Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with tens of thousands of Imam Reza's (a.s.) devotees, clarified the most important achievements of the Islamic Revolution during the past 30 years. He also touched upon the national need for innovation and flourishment in the last year of the third decade after the victory of the Islamic Revolution.
His Eminence stressed that the Islamic Republic has resisted domination during the past 29 years. He said that this resistance led to the current situation in the Middle East that has proved to be beneficial to the regional nations and detrimental to the powers seeking to dominate the region.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described progress and justice as two essential factors for the Islamic Republic in the fourth decade of its existence. He added that in the absence of progress, justice will only lead to equality in poverty, and that progress without justice is also undesirable because progress and welfare must be coupled with diminished social distinctions so that all those who are equally qualified would enjoy equal opportunities.
The Leader referred to the incompatibility of economic progress and the efforts to diminish social distinctions and described the idea as a misguided belief that is based on unsound Western premises. He referred to innovation as the solution to this apparent contradiction.
Touching upon the numerous advances and achievements of the Islamic Republic in spite of all pressures and conspiracies, Ayatollah Khamenei said that the enemies of the Iranian nation, namely the evil Zionist network and the arrogant U.S. government, have been unsuccessful so far. These two oppressors have the highest levels of hatred in public opinion polls and their slogans have grown ineffective and threadbare.
His Eminence also commented on America's false claims regarding the promotion of human rights. He added that in spite of the fact that Americans have interrogated 32 million people in their own country during the past 6 years, in spite of the fact that they use phone tapping techniques, and in spite of the fact that their president opposed the abolishment of torture, they still shout their old human rights slogans.
Elsewhere in his speech, the Leader said, "Although the Europeans cause an international uproar in response to any questions regarding the Holocaust, they not only do not protest against the affront against the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.), but they also cooperate with those who commit such crimes."