Friday, 30 November 2007
IRIB - Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in
Tehran on Thursday underlined the need for seminaries to undergo reforms.
In a meeting with a group of Qom, Mashhad and Isfahan seminary instructors,
researchers and preachers, Ayatollah Khamenei also called on the
theological centers to consider importance of foresightedness, reforms
management, textbook revision, free debate and adoption of policies in
tune with their needs.
The Supreme Leader stressed: "Considering the heavy duty that
seminaries and seminarians are shouldering vis-a-vis public faith,
foresightedness gets double importance. Change in seminaries is inevitable.
Negligence of reforms would be tantamount to elimination and isolation.
Therefore, one should admit reforms and guide it into its right direction."
The grand Ayatollah then highlighted importance of proper management of
reforms.
The Supreme Leader urged seminaries to have an informed planning
council to use sophisticated and scientific methods to make necessary
plans.
In the four-hour meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei also called for formation
of scientific teams at seminaries to deal with different branches of
science.
The group of 17 seminary scholars had prior to the Supreme Leader's
speech briefed him on their activities and function.
27.12.2007
The Islamic Revolution Leader, Ayatollah sayed Ali Khamenei in a
Tuesday meeting with the visiting Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa
and his accompanying delegation pointed to the history of the two
countries' relations and stressed on necessity for expansion of bilateral
economic, political and cultural ties.
"The Asia continent has a proper capacity for development of
cooperation among its countries to which less attention was paid. It is
necessary for the regional states to take effective steps in this regard,"
the Islamic Revolution Leader said.
Ayatollah Khamenei hailed the policy of the Sri Lankan active
government in helping the country's Muslims, adding that "Fortunately, the
Sri Lankan statemen have good behaviour towards the Muslims in the country
and we appreciate this approach."
Pointing to the Sri lankan government's positive move in supporting the
Palestinian people, Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated that "the supporters of
Zionists have adopted many measures to trample on the rights of the
Palestinian people and holding Annapolis confab is an example of that but
the world's pure consciences and freedom-lovers stand by the Palestinian
people and support them."
During the meeting, also attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the
Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa described the two sides'
negotiations and agreements as successful.
"Iran and Sri Lanka enjoy ancient relations and the two countries have
designed several projects and implemented them until now," Sri Lankan
President said.
Pointing to terrorism as a problem of his country in recent years,
Rajapaksa added that "Terrorists seek to divide the country into two parts
but we succeded in cleaning them up and now we endeavor to bring progress
to different paets of the country.
The Sri Lankan President pointed out that his country has established a
committe to voice solidarity with the Palestinian nation, adding that "We
condemn the Zionist agressions and support formation of independent
Palestinian government
26.11.2007
Over 8 million members of the Iranian Basij Organization, accredited to
the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) staged a nationwide drill
Monday in preparation against any threat from outside.
The centerpiece of the national drill came in the capital Tehran where
a special official event was held in the presence of the Islamic
Revolution Leader Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei.
The Iranian national anthem was played out simultaneously in 400 cities
across Iran where Basij forces were standing in lines before launching
their drill.
In Tehran, the anthem was played as the Islamic Revolution Leader
arrived in the drill ground, kilometers outside the Capital Tehran.
Ayatollah Khamenei then walked to the Martyrs Memorial put up in the
premises of the drill ground to pay homage and recite the first chapter of
the Holy Koran in their commemoration.
The IR Leader then prayed for the souls of the martyrs of the faithful
Iranian nation whose valiant struggle against the invading forces of
Saddam Hussein decades ago (1980-88) carved an epic in the Iranian history.
The Commander-in-Chief then inspected a guard of honor along a route
one-kilometer-long on whose side the platoons of the Basij forces were
standing in line.
Ayatollah Khamenei then took the viewing stand and delivered a speech
which was broadcast live on the national radio and TV.
Ayatollah Khamenei appreciated the entity of Basij as a Divine
incarnation the same way as the Islamic Revolution was.
"The Basij carries the same features as the auspicious revolution of
the Iranian nation. They are its popular base, its religious profoundness,
it banking on faith and spirituality, it standing by every national sphere
as well as its resolute mood. On the same account, Basij will live an
effective life for ever," Ayatollah Khamenei said.
Ayatollah Khamenei commended the Basij as an essential phenomenon,
arguing that any country would sort of command force of resistance however
the Iranian Basij has a distinctive nature.
The Commander-in-Chief recalled the miraculous emergence of the Basij
in time of the imposed war (1980-88) "where all the current world
superpowers were behind the invading Saddam regime however the faithful
Iranian youths, formed the Basij and carried out the most complicate
military tactics ever in an asymmetric war which led to the miracles of
Fath-ul Mobin and Beit ul-Moqaddas," the titles of two landmark military
operations conducted then.
Concerning the popular base of the organization of the Basij, Ayatollah
Khamenei said that the members of the organization produced many
achievements during the Sacred Defense, a national title to describe the
Imposed War because of the epic resistance the Iranian forces showed.
"At present and in future too as soon as the country stands in need of
any defensive assistance, the Basij would be in the forefront," Ayatollah
Khamenei said, adding however that the concept of the Basij goes beyond
wartime concerns also covering other national affairs.
"In matters of precision, including nuclear technology and stem cell
researches too the faithful and innovative Basij youths are at work. All
these popular folds are actually representing the Basij, wherever
operating," Ayatollah Khamenei added.
The IR Leader described the Basij as faith-grown the same was as the
Islamic Revolution was, adding that the entity was fed in heart by the
Islamic teachings to the amount it could portray the devotion of the
founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini the departed.
Also lauded by the IR Leader was the resolute mood of the force against
any kind of political, economic or military pressure.
"Basij will never surrender to bullies and blackmail. Even it will not
go back by a step," Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding that the perseverance
has proved encouraging to the global Islamic community.
"The enemies would rather admit to their failure in the face of the
vivacious, resolute Iranian nation," Ayatollah Khamenei urged.
The IR Leader expressed hope the day comes when the organization would
extend its umbrella over all the member of the society and prayed to God
for fulfillment.
In a different regard, Ayatollah Khamenei raised the issue of the
Tuesday US-organized confab to discuss the Palestinian crisis, describing
the confab as a failure in advance.
"The fall conference, also depicted by name, is falling and standing to
fail. However, the Americans try to push through it an agenda to make up
in part for the defeats of the fake, usurper Zionist regimes," Ayatollah
Khamenei observed, adding "the alert Palestinian nation, intertwined with
the alert Islamic Community will avert the malicious intentions the
American government pursues through the confab
Islamic solidarity,
paramount feature of Hajj pilgrimage
Tehran, Nov 14, IRNA
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei
said on Wednesday that Islamic solidarity is the paramount feature of Hajj
pilgrimage.
In a meeting with executives of Hajj pilgrimage in charge of cultural
affairs, the Supreme Leader said the Muslim World is in dire need of
solidarity.
"Both the host country and pilgrims from different Islamic states are
expected to foster friendship and solidarity during the auspicious Hajj
occasion. They are required to thwart any dispute," the Supreme Leader
said.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that Hajj pilgrimage is a blessing from God and
a unique opportunity for the Muslims to get acquainted with ideas of one
another to examine problems of the Muslims worldwide and exchange views on
them.
The Supreme Leader recalled the enemies conspiracy to sow discord among
Muslims and said the Islamic Republic extended the highest support for
Sunni Muslims of Palestine and made efforts to bring up solidarity between
Shia and Sunni Muslims in Iraq.
Ayatollah Khamenei urged the Iranian pilgrims to observe the
requirement for Muslim unity and said stirring up religious sentiments to
cause disunity is a sin and a service to US and Israeli intelligence
agencies.
