On August 17, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iran will continue to oppose U.S. policies in the region and resist U.S. influence. “They [Americans] thought this [nuclear] deal - and it is not clear if it will be passed in Iran or in America - will open up Iran to their influence,” he told members of the Ahl ul Bayt World Assembly, a non-governmental organization that promotes unity among Muslims, and the Islamic Radios and Televisions Union (IRTVU). “We won't allow American political, economic or cultural influence in Iran,” Khamenei vowed. The following are excerpts from his speech posted on his official Twitter account and website.
The United States and the West
“The United States is seeking [long-term] infiltration in the region for tens of years in order to regain its lost credit.”
“The hegemonic system’s plan for the region is based on the two pillars of division and infiltration, which should be fought against vigilantly and incessantly through correct aggressive and defensive plans.”
“Struggling on the path of God is not limited to military war, but it also includes cultural, economic and political struggle.”
“Although the arrogant powers’ plots in the Islamic region have a long record, pressures and conspiracies intensified in the wake of the [1979] Islamic Revolution in Iran so that this experience would not be repeated in other countries.”
“Since 35 years ago, the Islamic Republic’s Establishment has always been targeted by threats, sanctions, security pressures and a variety of political conspiracies and the Iranian nation is accustomed to these pressures.”
“Of course, the enemies’ conspiracies in West Asia region have been intensified due to the enemy’s panic in the aftermath of the Islamic Awakening movement which started in North Africa a few years ago.”
“They believe that they have managed to quell the Islamic Awakening movement, but this movement is not suppressible and is racing ahead and it will show its reality sooner or later.”
“The US is fully devoid of human ethics and embarks on wickedness and crime with no bridle and under the guise of attractive words and smiles.”
“Creating killer, insolent and tyrant Takfiri groups, which Americans have admitted to their role in creating them, is the most important tool for stoking seemingly religious divisions among nations, which unfortunately, some naïve Muslims have been fooled by this conspiracy and plot due to their lack of insight and they have been embroiled in the enemy’s plot.”
Syria, Yemen and the Region
“When the despotic regimes were toppled in Tunisia and Egypt by Islamic slogans, the Americans and Zionists decided to use this formula to devastate resistant countries and that is why they turned to Syria.”
“After the beginning of the issue of Syria, a group of Muslims who lacked insight were dragged into the aforesaid plot and by completing the enemy’s puzzle, drove Syria into its present conditions.”
“What is happening today in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other regions, and efforts are underway to describe it as sectarian war, does by no means constitute a sectarian war, but is a political war. Today, the most important task is to make efforts to do away with these differences.”
“We have said clearly and openly that the Islamic Republic of Iran extends its hand of friendship toward all Muslim governments in the region and has no problem with Muslim governments.”
“The Islamic Republic of Iran maintains friendly relations with most of its neighbors. Of course, some countries are at loggerheads with us and show obstinacy and wickedness. However, Iran has set its base on good relations with neighbors and Islamic governments and particularly regional nations.”
“In our support of the oppressed, we do not look at [their] religious denomination and we have offered the same support that we provided to our Shia brethren in Lebanon to our Sunni brethren in Gaza, and we consider the issue of Palestine as the top issue of the Muslim world.”
“Intensification of differences is banned in the Muslim world and we oppose any behavior and move, even by some Shia groups, which could cause division, and we condemn insults to the Sunnis’ sanctities.”
“Some people were surprised at those remarks, but today, Americans are openly talking about the disintegration of Iraq.”
“Disintegration of Iraq, and if they could, Syria, is the clear goal of Americans, but territorial integrity of the regional countries and Iraq and Syria is very important to us.”
“We do not recognize a Shiism whose base and center of propaganda is in London and is paving the way for the [global] arrogance basically as Shiism.”
Western Media
“The oppressors’ media empire’, while claiming neutrality, is serving the goals of global bullies through distortion and lie and all kinds of complicated methods.”
Israel
