Imam Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, delivered a televised speech on the anniversary of the people of Qom’s uprising against the oppressive Pahlavi regime. Imam Khamenei used to address the whole nation on the anniversary of the January 8, 1978 (19th of Dey) uprising, in the presence of thousands of people from Qom in the Hussainiyah of Imam Khomeini. However, due to Covid-19 restrictions, His Eminence addressed the nation via a televised speech this year.
On the anniversary of the historic uprising of the people of Qom, which took place on the 19th of Dey in the year 1356 [January 8, 1978], Imam Khamenei addressed the nation in a televised speech saying, “Western countries and our enemies are obliged to stop this malicious move immediately – the imposition of sanctions – against the Iranian nation. This is their duty. This is grave, unreasonable enmity to the Iranian nation. They are showing hostility toward the Iranian nation, not just toward the system of the Islamic Republic and its government. It is their duty to immediately put an end to this move.”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that western countries should immediately lift the sanctions against the Iranian nation. He said, “When the other side fails to honor all of its commitments, there is no reason for Iran to honor all its own commitments.”
His Eminence reiterated that Iran should develop its economy in such a way that the country can be well managed despite the existence of sanctions, “I have repeated this time and time again, and I wish to repeat it one more time. We should assume that sanctions will not be lifted. Of course, the effects of sanctions are gradually diminishing, but we should suppose that they will remain. Therefore, we should formulate plans for the economy of the country in such a way that we will not be faced with any difficulties even if sanctions continue and even if the enemy continues to play these games.”
Highlighting the importance of the 19th of Dey uprising, he stated, “The 19th of Dey can be described as the first Ibrahim-like blow to the body of the great idol. It was the first blow delivered to the great idol – the US – by the people of Qom, and it continued after that.”
Pointing to recent developments in the US, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated, “Just look at the present situation in the US to see in what state that great idol is at the present time. Such is the state of their democracy! Such is their election fiasco! This is their human rights! In accordance with American human rights, every few hours or every few days, a black American is murdered on the streets without any reason and without any crime. And the murderer is not legally pursued in any way.”
Referring to how American values are ridiculed throughout the world, even by their allies, Imam Khamenei stated, “And such is the state of their crippled economy. The US economy is crippled in the true sense of the world. There are tens of millions of unemployed people who suffer from hunger and homelessness. Such is the current situation in the US.”
Elsewhere in his statements, Imam Khamenei referred to US plots in the region by saying, “The US believes its interests lie in creating instability in the region. They state this openly.”
His Eminence added, “In the year 1388 [2009], the US wished to create instability in Iran, and now this has happened to themselves this year, in 1399 [2020]. In that year, they wished to do in Iran what has happened in Washington – in particular, the events taking place the day before yesterday. Certain individuals poured into the US Congress, and as a result, they had to evacuate the members of Congress through secret passageways.”
Iran’s active presence in the region was another matter that the Supreme Leader of Iran discussed in his televised speech, “The front of Arrogance keeps questioning Iran’s presence in the region. However, the Islamic Republic has the duty to behave in such a way as to strengthen its friends and supporters in the region.”
He also added, “Our presence leads to stability. It has been proven that the Islamic Republic’s presence in the region helps to eliminate the causes of instability, such as: the issue of the DAESH in Iraq, various matters in Syria and the like. However, I do not want to enter into these details now. Those who are involved in these matters are perfectly aware of this. Therefore, our presence in the region is a definite matter, which should and will continue.”
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution described Iran’s military capability and missile strength as another long-standing point of conflict between the Islamic Republic and the Arrogant Powers, “The Islamic Republic does not have the right to develop the country’s defensive capability so that incompetent individuals, such as Saddam Hussein, will be able to bombard and drop their missiles on Tehran, and their MiG-25 fighter planes can fly over Tehran while we are not able to do anything. This happened during the Imposed War and we did not have sufficient facilities.”
Imam Khamenei went on to say, “Today, our defensive power is such that our enemies have no choice but to consider Iran’s capabilities in their calculations. When the Islamic Republic’s missiles are capable of striking a US drone flying in Iranian airspace, and when Iranian missiles are able to shatter the Ayn al-Asad Airbase, then the enemy has no choice but to take into account our country’s power when making military decisions.”
On the issue of the JCPOA, His Eminence emphasized, “Nowadays, they talk about the US returning to the JCPOA. However, we do not insist on this at all and we are in no rush for the US to return to the JCPOA. This is not the issue for us whether the US returns to the JCPOA or not. If the sanctions are not lifted, then the US’s return to the JCPOA might even be to our disadvantage. Not only will it not be to our advantage, it will also be to our disadvantage.”
Welcoming the decision made by the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Iranian government about withdrawing from part of the JCPOA commitments, Imam Khamenei stressed, “It is a correct decision. It is a completely reasonable, logical, acceptable decision. When almost all of the other side’s commitments in the JCPOA are not honored, it does not make sense for the Islamic Republic to honor all its commitments. That is why since a while ago, they are gradually withdrawing from some of our commitments. And recently too, they have withdrawn from some others. Of course, if they return to their commitments, we will return to ours as well.”
At the end of his statements, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said the Iranian Corona vaccine is a source of pride. He stated, “It is a source of dignity and pride for the country. Of course, they are working on the Corona vaccine in different ways. But in one case, they are testing a vaccine on human beings and it has proven to be successful.”
He went on to say, “Importing American or English vaccines to the country is prohibited. I have said this to the officials, and I am now announcing this publicly. If the Americans had been able to produce a vaccine, this Corona disaster would not have occurred in their own country. A few days ago, there were 4,000 deaths in their country in one day. If they know how to make a vaccine, and if their Pfizer factory knows how to produce one, they can use it for themselves so that there won’t be so many deaths there. The same is true of England. They are not trustworthy or reliable. I don’t know, perhaps they wish to test a vaccine on other nations to see if it works or not. And of course, I do not trust the French either. The reason is their history in giving us contaminated blood [France’s HIV-tainted blood supplies].”
