April 03

Supreme Leader: Situation in Iraq betrays true nature of American democracy

Tehran, April 30, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that situation in Iraq betrays the true nature of American democracy and British humanitarian slogans. In a meeting with thousands of workers and teachers on the eve the International Labor Day (May Day) and the national Teacher Day (May2), the Supreme Leader said that what is going on in Iraq serves as a lesson for other nations. Referring to Washington's scenario on Iraq's future, the Supreme Leader said that Washington has made it clear that it will not allow establishment of an Islamic government in Iraq even if the Iraq people voted for it. The Supreme Leader criticized actions of the coalition forces in Iraq in attacking homes of Iraqi people and firing at demonstrations as sigh of "the American and British democracy and humanitarian principles" and said that other nations should take lessons from the events in Iraq. He described separation of Saddam Hussein's regime from the Iraqi people as the reason for the current situation in the country and said that the occupiers too don't hear the voice of the people and respond to them with bullets. Therefore, they will face the same fate as Saddam (Hussein) did. The Supreme Leader said that opposition to Iraqi occupation is something normal adding that the occupation forces should not hold Iran responsible for the national protests in Iraq against the occupation. Iran does not encourage the Iraqi people to hold demonstrations, the Supreme Leader said adding that the protests are a spontaneous reaction from the Iraqi nation to the occupation. Elsewhere in his remarks, the Supreme Leader condemned the US commander in Iraq for signing a ceasefire agreement with the terrorist Mujahedeen Khalq Organization (MKO) and allowing them to keep arms for sabotage against Iran and said that the move revealed to what extent the United States has been sincere in the international campaign against terrorism. "The hands of the terrorist MKO is stained with bloods of the Iranian and Iraqi Shias and they are proud of their terrorist record. So, the United States supports such a terrorist group, despite the international campaign against terrorism," the Supreme Leader said. On Labor Day, the Supreme Leader said that the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) as the greatest teacher of humanity, kissed the hands of workers which is an indication of status and value of laborers and teachers before God and Islam. It is the responsibility of all officials to meet financial demands of laborers, teachers as well as various people from all walks of life adding that more concrete measures should be taken in this regard. Economic improvident is the key to the problems of all laborers, teachers and people, said the Supreme leader adding that control of inflation, boosting national currency, preventing unnecessary expenses, administering justice and removal of discrimination can help improve people's living conditions. Calling for avoiding slogans which may harm the dignity of laborers and teachers in society, he said the financial problems should be removed but one should not forget that the dignity of these social classes are among the most important issues which should be taken into consideration by Iranian officials. The Supreme Leader called on people from all walks of life along with the country's officials to help attain dignity, welfare and civilization to encourage Islamic nations to proudly pursue the same pattern. Prior to the Supreme Leader's remarks, Education Minister Morteza Haji and Minister of Labor Safdar Husseini offered reports on the performance of their ministries. MM/RR End

Excerpt from his speech

Supreme Leader calls on city, village councils to serve people

Tehran, April 26, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution

Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Saturday advised members of the Islamic city and village councils to provide the nation with sincere services. The Supreme Leader made his guidelines in a message to the meeting of the members of the Islamic city and village councils, which was read out by Head of the Leader's Office, Hojatoleslam Mohammadi Golpayegani. Solving the existing problems in cities and villages, improvement of the environment, facilitating the people's living, giving priorities to the poorer areas, respecting the city and village laws and regulations and preserving the Islamic and national principles in buildings construction were among the Supreme Leader's guidelines to the members of the Islamic city and village councils. Ayatollah Khamenei, in his message, called on members of the city and village councils to shoulder their heavy responsibility and to fulfill their commitments particularly in selecting desired mayors for their towns and cities.

Supreme Leader appreciates SIO performance

Tehran, April 21, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution

Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Monday that all institutions should observe the necessity of inspection by the specialized agency, the State Inspectorate Organization (SIO). In a meeting with officials of the State Inspectorate Organization, the Supreme Leader recommended the body to provide guidance and expert views to the different institutions, helping them know their weak and strong points in running the affairs and throwing light on any possible violation. "The government, the parliament and the Judiciary should regard the Inspectorate Organization as a blessing and helpful, so the top officials are expected to follow up the regular reports the Inspectorate Organization offers to them," the Supreme Leader said. The Supreme Leader appreciated the methodology of the Inspectorate Organization and said that the specialized agency will never weaken the administrative system or cast doubt on the performance of any institution. The Leader said that the Inspectorate Organization should also encourage the positive performance of the institutions by publicizing their services. The Supreme Leader advised the body not to go on extremes in fighting corruption, adding that giving a dark perspective of the administrative system is not right. But, the people should reach the point that the system confronts any corruption. Elsewhere in his guidelines, the Supreme Leader said that the Islamic Republic will never allow any corruption by the officials and said the entire system fights infiltration of corruption into the administration. Prior to the Supreme Leader's remarks, Head of the State Inspectorate Organization, Ibrahim Raisi, delivered a report on the SIO performance. Raisi said that the SIO takes advantage of the expert views and documents its reports on the facts and never does a work to weaken the administration. He said the SIO helps different institutions boost efficiency and render more services to the public.

Supreme Leader: IRIB should work in line with public demand

Tehran, April 19, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution

Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that the Islamic Republic of Iran's Broadcasting (IRIB) should work in line with the demands of people. In a meeting with the IRIB Supervisory Board, the Supreme Leader said that the Islamic Republic of Iran takes into account the demands of the people and recommended that the IRIB should appreciate the agenda of the government system in its different programs. The Leader said that groups of people are working hard in different parts of the IRIB have goodwill, adding that IRIB policy making body should promote the policy of the Islamic Republic which always respects the people's votes and views. The Supreme Leader underscored the impact of the IRIB programs on public culture and said that the IRIB officials in charge of cultural affairs and arts should help remove certain shortages in those fields. Prior to the Supreme Leader's remarks, Head of IRIB Supervisory Board Akbar A'lami said that the agenda of the Board is encouraging the IRIB to observe impartiality in the political spectrum of the country and prefer public interest in its policy making. A'lami appreciated the IRIB chief Ali Larijani's cooperation with the Supervisory Board and hoped that the Board would successfully monitor the IRIB performance and finance. SS/RR End

Supreme Leader: Iranian Army viewed as one of the most formidable

Tehran, April 16, IRNA -- The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei here on Wednesday stressed that the Iranian Army is viewed as one of the most formidable in the world because of the commitment to spiritual values, faith in God and spirit of devotion and solidarity of its members. Addressing a group of Army commanders and units on the occasion of Army Day, the Supreme Leader said the Iranian Army's faith in God and confidence in its forces and commitment to defending the nation and the country made it victorious in the 1980-88 Iraqi-imposed war. As to the "unwritten and unprecedented coalition" of world powers to give political, economic, information and military support to the Baathist regime of Iraq during the eight-year Iraqi-imposed war, he stressed that during the war of unequals the military forces, the Islamic Revolution's Guard Corps (IRGC) and the voluntary forces (Basij) inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. They thwarted every single objective of the West-East coalition against the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed. However, the little resistance offered by the Iraqi Army, the Iraqi elite Republican Guards in particular, against the enemy in the current war embarrassed entire humanity, the Supreme Leader regretted. Although the Iraqi Army has the sophisticated weapons to fight, it lacked the forces determined and committed to the responsibility of defending their homeland and people, he said, adding that in the end they had to surrender their land to a foreign enemy. Ayatollah Khamenei concluded by praising the support of the Iranian nation for the country's armed forces. Prior to the Supreme Leader's speech, Army Chief Major General Mohammad Salimi presented a report on the activities of the armed forces.

Message to the people of Iraq

April 13

In a message to the people of Iraq Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamene'i said that the current duties of the Muslim people of Iraq is to: maintain law and order; show affection and fraternity; and be vigilant and alert in order to not to give an excuse to enemies and attackers. He stressed that the people of Iraq, with the participation of compassionate and pious people and the cooperation of ulema, religious scholars and others, and by taking the pivotal role of mosques into account, should bring an end to disorder, aggression, acts of murder and the plundering of public and private properties. The text of the message:

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

Bothers, sisters and the suffering people of Iraq. I am intensely aggrieved and saddened by the calamitous incidents and the heart-rendering sufferings that you, the brave people of Iraq, are facing now. I extend my condolences to all people of Iraq, especially those who lost members of their families, and pray to God Almighty to bestow on you patience, honour and greatness under the shadow of Islam.

In addition to these problems and regretful incidents, items of news about anarchy and other painful tragedies, including looting and acts of murder in some regions, which are very disappointing and contrary to expectations, have made me sad. All brave and pious people of Iraq should know that actions against the people and their properties, especially under these conditions, are strongly forbidden.

Under the present condition, it is the Islamic duty of all people, including Shi'is and Sunnis, to be alert and vigilant and not provide excuses to enemies and attackers. By observing law and order and showing kindness and fraternity, all people should take steps to help wounded and needy people and organize people-oriented committees in order to assist the wounded people and those who have suffered.

Extending respect to religious scholars and maraje, damat barakatehum, is wajib. With the participation of compassionate and pious people and the cooperation of ulema, religious scholars and others and by taking into account the pivotal role of mosques, anarchy and acts of murder and the looting of public and private properties should come to an end and a clam atmosphere should be created for all citizens so that the strong and brave nation of Iraq, under the shadow of solidarity and togetherness, can show its capabilities and alertness, and restore the genuine Islamic culture and its lofty place, and in doing so, please the God Almighty. I wish prosperity and victory for Islam and Muslims.

Sayyed Ali Hussaini Khamene'i

10 Safar 1424 [13 April 2003]

Supreme leader says Iran happy about ouster of Saddam

read also the speech

Tehran, April 11, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei here on Friday said Iranians, like the Iraqis, are happy to see Saddam Hussein ousted, but they strongly condemn the killing of Iraqi civilians by the US-British troops. Ayatollah Khamenei, addressing thousands of worshipers at Tehran weekly Friday prayers, said Iran's position was like that of the Iraqi people, and that the ouster of Saddam, as a most evil dictator, had been good news for the Islamic Republic. "We never helped either of the tyrants, and we are very happy that Saddam is toppled ... We were neutral during the crisis, as were the Iraqi people, and are happy as are the Iraqi nation," he told the worshipers at Tehran University compound. Ayatollah Khamenei also strongly condemned the killing of Iraqi civilians by US-British troops, stressing that the world would never forget such atrocities. He said the Islamic Republic sympathizes with the Iraqi nation for US crimes, adding that the US and Britain had violated the very basic right of the Iraqi people to live by attacking civilians. Ayatollah Khamenei criticized US plans to install a military government in Iraq, stressing that Iran considered those plans as an aggression against the dignity of Islam and the Muslim world. He also called the US-British ambitious plans to share Iraq's resources as a big mistake and a reactionary step toward the early decades of colonialism. Ayatollah Khamenei said that these decisions show the invaders are not aware of the dictates of time and situation, and underscore the need that a future Iraqi government should be democratically elected with no reliance on the outsiders. He further stressed that Iran is still suspicious about the developments that led to Saddam's fall, and that doubts over Saddam's fate still hang heavy question marks over the true nature of those developments. Elsewhere in his remarks, the supreme leader lashed out at the UN for failing to carry out its duties regarding the Iraqi crisis, stressing that the UN and its Secretary General Kofi Annan should have taken more serious measures to stop the war. "Why did the Security Council not condemn the US attack against Iraq? Why did they refuse to issue a resolution against the US and Britain? Why didn't they call the General Assembly to condemn the US-British campaign against Iraq?," he asked. "Suppose the US and Britain vetoed that resolution. Well, let them do it. Issuing a resolution in itself could have been a move against the war. But why didn't they take that move?" The supreme leader further said Britain had made a big mistake to join the US in attacking Iraq, stressing that the British Prime Minister Tony Blair had once again unveiled the ugly face of Britain to the world in the Iraqi crisis. He said Iran's position regarding the US-British campaign against Iraq is still unchanged, stressing that the Islamic Republic condemns the war on Iraq -- what he said had been an unprecedented move in international relations. The supreme leader of the Islamic Revolution cautioned that the US leaders will soon notice how their rhetoric to champion democracy regarding the Iraqi crisis will be frustrated. "If they are right in their claim that their campaign against Saddam was meant to establish democracy in Iraq, why don't they leave the country now that the dictator is toppled?," he asked. "If they ever believe in the principles of democracy and the rights of nations, they should immediately withdraw troops from Iraq and refuse to interfere in its affairs." Ayatollah Khamenei further said the Zionists had the largest share in fomenting the Iraqi crisis, stressing that this was part of their efforts to expand the Israeli territory in the Middle East -- as prophesied in the "road map" to peace of US President George W. Bush. He said the Zionists had benefited the most from the Iraqi crisis, stressing that they are continuing their atrocities against Palestinians in light of the US-British campaign against Iraq. Ayatollah Khamenei called on the Iraqi political activists not to make a strategic mistake by becoming carried away nor deterred over the US victory of US troops over the Baathists. He urged the Iraqi activists to address chaos in Iraq and stop efforts to gain scores in the country, warning also that any step on their part to help foreign dominance over Iraq would be registered as a disgrace to the nation in Iraq's history.

2nd News about that Tehran Friday prayer sermons

5:23:11 PM Tehran (IRIB) April 11- Islamic Republic Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says just like the Iraqis, Iranians are happy with the collapse of the regime of Saddam in Iraq but that the Iranain people strongly condemn occupation, aggression, commission of crimes and installation of an American proxy ruler, and believe Iraqi right to self-determination should be preserved. The leader made the comment during Friday prayer sermons on Tehran University Campus earlier today. Referring to the exceptional situation in Iraq, Ayatollah Khamenei said there are 4 different issues associated with the Iraqi situation, namely: the collapse of Saddam's rule, crimes committed against the Iraqi people, the US-UK invasion of a sovereign state, and Iraq's future. As for each of all these, the leader said, Tehran adopted a transparent stance which drew on Islamic thoughts and national interests. Ayatollah Khamenei described as "ridiculous" claims by Bush and Blair that the Anglo-American forces are in Iraq to liberate Iraqis, asking do you rain down fire, bomb, and missiles on a nation, to liberate them? Recalling the happiness of Iranian people and officials about the collapse of the rule of a tyrant dictator in Iraq, the leader said the Baath rule in Iraq was one of the most bitter in that country in the past century, adding the interests of the US were compatible with those of Saddam before Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, particularly during the Iraqi-imposed war on Iran, but when Saddam invaded Kuwait, American interests bagan to jar with those of Iraq, beacuse the US didn't want to let go of its control over Persian Gulf governments. The Leader further said Iraqis are elated now that Saddam is gone, but adopted a neutral line in the war between Saddam and the US, just like the stance of the Iranain people and government. The leader added Iranian officials did their best in the course of war not to let anyone help theparties to the conflict. The fact that the Iraqi people remained neutral in the war, stemmed from the arrogant and insulting attitude of the Iraqi regime, the leader said adding, anywhere there is a rift between people and officials, the case will be the same. The second question is the humanitarian catastrophe of the war, the leader said. On the claims by Washington and London that they support human rights, Ayatollah Khamenei said, the crimes committed in Iraq, are entrenched in human thoughts and conscience and will never be forgotten, just like the atrocities of former powers which will remain in memories for good. Ayatollah Khamenei stated extensive bombardment of cities, massacre of Iraqis, and insulting behavior of invading forces give lie to American and British claims that they support human rights and freedom, adding Iranians condemned such measures from the very beginning, and sympathized with the Iraqi people. Military invasion of an Islamic country under the pretext of finding weapons of mass destruction, constitues the third and ugliest aspect of the war, the leader said adding the international community as a whole condemned this military aggression, and that the widespread rallies in opposition to war showed that global conscience is still awake. The US demonstrated its opposition to humanity and global stability by invading Iraq, the leader said, adding this aggression proved that America is the substantive axis of evil or as the late Imam Khomeini put it is the Great Satan. Ayatollah Khamenei described Britain's cooperation with the US in the war on Iraq as "a grave mistake" and said the British prime minister re-exposed the ugly colonialist face of Britain in the region, which was about to be forgotten. The fourth issue, the leader said, is US efforts for future domination over Iraq, adding neither the Iraqi nation nor Iranians, nor the International Community will accept appointment of a US general to rule Iraq. The leader described the US plan to install a retired general with links to Zionists in Iraq as one which puts back the world on course to the first era of colonialism and absolute reactionary doctrine, saying the colonialists have used various methods to consolidate their domination over other nations. Ayatollah Khamenei added installation of a military ruler, which is a highly insulting act stemming from arrogance, belongs to several centuries ago, will meet with worldwide reaction. As for the future of Iraq, the leader said, the Iraqi nation which has just shaken off Saddam's dictatorship will not get a long with the dictatorship of an American, which is even worse and amounts to violation of the boundaries of Islam and Muslims. Ayatollah Khamenei underlined day to day administration of Iraq should be handled by an individual who is elected by the Iraqi people and is not affiliated to the aggressive powers. The leader further said a military victory which is shrouded in doubts and questions is not final and reliable, adding Americans suffered a strong blow when it came to slogans of freedom and democracy. Ayatollah Khamenei added the liberal democracy gives the go ahead to invade other countries and trample the rights of nations. Referring to the role Zionists played in paving the way for the war in Iraq, the Leader said Zionists reaped much benefit in the US war against Iraq. He added the new geopolitics of the Middle East which Bush presses for, will expand the political, economic and even the geographical powers of Zionists in the region. The leader went on to say that Zionists will misuse the Iraqi issue to carry on with their bloody crackdown on Palestinians. The Islamic Revolution Leader underlined, now the Iraqi political groups and activists are put to a historic test and need to avoid strategic mistakes. The leader said political groups and activists should take maximum care not to fall into anarchy and wrongful revenge and not set the stage for a longer stay in Iraq of invaders. Ayatollah Khamenei said cooperation between Iraqi political groups and activists on the one side and foreigners on the other will prove wrong, adding offering help to invaders will leave a black mark on the Iraqi history. The leader stressed that the Iraqi public call for independence, freedom and a government based on national and religious foundations. Ayatollah Khamenei concluded those who have been speaking on behalf of the Iraqi people now should remain faithful to Iraqis and their ideals and stay out of deals with foreign powers.