Leader felicitates Fatemeh Zahra's (AS) birth anniversary (29.8.2002)Tehran, Aug 29, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Thursday felicitated the birth anniversary of Fatemeh Zahra (AS), the beloved daughter of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). Addressing a special ceremony to mark the auspicious occasion, the supreme Leader also congratulated the nation on the birth anniversary of (the late) Imam Khomeini. The Supreme Leader called on Iranian cultural officials to propagate the life style of members of the infallible household of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) to provide those in pursuit of lofty values in the world with models to follow. Elsewhere in his speech, the Supreme leader pointed to the conspiracy to sow discord among different Islamic sects and said that the colonialist and arrogant powers don't like none of the Islamic sects. They seek to sow discord among them, the Leader said. Fatemeh Zahra's (AS) birthday is celebrated in Iran as the "Mother Day". SS/RR Leader appreciates governments' tremendous efforts, asks for more (27.8.2002)Tehran, Aug 27, IRNA -- The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, in a meeting with President Seyed Mohammad Khatami and his cabinet members on Monday night appreciated the tremendous efforts made by them, asking the country's top officials for double as much, improved quality services to the nation. The leader said that the government is the main managing body of the country, reiterating, "any success for the government is the success of the whole system and any deficiency, a deficiency for the Islamic Republic, and therefore all those who care for the fate of the country and the Islamic system, should aim for the success of the government." Further elaborating on the issue, he added: "no one, for no reason whatsoever, including difference of opinion, or faulty political interpretations, tendencies and viewpoints, should say a thing or make a move to embarrass the government." Considering logical and friendly criticism as a cause contributing to the strengthening of government, the exalted leader of the revolution emphasized, "criticizing the conduct of the government is not prohibited, but there is no justification, or logical reasoning for efforts aimed at destroying the government totally. Meanwhile, our statesmen, too, should not get outraged, or lose hope upon being criticized of any kind." Referring to the existence of certain obstacles in the way of the government for performing its duties properly, Ayatollah Khamenei added, "the art of management teaches you how to pass through tough obstacles, since no hindrance should halt your process, make you retreat, or dishearten you." The leader regarded feeling responsible and strong in performing duties based on the rules of logic as most important foundations of effective, meaningful management for the country, adding: "if you move based on those two very important rules, even if your conduct would have deficiencies, neither the Almighty God, nor the people would blame you and ask you for justification." Emphasizing on the need for full harmony among the various parts of the system, Ayatollah Khamenei said that eliminating the obstacles hindering the smooth performance of the government's duties is the job of the law making bodies, adding: "there are also instances when friction between certain independent powers within the system occurs. But even in such cases you should solve the problems resorting to mutual understanding, holding dialogues, consultations between the authorities at different powers, and realistic regulating of relations." Ayatollah Khamenei appreciated the president's persevering attitude in his efforts aimed at realization of the high objectives of the Islamic system and considered the top officials of the country as pious, revolutionary believers who love serving the people, adding: Mr. Khatami's government has made tremendous efforts and gained numerous victories, but the people are not aware of many of them, which is a deficiency that can be removed thorough powerful, precise, and efficient information dissemination." Referring to the vast propagation of the enemies of the Islamic Revolution and Iran, aimed at presenting an inefficient image of the system and the government, the leader reiterated that the foreigners never refer to the achievements of the government in their propagation, while magnifying the deficiencies of different factions, and attributing them to the whole system's performance, so as to dishearten both the nation and the officials. He emphasized on the need for creating an atmosphere full of joy and hope for the top level managers of the country, expressing gratitude over the governments perseverance in full implementation, of its ratification till the the very end, adding: "no (government) order or ratification should be left unperformed." While emphasizing on the need for pursuing the campaign against financial corruption, the exalted leader of the revolution reiterated: "some people justify the current corruptions, while certain others try to magnify them, and like the foreigners, expand their dimensions to all aspects of the system. But both those attitudes are erroneous and fighting against corruption is possible through adopting a logical and rational approach." He also referred to the foreigners' efforts aimed at politicizing the issue of campaign against financial corruption, reminding that: "the main objective of politicizing, or magnifying this campaign is annihilating it, and anyone who creates an obstacle in the way of the ampaign against financial corruption is serving the foreigners' interests." The leader of the revolution considered campaign against financial corruption as a topmost priority for the government, adding: "the government should support this campaign in all aspects of industrial, monetary, service rendering, manufacturing, and internal or foreign commercial deals, so that as far as possible the interference of the judiciary force would not become necessary." Ayatollah Khamenei considered campaign against poverty, discrimination and corruption as the mother of any reforms, reiterating: "each new day, we realize better than the day before that prior to real reforms, that is fighting against poverty, corruption and discrimination, no other type of reforms would bear any tangible fruit." He said that the presence of enemy at cultural and political scenes of the country is an undeniable truth, adding: "the enemy intends to take advantage of the cultural and palatial atmosphere of the country against the interests of the system and the country, and no one should simplemindedly ignore the truth, attributing certain phenomena, to other (irrelevant) factors." Emphasizing on the need for proper and effective information dissemination about the performance and achievements of the government, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "if there really are individuals who create obstacles in the way of performing your duties, clearly and precisely tell the people about them, so that either the accused parties would defend their conduct, or it should be made clear that they are troublesome and confronting them would become a necessary priority." The leader of the revolution ended his remarks by appreciating the nation, particularly the youth, emphasizing: "the selfless support and contributions of this nation to this revolution has led to celestial blessings for this country and its political system, and God willing, the banner of Islam that has been fully hoisted in this country would day after day attract closer attention of the nations, particularly the Muslim nations." Before the leader's address, Hojatoleslam President Khatami considered serving the Iranian nation as a great honor for himself and his cabinet, emphasizing: "the government has employed all possible means and made all efforts to realize the real deficiencies and problems with which the nation is entangled, and to eliminate them as best possible, and yet neither expects any appreciation, nor feels it has done anything beyond its duties." The president considered close and intimate relations between the nation and the government as one of the great achievements of the Islamic Revolution, adding: "a government that has emerged from the nation, is with the nation, and at the service of the nation, will perform its duties under the keen and alert eyes of the people." Mr. Khatami refer to accountability of the government towards the leader, the parliament and the nation as one of the greatest assets of the revolution, reiterating: "the government has employed all its capabilities in taking full advantage of the opportunities, creation of new possibilities, and turning the threats into opportunities at the service of achieving the objectives of the Islamic revolution and the well being of nation." The president at the end expressed hope that the government would relying on its legally approved power, move strongly, efficiently and bravely towards innovative solving of the nation's problems. NA/AR Leader commends mountain camping of 150,000 Basij members (26.8.2002)Tehran, Aug 26, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei commended promotion of sporting activities by the Basij (volunteer forces). About 150,000 members of the Basij and the cadets of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) took part in a mountain camping to Damavand peak and the heights overlooking Tehran and the mountains across the country. The Leader appreciated the initiative taken by the Basij and hoped that the youth would channel their sense of sportsmanship to reach the moral heights too. The Supreme Leader called on the youth to promote sports and physical exercise to lead healthy life and make efforts to reach the heights of morality and insight too. SS/RR Leader underlines commemoration of martyred statesmen (19.8.2002)Tehran, Aug 19, IRNA -- The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei here on Monday appreciated as 'sound and necessary', the moves to give pivotal value to commemorating the martyred officials of state bodies and ministries during ceremonies to mark Government Week. Ayatollah Khamenei told the staff of the headquarters in charge of organizing the congress for martyred ministers and 15,000 state officials that a Basij-like spirit should be consolidated within the government structure and its various establishments and ministries. The Leader said the nation's love and respect for the noble martyrs of the Sacred Defense era (1980-88) and of the 1979 Islamic Revolution provide a model for the rulership and all officials. The Leader described the key officials of the establishment as those interested in such 'valuable' concepts as martyr, martyrdom and self-sacrifice and said the show of respect should manifest itself. Ayatollah Khamenei criticized those, who knowingly or unknowingly, undermine or destroy the ideological and religious foundations of the people. He said the nation's faith and love and their spirit of self-sacrifice and perseverance had been the basis for all the great revolutionary and social achievements. Government Week will be observed from August 24-30. BG/AH Leader rebuffs suggested Iran-US ties as "humiliating, degrading" (19.8.2002)Tehran, Aug 19, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, here Sunday said the possibility of the US carrying out its designs against the Islamic Republic would depend on the latter's stances, and reminded that the US has, from the early years of the Revolution, entertained such designs. Ayatollah Khamenei, at a meeting with Iranian diplomats, said US adventurism is a manifestation of the "cowboy culture" that pervades the White House and goes hand in hand with the military approach its warmongering officials are taking toward world issues. "White House warmongers would be reluctant to carry out their plans if they knew they are to face a united nation and would have to pay dearly for their evil designs against the Islamic Republic," he stressed. On the other hand, "If a US congressman enunciates a position different from that of the US official position, one must not be so naive as to interpret the gesture as a change in the US approach toward Iran and welcome it without considering the realities," he said. Ayatollah Khamenei said that one who suggests the idea of reestablishing ties with the US and, at the same time, considers the pride and honor of the Iranian nation would come to grips with the reality of White House policies. To entertain the idea, he said, means "to surrender to Washington's demands, to lose a bright future, and to have the vital achievements of the (Iranian) Revolution for the benefit of all Muslim nations shattered," he said. Ayatollah Khamenei went on to say that Washington is inherently against the Islamic Revolution because it is opposed to US domination, and stressed that US threats against Iran had been basically concocted as a result of its assessment of the Iranian position and developments inside the country. "White House warmongers will either try to destroy the system (something which will be very difficult for them to accomplish) or move to make conditions unbearable for Iran that it will abandon its principles and be willing to bend to establish ties with it," he said. Elsewhere in his remarks, the leader called on the diplomats to uphold the country's ideological values along with its independent stances regarding world issues in their missions abroad, saying their decisions constitute the cornerstone of the Islamic Republic's foreign policy. AA/LS Leader warns Iranian youth of American 'cultural plunder' (19.8.2002)Tehran, Aug 19, IRNA -- Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday warned that the Iranian youth and students are the prime target of a cultural onslaught which the enemy has unleashed to hit at the country's 'moral resources'. "Now at the front lines of the oppressors and imperialists, there is an onslaught, bearing down on the revolutionary Iranian people and the Islamic Republic with the help of their propaganda machine," he said in a message to the annual summit of the collegiate Office to Foster Unity (OFU). "Today, it is a well-known fact that the American arrogance is determined to plunder moral and intellectual resources of the Iranian people and rob them of their riches of faith, hope and motivation," Ayatollah Khamenei added in another part of the message. "The youth are the prime target of this cultural plunder and the enemy is intending to achieve its wicked goals without needing to incur any costs by carrying out a military invasion. "If the enemies succeed, America will definitely dominate on Iran again without a cost," the leader said. "Thus, the youth and the students are expected to bravely and strongly neutralize this tragic inroad," Ayatollah Khamenei added. BH/AR Leader calls for 'proper Islamic stance' as attack on Iraq looms (18.9.2002)Tehran, Aug 18, IRNA -- Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei here on Sunday called on the Islamic countries to adopt an appropriate stance as reports of a probable US attack on Iraq is gathering further steam. "The Islamic Republic of Iran is opposed to any attack on Iraq and the Islamic world should adopt a proper stance in this effect," the leader said in a meeting with visiting Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa. Ayatollah Khamenei described US' recent aggressive overtures against Iraq as 'blatant bullying', and warned against the consequences of a military adventure in the Persian Gulf region. "Given the special and sensitive position of the Persian Gulf, in view of its massive energy reserves, any incident in the region will result in a disadvantage for the instigator of the event," the leader said. The leader stressed the need for solidarity among Islamic countries in view of their existing problems, especially those of the Palestinian people. "Global powers today have stood up against the Islamic world and the American President (George W. Bush) has explicitly announced a Crusade war. "Under these conditions, the Islamic countries have to stand together closer than the past and expand cooperation among themselves," Ayatollah Khamenei said. Any power, wanting to take an action against the Islamic world today, will face towering problems, the leader added. Ayatollah Khamenei further cited enemies' intrigues to scuttle relations between Iran and the littoral states of the Persian Gulf since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, saying, "The sole way to confront these efforts is to increase dialogue and closer contacts." The leader also pointed to numerous historical and cultural commonalties between Iran and Bahrain, and called on the two countries to bolster their ties further. King Hamad echoed Ayatollah Khamenei's warning about looming threats against the Islamic world, saying expansion of ties among littoral states of the Persian Gulf, especially between Iran and Bahrain, will neutralize them. "Bahrain calls for boosting cooperation with the Islamic Republic in all fields and is resolved in this," he said. In a meeting with Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, King Hamad called for refraining from any move which could lead to a war in the region. The Bahraini leader stressed that regional countries should act so that the pretext of a military action against any Islamic country by foreign powers is removed. He criticized the world's prejudicial approach on the Palestinian issue and called solidarity among Muslims as key to confront it. Kharrazi welcomed bolstering political, economic and cultural ties between Tehran and Manama and urged them to strengthen their relations. The two countries' concerns are common, he said and called threats to the 'sensitive region of Persian Gulf' as serious. The Iranian minister further called on Tehran and Manama as well as other members of the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council to coordinate their stances 'in order to neutralize pending threats'. King Hamad arrived here Saturday on a landmark two-day visit at the head of a political and economic delegation. During his stay in Tehran, he discussed issues of mutual interest and trade ties as well as regional and international issues, particularly Iraq and the Middle East in talks with Iranian officials, including President Mohammad Khatami. The two sides also discussed possible ways to reinvigorate bilateral cooperation between the two countries through the joint economic and trade commission which was set up in 1999. The Bahraini king wound up his visit Sunday afternoon and headed home. BH/AH Leader encourages students to acquire science, technology (10.8.2002)Tehran, August 10, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that Iranian youth should uphold the slogan of "we can" in gaining access to science and technology. In a meeting with Iranian students currently studying in Eastern European countries, the Supreme Leader said that a colonialist mentality wanted to dissuade the Iranian youth from learning science in the past, but, they have proved their high talent in acquiring science and technology by scoring top ranks at international level. The Leader said that Iranian youth would be successful in proving their high talent when they respect their national values mainly Islam. Elaborating on the process of scientific progress, The Supreme Leader called for adequate planning by Ministry of Science, Technology and Research along with the ministries working in the field of industries and economy to speed up progress in science and technology. The Leader said that the Islamic Revolution served to promote the Islamic thoughts which always advocated progress of science and technology and called on the students to honor their national identity wherever they are studying. Ayatollah Khamenei said that science and technology should serve national dignity and the Islamic values. SS/RR End |
