Alwaght-Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says participation at Friday's nationwide elections will counter the spiteful objectives of enemies.
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Revolution made the remarks in Tehran during a meeting with thousands of people from the central city of Najafabad on Wednesday. The leader elucidated on two terms “moderate and hard-line,” and invited all Iranian people, officials and politicians in particular, to be vigilant vis-à-vis the enemy’s tactic for creating false and insinuated bipolarization in the election atmosphere.
Describing elections as an “arena for the nation to hold its head high” and a manifestation of national loyalty and resistance, and support for the country’s dignity and independence, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: “All those who are interested in the dignity of the Islamic Iran must participate in Friday elections and the world will see on Esfand 7 (February 26) how eagerly people of Iran will go to the ballot boxes.”
Ayatollah Khamenei also commemorated the period marking the anniversary of Hadhrat Fatima Zahra (SA)’s martyrdom and touched on the two important elections planned to be held on Friday for the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) and the Assembly of Experts, saying: “The significance of the very principle of elections in the country is not simply due to casting ballots, but elections mean [an opportunity for] Iranian nation to swell out its chest and put itself forward in the face of the enemy after [all] kinds of pressures and unjust sanctions and sinister propaganda [been used against it].”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described the massive turnout of people in the elections as a cause of renewed awesomeness and grandeur for the Islamic Revolution in the world, adding: “In addition to showing ‘national strength and determination and steadfastness, elections will also show loyalty, courage and bravery of a great nation in the battle [waged] to counter the spiteful objectives [of enemies].”
After elucidating the significance of the massive presence of eligible voters in elections, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution touched on the enemy’s tactics over the past 37 years during different elections, saying: “‘Negating elections in Iran and describing [them] as a lie’, ‘[making] efforts for a low-profile presence and low turnout of people in elections’ and ‘creating the impression of futility of presence in elections because of their foregone conclusion’ were among the propaganda [tactics used] by ill-wishers to undermine people’s presence in the elections in past years, and even in certain periods, American officials overtly took position [on elections in Iran].”
Laying emphasis on the point that the Americans have learned based on past experience that taking overt position on elections in Iran will backfire, Ayatollah Khamenei added: “On this basis, the Americans have remained silent on these elections, but their agents and mercenaries are implementing a new tactic through different methods.”
Outlining this new tactic, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “The ill-wishers of the Iranian nation have turned to creating ‘fabricated bipolarization’ for these elections in a bid to create the impression of division among people.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the point that the nature of elections, like any other race, enshrines vibrancy and joy and outperformance and underperformance among political factions, noting: “This outperformance or underperformance in elections does not mean bipolarization of the nation and creation of division in the society, and [does not also signal existence of] enmity and hostility among people, and [this is why] insinuating the existence of such a bipolarization in Iran is a lie.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said the real bipolarization is to choose between “those loyal to the Islamic Revolution and the principles of [the late] Imam [Khomeini]” and the “Arrogant Front and its like-minded,” adding: “Of course, in this bipolarization, the majority of the Iranian nation is ‘revolutionary and interested in the Revolution and loyal to the Imam and his thoughts and principles’.”
“The main source of fabricated bipolarizations is outside the country, but unfortunately they are sometimes repeated inside the country as well,” said the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Ayatollah Khamenei said bipolarizing the parliament as “pro-administration Majlis” and “anti-administration Majlis” was one of fabricated bipolarizations in the run-up to elections, adding: “Those who have devised this bipolarization are trying to create the impression that a segment of the Iranian people favor pro-administration Majlis and another segment is opposed to pro-administration Majlis, while the Iranian nation wants neither a pro-administration Majlis nor an anti-administration one.”
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: “The Iranian nation wants a Majlis to be ‘religious, ‘committed’, ‘courageous’, ‘un-deceivable’, ‘resistant against excessive demands and covetousness of the arrogance’, ‘defender of national dignity and independence’, ‘really interested in the country’s progress’ , ‘believing in the scientific drive of young talents’, ‘believing in the endogenous economy’, ‘familiar with people’s suffering and ‘determined to resolve the people’s problems’ and, in addition, not to be in awe of America and fulfill its legal duties.”
“Iranian people from all walks of life are looking for such a Majlis and not a Majlis supporting such or such person,” said the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Ayatollah Khamenei went on to highlight the US plots for the period that follows the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which is the official title of Iran’s nuclear agreement with six world powers, noting: “After [the implementation of] JCPOA, the Americans had a scheme for Iran and another scheme for the region and they are still following up on them because they know quite well which country is standing firm against their filthy goals in the region.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said the Americans’ strategy for realizing their scheme in Iran is to recruit infiltrators, adding: “Since the issue of infiltration and the necessity of vigilance against infiltrators was brought up, certain people inside [the country] became angry over why there is constantly talk of infiltration, but this anger is inappropriate and out of place.”
“The issue of infiltration and infiltrator is real, but sometimes, the infiltrator may not know on which path he is moving,” noted the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Highlighting remarks by the vigilant and experienced Imam Khomeini on the point that the enemy’s words may sometimes be heard from different people via several intermediaries, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: “This justified person has not been paid nor has he given any promise [to enemies], but unwittingly he repeats the enemy’s words and in fact he has sort of paved the way for infiltration.”
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to instances of infiltration, in which the infiltrators have been unaware, saying: “In the previous years, in the open session of Majlis, one of the MPs, by repeating the enemy’s rhetoric, accused the Islamic [Republic] establishment of lying.”
Citing another case, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: “During the period in which our country’s nuclear negotiating team was engaged in tough talks and was in fact struggling with the opposite site and the respected incumbent president was serving as the head of the negotiating team, a group submitted a triple-urgency bill to the Majlis, which was in fact the endorsement of the rhetoric of our opposite side in the negotiations, and the respected current president was critical of the bill at that time and said this bill is in the enemy’s interest.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution called on all people, particularly officials and politicians, to be aware and vigilant vis-à-vis the enemy’s infiltration and noted: “The precondition for such vigilance is that if the enemy praises a given group or individual with the objective of causing division among people, there must be immediate resentment and taking of position against it.”
Reminding the late Imam Khomeini’s remarks that “if the enemy praises you, doubt your behavior and activities,” Ayatollah Khamenei said: “This remark is the ‘instruction of the Revolution’, [and] therefore one should quickly take position against a foreigner’s praise and not be afflicted with negligence.”
“The requisite for administering such a vast country and running affairs of such great and brave people is ‘vigilance, open eyes and firm determination’ vis-à-vis the enemy,” said the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Ayatollah Khamenei also recommended officials and politicians to avoid repeating the political literature of the enemy, particularly using “radical” and “moderate” descriptions, and added: “Since the beginning of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, ill-wishers have been using this description, and by radical, they mean those who are more loyal to and determined about the Islamic Revolution and the thoughts and principles of the Imam, and by moderate they mean those who are submissive and more prone to compromise vis-à-vis foreigners.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Those inside the country who are using these descriptions must carefully study Islamic teachings because in Islam, there is no such division, and moderation means ‘direct path. Therefore, what is opposite to the moderate path is not radicalism, but deviants from the direct path.”
“On the direct line, some people may go faster and some more slowly. That’s OK,” added the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out: “In the foreign political literature, Daesh is also described as radical while Daesh has deviated from Islam, the Quran and the direct path.”
Wrapping up this part of his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Those outside the borders who are using radical description are referring to the current that is faithful to the revolution and the devotees [of the Islamic establishment]. Therefore inside the country everyone must be careful so that by repeating these descriptions, the enemy’s objective would not be served.”
Referring to the Americans’ acknowledgement that in Iran there is no moderate, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution noted: “The majority of the Iranian nation supports the revolution and insists on the [principles enshrined by the] revolution. Of course there might sometimes be mistake and slip, but nobody in the Iranian nation favors dependence on them.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution underscored the significance of how to “elect,” and told people: “The outcome of your choice in these elections, whether good or bad choice, will come back to you. Therefore, efforts must be made to go for the right choice.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said Almighty God’s satisfaction or dissatisfaction is another outcome of the quality of election, adding: “There must be efforts so that election would be carried out with care and insight and [on the basis of] correct knowledge.”
“For choosing representatives of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Assembly of Experts, make sure about the faithfulness, commitment, loyalty to revolution, steadfastness on the path of the revolution, not being in awe of the enemy, and the determination and courage of hopefuls, and then vote,” said the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
“Even if you do not know some of these people don’t say that ‘I don’t vote’ and instead consult those about whose religious faith, commitment and insight you are sure,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
Stressing that on this route, the path, the objective and the duty and obligation are all clear, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: “If this big job is done correctly, then God will definitely help and the result of the election, whatever it is, will be in the interest of the country.”
“I firmly believe that despite all efforts by ill-wishers, God will bestow the final victory on the Iranian nation and with God’s Grace the enemy will not be able to harm this Revolution and the Islamic [Republic] establishment,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
In another part of his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution praised the faith, honesty, loyalty and steadfastness of the people of Najafabad on the path of the Islamic Revolution and said: “During the Islamic movement, the people of Najafabad demonstrated their fervor as well as high intellect and understanding in support of the struggles, and after the victory of the Islamic Revolution as well, they proved their valor, zeal, steadfastness and efficiency at different junctures particularly during the Sacred Defense (reference to Iraq-Iran war from 1980 to 1988).
