Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution met Thursday evening with government officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Speaking at the meeting, which was also attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, His Eminence referred to the challenges that the Islamic Republic has faced since the victory of the Islamic Revolution - including the assassinations, the ethnic conflicts, the imposed war, the sanctions, the events that took place in Tir 1378 and the post-election turmoil in 1388 - and stated: "The massive capacities and capabilities of the Iranian nation helped the Islamic Republic to successfully confront all these challenges and to become more powerful at every stage."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that the enemies of the Islamic Revolution are trying to show that the Iranian nation has reached a dead end, further adding: "They openly say that it is necessary to force the Iranian government officials to revise their calculations by intensifying pressures and sanctions, but looking at the existing realities causes us not only to avoid revising our calculations, but it also causes us to continue the path of the Iranian nation with more confidence."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution mentioned examples of the existing realities, saying: "One of the realities that should not be ignored is the opposition of a few arrogant governments to the Islamic Republic and their increasing and complex pressures on the Islamic Republic."

His Eminence added: "Relying on their powerful propaganda machine, these few arrogant governments that enjoy political, economic and media capabilities, are pretending to be the international community."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: "Of course, these few bullying governments have their own followers, but if America stops supporting them, they are nothing and they are not even taken into consideration in global calculations."

His Eminence added: "Another reality is that the enmity of these few arrogant governments towards the Islamic Republic is rooted in the essence of the Islamic system, but they are pretending that their confrontation with the Iranian nation is because of the nuclear issue and human rights."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated: "Of course, considering the absolutely dismal track record of America, Zionism, England and the other arrogant powers in human rights, nobody believes their lies."

Ayatollah Khamenei added: "The truth is that the Islamic Revolution of the Iranian nation freed this important country from the clutches of the arrogant powers and it caused increasing motivation and awakening in the world of Islam. For this reason, by harming the Islamic Republic, they are trying to teach others a lesson so that they do not follow the Islamic Republic as their role model."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the challenges faced by the Islamic Republic are not new and added: "At a certain stage, Iranian ships used to be targeted in the Persian Gulf and our oil terminals and industrial centers were being bombarded by the enemy, but today the ill-wishers of the Islamic Republic do not have the courage to even approach Iran."

His Eminence said that the increased capabilities and confidence of the Islamic Republic in the face of the threats is another reality and stressed: "Another reality is that the opposing camp - led by America and Zionism - has grown far weaker than the past."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed: "The increased vulnerability of the Zionist regime after the events and revolutions that took place in the region, the defeats that the Zionist regime suffered during the 33-day war in Lebanon and the 22-day war in Gaza, America's destiny in Iraq, the increasing and unending problems of America in Afghanistan and America's failure in its Middle Eastern policies are clear examples of the increasing weakness of the opposing camp."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that the crisis that has afflicted western enemies of the Islamic Republic is another reality. He added: "The serious threat of economic crisis in the European Union and the eurozone, instability in several European countries, the fall of several European governments, the substantial budget deficit in America and the 99 percent movement are important events that must not be ignored."

His Eminence stressed: "The economic problems of western countries are essentially different from the economic problems of our country because our problems are like the problems of a group of climbers who are continuously moving towards the peak, but the west is like a bus that is trapped under an avalanche."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that the developments in the region and in North Africa are among the existing realities, adding: "The increased capabilities of the Islamic Republic are another crucial reality."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the population control policies and stressed the need for revising these policies. He reiterated: "In the early 1370s, implementing these policies was correct for specific reasons at that time, but it was a mistake to continue the same policies in the following years."

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "Scientific and expert studies show that if the population control policies are continued, we will gradually suffer from aging and population decline. Therefore, our government officials should seriously revise the population control policies. And the owner of media outlets and those who speak to the public - especially the clergy - should take action to raise public awareness in this regard."

His Eminence said that Iran's retreat and flexibility against the enemy will only make the enemy more insolent.

Ayatollah Khamenei added: "At a time when our government officials used to flatter the west and America in their statements, the person who was the personification of evil decided to label the Islamic Republic of Iran as axis of evil."

His Eminence said that Iran retreated in the nuclear issue at a certain stage, adding: "At that stage, because of the cooperation with westerners and the retreats that were made, the enemies advanced so much that I had to step in personally."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: "At that time, westerners became so insolent that even when our government officials became satisfied with only three centrifuges, the westerners expressed their opposition even to that, but today we have eleven thousand centrifuges that are active in the country."

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "If those retreats had continued, today there would be no nuclear advances and no scientific dynamism and innovation in the country."

His Eminence said that sanctions will prove ineffective in the face of intelligent resistance. He described the economic sanctions as temporary and added: "This is because continuing these sanctions for a long time is not in the interest of western countries."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the sanctions that have been imposed on the Islamic Republic will only benefit America and the Zionist regime, further stressing: "The other countries have either been forced to go along with sanctions or they are just doing it as a ceremonial gesture. And these conditions will not continue."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that 20 countries have been exempted from the oil sanctions imposed on Iran and added that certain western countries are making efforts to circumvent the sanctions. He stated that these are signs which show it is impossible to continue the current conditions. "All these realities show that it is necessary to continue the path of resistance by relying on God, taking more risks and having judgment and wisdom."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that economic matters are very important for the country and its progressive movement. He stressed: "The purpose of the enemy's economic pressures in the present situation is to undermine our national growth and welfare and to create problems for the people in order to make them disappointed and isolate them from the Islamic Republic."

Ayatollah Khamenei added: "Over the past few years, it has been clear that the enemy has focused its machinations on the economy of the country. For this reason, the slogans of the recent years - such as "Reforming the Norms of Consumption", "Intensified Effort and Labor", "Economic Jihad" and "National Production and Supporting Iranian Labor and Capital" - were introduced in order to create an economic system and organize our national movement in the economic arena."

His Eminence said that one way to counter the economic sanctions is to build an economy of resistance and explained: "Putting the people in charge of our economy by implementing the general policies specified in Article 44 of the Constitution, empowering the private sector, decreasing the country's dependence on oil, managing consumption, making the best of the available time, resources and facilities, moving forward on the basis of well-prepared plans and avoiding abrupt changes in the regulations and policies are among the pillars of an economy of resistance."

Regarding the need to manage consumption, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed: "Today moderation in consumption is a jihad-like movement and all governmental and non-governmental organizations and all the people should seriously avoid extravagance and try to consume domestically produced products."

At the end of his statements, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed the issue of unity and solidarity in the country. Addressing government officials, he said: "Fortunately the people of Iran are united and you should safeguard this unity by staying away from pointless disputes and announcing these disputes through the media."

His Eminence stressed: "If officials from the three branches of government level accusations against each other, it will be very harmful. And our government officials should know that such actions will not give them any prestige among the people."

Ayatollah Khamenei added: "The truth is that problems exist, but it is wrong to blame them on each other. Rather, it is necessary to solve them through unity and judgment, and this is definitely possible."