The Office of the Supreme Leader

The Leader in a meeting with officials and ambassadors:

Attack on Syria a crime; US will fail as always

In a meeting with a group of Iranian officials, ambassadors of Muslim countries and people from all walks of life, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei described the dawn attack by the US and two Western countries against Syria as a crime. He said their claim of opposing the use of chemical weapons is a lie, stressing, “As in the past, the Islamic Republic will stand by resistance groups and the US will certainly fail to achieve its objectives in the region.”    

In the meeting, which was held on the auspicious occasion of Eid al-Maba’th, the Leader extended his congratulations on the anniversary of the ordainment of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him), saying that the main message of Maba’th is return to Monotheism and the domination of divine science, power, grace and guidance over human life and countering egocentrism, dictatorship and tyranny. He added, “Monotheism comprises the generalities and principles of combating oppression and bullying, and therefore, the righteous front should always battle against falsehood and in this campaign the inevitable fate of falsehood is retreat.”        

Ayatollah Khamenei said the most important duty of the Muslim community is to return to the message of the appointment of Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) as the last prophet of Islam, namely Monotheism, reiterating, “If we believe in Monotheism, we would not give in to oppression and we will support the oppressed and this is why the Islamic Republic will be present wherever an oppressed person is in need of help.”

 He said the philosophy of the insistence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in  supporting the issue of Palestine lies within the same framework, adding, “Standing up to oppression will certainly lead to progress and a clear example of this is the Palestinian nation, which was a weak nation at first but due to steadfastness, that fragile nation has now turned into a strong Palestine that threatens the Zionist regime and this regime feels weak and impotent before the Palestinian nation.” 
 
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed, “Without doubt, in this confrontation, the Palestinians will overcome the Zionists and the land of Palestine will be restored to its nation.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said the presence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the West Asia region and beside Resistance groups and in Syria is within the framework of supporting the oppressed. He added, “That it is said that the Islamic Republic is expansionist is a lie and untrue statement and the great, prosperous and united Iran has no intention of expansionism in the region or any location in the world.”

He added, “The reason for Iran’s presence in Syria and in the West Asia region is giving assistance to a Resistance [front] which was facing tyranny and the Resistance Front, courtesy of the aid and assistance provided to it and through the bravery of Syrian forces, succeeded to overcome and defeat the terrorists that had been brought to existence by the US and Westerners and their mercenaries such as Saudi Arabia.” 

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution pointed to claims by US President Donald Trump early this morning about fighting Daesh and defeating it in Syria, saying, “These remarks are a blatant and disgraceful lie, because the Americans, with money from Saudi Arabia and its ilk, created these malicious creatures in Iraq and Syria and supported the terrorists wherever necessary and saved the main elements of Daesh whenever they were under siege.”  

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed, “Despite the support by the US and its agents, the Resistance Front succeeded to save Syria and Iraq.”

He described the attack against Syria this dawn as a crime, adding, “I clearly announce that the US president, French President [Emmanuel Macron] and UK Prime Minister [Theresa May] are criminals.”   

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed that just as in the case of Iraq and Afghanistan, the Americans will not reap any benefit from this crime in Syria, saying, “A while ago, the US president announced that they (the Americans) had spent seven trillion dollars in the West Asia region and gained nothing. This statement is true and the US will not achieve anything henceforth, either, no matter how much it tries or spends [money].”

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out the need for the vigilance and consciousness of the Muslim nations, countries and governments in the face of these events, adding, “The goal of the Americans is not just Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan; they are after harming the Muslim community and Islam; therefore, Islamic governments must not put themselves at the service of the goals of the US and some aggressive Western countries.”  

He reiterated, “It is no honor for a Muslim country like Saudi Arabia when the sitting US president openly calls them a ‘dairy cow.’ There is no greater disgrace than taking a country’s money and addressing it with such terms.”   

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the US president’s lies that the attack on Syria was carried out in order to fight the use of chemical weapons, adding, “They are not opposed to the use of chemical weapons or any other weapons against Muslim nations and oppressed nations just as they support the daily bombardment of the people of Yemen and backed [executed Iraqi dictator] Saddam [Hussein], who martyred or wounded thousands of Iranian and Iraqi people, during the Imposed War [on Iran in the 1980s].”   

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described the behavior of the US and some Western countries as stemming from their colonial goals and “international dictatorship,” reiterating, “Of course, dictators will have no success in any part of the world and the US will definitely fail in their objectives in the region.”   

 Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the steadfastness of the Iranian nation and its growing stability due to 40 years of resistance and standing up, saying, “This experience has taught us that backing down encourages the enemy and resistance pushes it back.”   

In conclusion, he stressed that the retreat of the world’s hegemons and bullies due to resistance and steadfastness against them is a “Divine Trend,” expressing hope that through their resistance the nations of Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, oppressed Palestine, Myanmar and the people of Kashmir would drive back their enemies in the not-too-distant future.   

Prior to the remarks of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani congratulated Muslims on Eid al-Maba’th, saying, “Today, our country and region are suffering from the absence of morals and all of the political, military and security crises are rooted in moral crises.”

Rouhani described the recent attack by the US and some Western countries against Syria as contrary to international principles, adding, “While a group is tasked by the United Nations to investigate the accusation of the use of chemical weapons in Syria, a sovereign country that has a wise government and nation and ancient civilization is attacked.”   

The president stressed that the Americans, Zionists and some European countries such as the UK and France have not learnt their lesson from the developments of the last 17 years in the region, reiterating, “US aggression in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya has had no result by destruction, devastation and death.”  

Rouhani said the US objective in carrying out these acts of aggression is the justification of its presence in the region, adding, “They are angry about the defeat of the terrorists enjoying their support in Eastern Ghouta; therefore, they launch various acts of aggression.”

The president added, “As before, Iran will back the oppressed in the region and the world and will not withhold its support in the face of a request by any Muslim state in the fight against terrorism.” 

Rouhani stressed that the resistance and steadfastness of the people has thwarted all US plots against the Iranian nation, adding, “The enemies recently sought to create economic problems for the people and undermine the confidence of the people in the country’s economic future; however, through its plans and measures preempted and countered them.”   

The president said, “I explicitly declare to the Iranian nation that the administration and Establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran is more prepared than ever in political, economic and diplomatic fields and also regarding nuclear activities and will nip any US plots in the bud.” 

Rouhani expressed gratitude over the unity and oneness of the three branches of the government and all of the institutes and media in improving the country’s economy and countering the recent plot, stressing, “The support and guidance of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution has always been and will always be helpful to the nation and administration.”

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