Ayatollah Khamenei Urges Continued Resistance to US

Addressing people at a mourning ceremony marking the anniversary of demise of Imam Khomeini at the mausoleum of late founder of the Islamic Republic in Tehran on Tuesday, Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated the need for resistance to the hostile pressures.

Paying tribute to Imam Khomeini for his moral virtues and for advocating the oppressed, Ayatollah Khamenei said the main characteristic that made him the director of an ideology was his insistence on resistance and refusal to give in to pressures.

None of the enemy’s plots or threats could upset Imam Khomeini’s calculations, the Leader noted, adding that the meaning of resistance is to choose the right path and to hold the belief that obstacles would not dissuade one from going on.

Ayatollah Khamenei then noted that enmities towards the Islamic Republic started as soon as Imam Khomeini established a government in the “heart of Asia” whose foundation was based on the rejection of persecution and opposition to compromise with the oppressors.

Since the beginning of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini came up with the idea of resistance, which gradually went beyond the Iranian borders, the Leader stated, noting that Iran, however, has not sought to export the idea of resistance.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the ideology of resistance which was spontaneously accepted by the regional nations caused the defeat of the US in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine.

The front of resistance has today become a powerful front, the Leader emphasized, citing comments by a famous American analyst who maintains that the US hostility towards Iran is caused by the Islamic Republic’s resistance which has helped the nation overcome the challenges.

The Leader then explained that Imam Khomeini chose the resistance path on logical, scientific and religious grounds.

Enumerating the logics behind resistance, Ayatollah Khamenei said resistance is the natural reaction from a free and dignified nation to bullies.

Resistance also forces the enemy to retreat, the Leader noted, adding that whenever Iranians stood firm and showed resistance, they could make headways.

The third logic behind resistance is that its costs are much lower than surrender, the Leader added, pointing to the policies of the Saudi regime which spends a lot of money and obeys the US demands, but still gets offended and is branded as a cow for milking.

Ayatollah Khamenei also underlined that resistance is totally possible and achievable, contrary to the wrong notion that resistance is useless and that it is impossible to stand against a powerful enemy.

“This is a big mistake that one would think that it is impossible to resist to the bullies,” the Leader stated, noting that a correct understanding of the situation prevents a mistaken calculation.

Ayatollah Khamenei further pointed to the numerous troubles that the US government is grappling with, saying the US power in all arenas is on the decline.

The arrogant power of US and the sedition-creating power of Israel have been dwindling dramatically over the past 40 years, the Leader noted, saying some American analysts believe that the United States has fallen into a “termite-like” decline in the political, economic and social arenas.

One of the clearest signs of the US political decline is the election of Donald Trump as the president, Ayatollah Khamenei noted, saying the fate of more than 300 million American people is in the hands of Trump, whose intellectual and moral balance is under discussion inside the US.

The most brazen case of the US moral decline can be seen in its support for the Israeli regime’s crimes and for a coalition of governments that are killing people in Yemen, the Leader deplored.

The US president whose own country is mired in a litany of problems is sympathizing with Iran and claims to be advocating the prosperity of Iranians, Ayatollah Khamenei added.

The Leader then described the ultimate goal of resistance as reaching the “deterrence point” in the economic, political, social and military spheres.

Deterrent power dissuades the enemy from aggression against Iran in all arenas, the Leader noted, saying Iran has already reached the deterrent point in the military field.

The enemies have focused on Iran’s missile power, because they know that Tehran has gained the deterrent power in this area and seek to deprive the Islamic Republic of such capability, “but they will never be able to do that,” Ayatollah Khamenei underscored.

Iran must counter the enemies bravely not with intimidation, hopefully and not hopelessly, and also wisely, not with excitement, the Leader urged.

Ayatollah Khamenei then decried Trump’s recent assertion that Iran can achieve progress with the current leaders as a gesture of political cleverness, emphasizing that the main condition for progress is that “Americans do not come any close” to Iran.

The superficial political cleverness of the US president does not deceive the Iranian officials and people, the Leader underlined, saying the US has only created wars, exploitation, fratricide and humiliation wherever it has been present in the world.

Ayatollah Khamenei finally advised the Iranian authorities to focus efforts on the settlement of economic problems which affect the livelihood of people.

Stressing the need for plans to boost production, raise the value of national currency, improve the businesses, and cut reliance of the budget on the sale of crude oil, the Leader stressed that governmental interference in the economy must turn into supervision and guidance.