian nation.
Further in his statements, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces made it clear that the era before the victory of the Islamic Revolution when the orders of American and British ambassadors were carried out in this country is over now.
"Today, Iranian government officials represent the will and power of the Iranian nation, and our honorable president's order to the Atomic Energy Organization and his statement were in conformity with the honor and sovereignty of the Iranian nation," the Leader remarked.
Ayatollah Khamenei stated that bullying and threats are the major tools frequently used by arrogant and domineering powers in advancing their goals and objectives.
"If Muslims and other nations realize the worth of their power, such tools will no longer be effective. Following the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the Iranian nation realized the worth of its capabilities, and no country should underestimate the power of our nation," he told the audience.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Republic referred to the outrageous affront of certain Western publications to the Holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace be upon him and his infallible household). He stated that such offensive acts have brought disgrace to liberal democracy, the banner of which has been raised by Western countries, with respect to the freedom of expression.
"Western countries allow no freedom of expression, which they claim to advocate, with regard to the myth of the massacre of Jews known as the holocaust, and nobody in the West enjoys the freedom of expression to deny it or raise doubts about it. But affronting the sanctities of about 1.5 billion Muslims is permissible in the West," the Leader noted.
Ayatollah Khamenei referred to this outrageous affront as a premeditated plot hatched by the Zionists with the intention of pitting Muslims and Christians against one another. He also censured some European politicians who had endorsed this wicked act on the pretext of the freedom of expression.
"The Muslim nations' reaction was timely and appropriate, since the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his infallible household) is the center of deep love and warm emotions of Muslims and the pivot of unity of the Islamic world. However, all should know that the sacred and justified anger of Muslims is not against Christians but against those wicked hands that have hatched this plot and are treating the politicians of arrogant powers as their tools and playthings," Ayatollah Khamenei stressed.
Further in his statements, the Leader referred to the heavy and shocking blow dealt by the victory of the Islamic resistance movement Hamas in the recent Palestinian parliamentary election as one of the reasons for this Zionist conspiracy.
"The United States had openly extended financial assistance to the Palestinian groups competing with Hamas in the recent parliamentary election. But to the great frustration of U.S. officials and the Zionists, Hamas members achieved remarkable victory in the election," the Leader pointed out.
Ayatollah Khamenei also stated, "If today free elections are held in any part of the Islamic world, anti-U.S. groups will win those elections because of the ugly and abominable face of the United States in the eyes of Muslim nations."
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces further told the Air Force servicemen that the opposition expressed by Western countries, especially the United States, to the votes cast by the Palestinian people in favor of Hamas contradicts their claims of advocating democracy.
"The present political situation in the region, the repeated defeats suffered by the United States and the spread of Islamic awakening are the major achievements of the Islamic Revolution and the glorious movement of the Iranian nation. By divine grace and favor, the Iranian people will continue taking firm strides on the path to progress and development," Ayatollah Khamenei told the audience.
The Air Force Commander Brigadier General Karim Qavami, speaking at the meeting, commemorated the 27th anniversary of the historic allegiance paid by the Air Force servicemen to the late Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini.
He also said that the sons of the Iranian nation in the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army, who are benefiting from the experience of some eight years of the Sacred Defense and relying on their talents and capabilities, are always prepared to defend their Islamic homeland.