Alwaght- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the current global situation calls for both missiles and negotiations.
The Leader made the remarks in Tehran on Wednesday during a meeting with a group of eulogizers on the birth occasion of Hadhrat Fatimah Zahra (SA), the daughter of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), said bringing up practical issues about the life of the Prophet's Household is instrumental in increasing the depth and influence of eulogies.
Highlighting the enemy's persistent use of all tools for countering the Iranian nation and the Islamic establishment, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "In the present and future complicated world, we have to take advantage of all political, economic, social and defense tools to strengthen Iran's position."
Noting that the enemies of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution are resorting to all clapped-out and advanced tools in their hostility with Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "They take advantage of 'dialogue, economic transactions, sanctions, military threat and any other means' to push ahead with their objectives, and we should also have the capacity for confrontation and defense in all these areas."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution pointed out military strength as the main means of bullying against the Iranian nation by the arrogant powers. Ayatollah Khamenei then went on to pose a fundamental question, asking: "In this jungle-style circumstances in the world, if the Islamic Republic merely goes after negotiations and economic exchange and even science and technology without having defense capacity, will even small governments not allow themselves to threaten the Iranian nation?"
Ayatollah Khamenei strongly criticized those who describe the future times and the future world as the world of negotiations and not that of missiles, saying: "[Our] times are times for everything; otherwise, the nation will see its rights trampled on easily and overtly."
"If this claim has been made due to lack of knowledge it is one thing, but if it arises from knowledge, it would amount to treason," added the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned the display of advanced and precision-guided missiles developed by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a source of happiness for those nations that have been wronged by the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel, and are at the same time unable to do anything about it.
"The enemies are constantly upgrading their military and missile capacity. Under such circumstances, how can we say that the time is gone for missiles?" asked the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Ayatollah Khamenei drew a parallel between this rhetoric and the remarks made by some officials in the post-revolutionary interim government, who said that Iran had better give back the F-14 fighter jets it had bought from the United States because “they are of no use to Iran.”
"At that time, we stood firm and we made revelations [in this regard] and a while later, when [the former Iraqi dictator] Saddam [Hussein] invaded Iran, it became clear to what extent we needed these defense tools," said the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated his approval of diplomacy and political negotiations as a tool, except in a few exceptional cases, saying: "Publicity should not be made in such a way that as if we are opposed to talks. We say that we should negotiate strongly and with vigilance so that we would not be deceived."
Regarding the Economy of Resistance, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "Repetition of words and slogans becomes boring. Therefore, it is time for 'practical steps and action' to improve the country's economic conditions and people's livelihood."
"Of course, for 37 years, in parallel with different conspiracies, enemies have been speaking about the impossibility of the survival of the Islamic establishment, but the elected establishment of the Iranian nation has grown from the nascent sapling it was at the outset of the [Islamic] revolution to become a towering and evergreen tree, and this reality shows that the Islamic establishment has enough potential to grow, prosper and become stronger and this will be seen more and more with every passing day," said Ayatollah Khamenei.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described future outlook of the country as brilliant and joy-inspiring, while giving recommendations to eulogizers and cantors by saying: "Through [reciting] substantive poems and artistic performances, turn your audience into hopeful, industrious and effective people, while considering guiding people and awakening and boosting their insight as your most significant task."
