Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei attended the graduation ceremony of Army cadets in Nowshahr, in Mazandaran Province where he touched upon the tragic incident of Mina and death of thousands of people in stampede during Hajj rituals; “ignorance of the time turned our Festive Day into grief by Mina deadly tragedy. May God accept these sacrifices and devotions from Muslim nations,” asserted the Leader. “Using advanced militray equipment, they bombard Yemeni people, yet they fail to act when humanity demands and show their courage only when facing the defenseless people,” Ayatollah Khamenei stated.
“Saudi officials fail to do their duties and act against their responsibilities and show slyness in some cases; if Iran wants to react, Saudi Arabia’s conditions will not be good. In case of reaction, our response will be firm and severe,” emphasized the Leader.
“Saudi Arabia evades its duties in helping transfer of corpses of Hajj pilgrims; however, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been self-restraint observing principles of Islamic ethics and the spirit of fraternity in the Islamic world; they should understand though that disrespect of tens of thousands of Iranian pilgrims in Mecca and Medina would precipitate Iran’s ‘severe and strong’ reaction,” Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized.
“Mina has been a vast wilderness for pilgrims to fade away in thirst; their families who have been waiting eagerly for their loved ones, invite attentions; the exact number of the killed pilgrims however is not known, but estimations say it would rise to even more figures; the event is a great disaster for Iranian nation,” he told the meeting.
He also said that some reports had estimated the number of killed pilgrims in Mina incident as possibly rising to more than 5,000 people; “the current situation of sheer pandemonium and insecurity goes against the verses of the Holy Quran, which promulgate the place as ‘the most secure place on earth;’ the question still goes on that ‘is security as such?'” the Leader asked rhetorically.
He reiterated the necessity of establishment of a ‘fact-finding committee’ by all Islamic countries as well as Iran; “for the time being, we would eschew from making judgements about the event, but believe that Saudi Arabia has failed in attending its duties incurring upon them by the incident, leaving the pilgrims in an state of displaced and in shambles,” Ayatollah Khamenei added.
On the problems arising in the transfer of corpses of Iranian pilgrims and the good offices of Iranian government officials, Leader denounced Saudi conduct as being ‘mischief.’
“During the Sacred War, all hegemonic powers of the east and west supported a corrupt and despotic player; however, their collective efforts came to a debacle; hence, they know well Iran and if they had not, now it is time for them to know,” he emphasized.
“Islamic Republic of Iran is not tyrant and it would not tolerate tyranny of any sort in the rights of the humans either Muslims or others; but if anyone violates the rights of Iranians, it would be dealt with harsh conditions, since, God-willing, we have the capacity and the strength for such confrontations,” said the Leader, touching upon still another issue of the region, namely, Yemen. “Targeting houses, streets, and even wedding ceremonies by the Saudi regime is the most telling example of trampling the mean and the sheer lack of valor in an army; today, the Islamic system, needs war facilities and weaponry in the hard section of the battle; it also requires the instruments effective in soft war in a world ruled by satanic powers, where it is replete with difficulties and danger for anyone seeking heavenly blessings; here, preparation comes to the center of the stage as important,” emphasized the Leader.
Ayatollah Khamenei told the graduating cadet that “preparation would not necessary mean securing victory vis-à-vis the enemy; rather, it encompasses securing the country from the enemies’ malevolence; when prepared, your strength and spiritual majesty dishearten the enemy in its resolve to attack your country. Without faith, armed forces would fall into the disrepute,” the Leader said.
“Iranian nation has demonstrated, during past four decades, its strength, identity, and a special nature, and it would stand against any maleficence; our nation has shown that it had the true insight into the nature of imperialism, and respected its identity and the collective human value,” Ayatollah Khamenei told the meeting, “showing teeth and fangs by the enemies could only be pushed back by the fists of pious men,” he added.
In his concluding remarks, the Leader called all young cadets of the armed forces to a review of the Sacred Defense events and revisiting the operational zones to actually find the experiences garnered during those years of the battle; “you should be the strong and impenetrable ballast of the country and the Islamic system, to the strict sense of the term,” Ayatollah Khamenei demanded.
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