During his meeting today with participants of the "Travelers to the light" journey, the Leader of the Revolution stated: "Today’s claimants conspicuously provided bomb making chemicals to Saddam. The US and the powerful part of Europe—including the UK, France, Italy and Germany—all backed Saddam and helped him as much as they could."
He reminded the audience, "At the beginning of the war, Saddam’s army had limited equipment, [but] as the time passed and despite the war, their amount of equipment increased substantially."
Referring back to the Soviet Union's part in the war and answering his own question the Leader of the Revolution stated: "The Soviet Union, though opposed to the US, accompanied US in this event because the USSR owned numerous Muslim Republics, and the Islamic Revolution could incite those republics to think of their own Islamic identity."
Elaborating further on those who aided Saddam during the eight-year war, he added: "The US, USSR, Nato and all other domineering powers backed Saddam to destroy the Islamic Republic."
"France provided its most advanced jets and helicopters to Saddam. Germany provided poisonous chemicals to Saddam to be used during the war," the Leader said while listing off the various ways countries assisted Saddam against Iran.
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the hypocrisy of certain groups who accuse others of chemical weapons use while they gave Saddam weapons used against innocent people and Iranians, "Those who criticize certain groups with the excuse of using chemicals today, at that time, publicly gave chemicals to Saddam for making his bombs."
"Still, today, after 30 years, we have among our veterans those who still suffer from the chemical elements of the war; a great number were also martyred as a result," he reminded the audience while bringing up the use and impact of chemical weapons, adding "All satanic regimes of the world, helped the arrogant satan, Saddam, to create this war and to help him win the war."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution asserted: "Of course, all their efforts were futile, and they couldn’t take even the smallest part of the Islamic Republic under their control."
"Young generations, today, are more prepared than earlier generations when faced with repelling the invading enemies," said Ayatollah Khamenei, this morning, when speaking to "Travelers to the light" participants.
He added, "Animosity of domineering powers against the Islamic Republic led to this war, and the magnificence and self-sacrifice of our youth put an end to the war, in our interest, making the Islamic republic stronger; this is the identity of the holy defense, which we have to safeguard."
Speaking on the importance of the "Travelers to the light" and their mission, Ayatollah Khamenei stated: "The fact that, every year, millions of people go on the "Travelers to the Light" journey is one of the manifestations of safeguarding that magnificent era."
The Leader of the Revolution mentioned the enemies' intentions to his audience at the turn of their generation: "The enemies hope when the turn of your generation -- at 18 to 25 year-olds-- arrives, and your generation reigns over the country, Islam and the Revolution will be no longer, and the Americans be dominant over all aspects of the country."
"With this purpose, they started fighting against the Islamic Republic and caused the war, and they've continued their soft and hard attacks after the war," he added.
The Leader of the Revolution encouraged the young audience to repel the enemy by reflecting on and comparing them to the generations of the past: "But the actual result is that in this generation there are people who have greater talents for growth and prosperity, compared to the first generation, and their authority is greater than the enemies. So no doubt, if at that time our youth managed to repel the enemies, today this young generation is much more prepared to face and repel the enemies."
Ayatollah Khamenei touched on the reason behind the eight-year war, "The reason behind the eight-year war initiated by Saddam’s Baath Regime, was the greatness and grandeur of the revolution."
He continued, "When the revolution took place, its greatness frightened the powerful enemies. On the other hand, when they saw this revolution was welcomed among other Muslim nations and in countries headed by dependants on the US, and that the nations started slogans in favour of the Islamic revolution, the enemies aimed at destroying this revolution at any price."
The Leader of the Revolution asserted: "The enemies knew that Saddam was a personality with underlying tendencies to move aggressively and arrogantly, he was a naturally aggressive invader as a person. At the time of the Iranian revolution, Saddam was not the president of Iraq. The enemies proceeded in a way to put Hassan al-Bakr aside and make Saddam the president in order to incite him, encourage him, and force him to start a military attack on Iran."
*"Travelers to the Light" is a journey aimed at visiting the former war fronts where Iranian soldiers fought back US-backed Saddam invaders.
