Ayatollah Khamenei told a gathering of Air Force commanders and personnel that the Islamic Revolution has increased the people’s vigilance and paved the way for progress on the path of dignity and national independence and thus can be compared to Ashura.
The Supreme Leader called the decision by Air Force personnel to join the struggle a turning point in the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Citing the efforts of Air Force personnel during the Sacred Defense (1980-1988 Iran Iraq war) and their valuable contributions in the drive toward self-sufficiency, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that they should continue to defend the honor of the Iranian nation.
Iran’s ability to access indigenous nuclear technology has greatly frightened the hegemonic powers and the global arrogance, and their recent clamor is a predictable reaction, given that hegemonic powers are trying to prevent other countries from making progress, he observed.
Ayatollah Khamenei also called the Westerners’ fear-mongering about the potential ‘use of nuclear weapons’ a fabrication meant to conceal their ulterior motives.
"Unfortunately, international organizations have also sullied their reputations on account of the influence of the hegemonic powers over them.”
The decision taken by the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors earlier this month to report Iran to the UN Security Council was a violation of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which was previously approved by the West, he added.
The Supreme Leader pointed to the measures taken by Iran over the past two and a half years to end the West’s stalling tactics and to allay their fears and said, "They eventually admitted that nuclear weapons are not their concern, but rather, they are opposed to Iran gaining access to peaceful nuclear technology, which is not acceptable to the Iranian nation.
"The West does not possess many tools save arrogance, which will be ineffective if Muslim countries make optimal use of their potential.”
He also warned the major powers against underestimating the Iranian nation.
On the blasphemous cartoon depictions of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his family) recently published in the Western press, the Supreme Leader said that it was a shameful measure by the advocates of Western liberal democracy in support of freedom of speech while, “in accordance with this freedom of speech, denial of the holocaust has been banned, but sacrilege against the sanctities of 1.5 billion Muslims has been allowed."
The Supreme Leader called it a Zionist plot meant to pit Muslims and Christians against one another.
"It should be noted, however, that the sacred fury of Muslims was not directed toward Christians. It rather targeted the vicious plotters of the conspiracy…
"One of the reasons for the Zionist conspiracy is the difficult and shocking blow dealt to them by the victory of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in the recent parliamentary election," he added.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted that although the U.S. officially financed the rivals of Hamas during the election, Hamas still won a majority.
AV/HG
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MNA