Hundreds of Iranian thinkers joined a large-scale intellectual panel discussion Wednesday night in the presence of Islamic Revolution Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei to broach the issue of woman and family in Islam.

The 4-hour panel discussion was the third of a series of intellectual sessions, staged under the banner of Strategic Views of Islamic Republic. It heard from 10 Iranian theoreticians.

In a speech to the session, Ayatollah Khamenei said the intellectual meeting must offer profound, durable and logical proceedings.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the women issue rests atop the national agenda, adding that intellectual Islamic sources have extensively addressed the issue "that must be offered in the form of practicable theories."

Ayatollah Khamenei underlined the role of women in the development and victory of the Islamic Revolution, adding that Imam Khomeini was the one who first considered and understood how significant the women's role might be in different social and political fields.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the women's role also emerges in family, adding that in view of Islam, family serves as main cell of every society so that in absence of healthy and exuberant families, society has no chances of progress, especially in cultural affairs.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the West has sought to perch on the women issue in its politico-propaganda warfare against the Islamic Republic. The IR Leader urged the intellectuals to help enlighten the world public opinion on the Islamic views on women so that the western policy makers fail to meet their malicious goals in defacing Islam.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the West has smartly dodged the question of family. "They diligently pursue the issue of women however they fail to make any mention of family because it would expose them," the IR Leader said.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the western treatment of woman is a breach of dignity, adding that even the most extremist feminists are dealing categorical blows to the status of women, albeit having otherwise perceptions, because their attitude would translate women into a tool for men's pleasure. "It is unfortunate that the western public opinion has accepted the outcome," the IR leader regretted.

Ayatollah Khamenei said Islam never distinguishes between women and men and treats both as equal in being human. "Islam considers the issue of gender as a secondary issue," the IR Leader said, adding that gender-specific teachings of Islam are confined to men and women's functions in society while the two genders are equal in essence.

Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the role of mothers and wives in society, adding that a good wife can help his husband to turn into a useful and effective element in society.

Ayatollah Khamenei said Islam is approved of women occupation in society provided that it does not compromise their primary role in family or lead to illegitimate mix-ups. The IR Leader instructed the government to put women's familial role ahead in their planning so that occupant women are not barred from handling their home affairs.