TEHRAN (Iran News) – Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei says Iran will not give up on its regional presence and peaceful nuclear program as two factors that contribute to the country’s national power.
Addressing a meeting on Thursday with Iran’s Assembly of Experts, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “It is vital for any country to have national power.”
He said any nation seeking independence and resistance against the will of others needs to “stand strong, otherwise it will be fearful, weak, humiliated and constantly worried about the foreigners’ greedy eyes.”
Ayatollah Khamenei described national power as a “compound issue” and an “intertwined network” comprised of multiple factors.
The Leader said among the “pillars of national power” are “security and defense power,” “economy, public welfare and easy livelihood,” “the power of politicking and bargaining to fulfill national interests in at the regional and global front,” and “culture and lifestyle,” among other things.
“None of these arms of national power should be cut off in favor of one pillar and the other,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
“Regional presence gives us more strategic depth and national strength. Why should we give it up? Scientific nuclear advance has to do with the country’s needs in the near future and, if we do away with [the nuclear program], who will we have to ask for [nuclear knowhow to meet our demands]? the Leader asked.
It is a big mistake to retreat in the face of America or any other power for securing protection against sanctions, which will deal a blow to the nation’s political power, Ayatollah Khamenei said.
Using the media as a tool, the devils have constantly been spreading lies to undermine the public trust and faith and frustrate the nation, the Leader added.
Speaking at the meeting, he described the intertwined combination of factors involved in national strength and stated that attending to the people’s problems in livelihood is important. Referring to the enemy’s severe, relentless soft war to entice and influence the people and particular individuals, he emphasized, “The solution for this complex war is the struggle for clarification using new software methods and based on the deep, sublime teachings and concepts of Islam.”
Expressing his congratulations on the occasion of the Eids in this month of Sha’ban, in particular the 15th of Sha’ban, Imam Khamenei described the Eid of the 15th of Sha’ban as being the day of the historic dreams of humanity coming true. In referring to the great spiritual significance of the month of Sha’ban and the sublime meanings found in the Sha’baniyah Supplication, he said, “Imam Khomeini was deeply fond of the Kumayl Supplication and the Sha’baniyah Supplication. I hope that God will bestow on everyone the spiritual capacity to be able to make a better use of the blessings offered in this month.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that the Assembly of Experts plays an important role in strengthening the Islamic government, and he added, “The necessary condition for all legal institutions to be effective, such as the Assembly of Experts, is for them to act in accordance with the duties that the Constitution has specified for them.”
The Leader continued, “The Assembly of Experts must carefully comply with the strict legal regulations regarding the person who is currently in the position of the Leader and the person who will later be elected to this position by the votes of the members of this Assembly.”
He said that other organizations too, including the Administration and the Islamic Consultative Assembly, are also obliged to comply with the legal regulations. He emphasized, “The Administration should comply with the laws passed by the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and the Islamic Consultative Assembly too should not get involved in the affairs of the Executive Branch at all.”
The Leader stated that strengthening the Islamic Republic brings national power and strength, “National strength is vital for every country. If any nation wishes to achieve independence and greatness, the ability to use its own vital resources at its own volition and resistance in the face of others’ [illegitimate] demands, it should be strong. Otherwise, if it is weak, humiliated and intimidated, it will always have to worry about the transgressions of foreigner powers.”
He described national strength as being an intertwined combination of different pillars. He explained it in this way, “Science and technology, thinking, reflection and free thought are some of the pillars of national strength. If there is no free thought and intellectual progress, science and technology will not be able to open the way.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to “a strong security and defense,” “the economy, the public well-being and the economic welfare of the people,” “diplomatic strength and bargaining power for ensuring national interests at a regional and global level,” “culture and lifestyle,” and “an appealing logic that influences other nations” as being other branches of national strength. Furthermore, he stressed, “Attracting nations brings strategic depth for any country, and this is very important.”
He added, “None of these branches of national strength should be eliminated in favor of other pillars and branches.” Citing examples in this regard, Imam Khamenei stressed that proposals such as abandoning regional involvement in order to avoid giving the enemy an excuse and stopping scientific progress in the nuclear sciences are actually blows to national strength. He elaborated this point, “Regional involvement gives us strategic depth and more national strength. Why should we stop this approach? Progress in the nuclear sciences too is related to meeting the needs of the country in the near future. If we abandon these, toward whom should we stretch out our hand in a few years?”
