During the meeting, he said a vibrant and strong participation by the Iranian nation in the elections would be a manifestation of national power, guarantee the national security, and disappoint the enemies who have their eyes on Iran.

He noted that holding a vibrant election is one of the pillars of proper administration of the country’s affairs and would pave the wave for resolving the country’s problems and moving the country forward.

Imam Khamenei, referring to the writings of some elements of the Pahlavi regime about the sham elections before the Revolution, said: “As they have also admitted, the list of the elected candidates was already determined at the [Shah’s] court and sometimes even in some foreign embassies, and the same list had to come out of the ballot boxes.”

Pointing to the rule of dictatorial groups after major revolutions such as the French Revolution and the former Soviet Revolution, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said, "Imam Khomeini (ra), with complete trust in the people and giving primacy to the ballot box, put the type government to a referendum only about 50 days after the victory of the Revolution, so that the people, as the owners of the country and the Revolution, would become the decision-makers of all important matters."

He also drew attention to the evil enemies keeping a watchful eye on “dear Iran” and Friday’s elections, saying, “The US, the policies of most Europeans, the evil Zionists, capitalists and big companies that follow Iran’s affairs closely with various motives and reasons are more than anything else afraid of the people’s participation in the elections and the power of the Iranian people."

"The enemies have seen that this decisive popular power destroyed the tyrannical regime supported by the US and the UK and disgraced Saddam in the imposed war despite his Western, Eastern and regional supporters," Imam Khamenei remarked.

That is why, he hastened to add, elections are a manifestation of showing off the country’s national power.

He called the strong participation of people in the elections a manifestation of national power, which in turn guarantees national security, asserting that "nothing will exist without national security."

"If the enemy sees a weakness in Iranians in the field of national power, it will threaten the national security from various angles," the Leader warned.

He also argued that the election of strong candidates, the formation of a strong parliament, and consequently resolving the country’s problems and securing its progress are the outcomes of a strong and vibrant election.

"Political growth and increasing the analytical power of the youth during the elections are invaluable, because they lead to gaining knowledge about the enemy and its methods and actions, and as a result, gaining knowledge about the ways to confront and neutralize the conspiracies of the ill-wishers," he said.

In the final part of his speech, Imam Khamenei called the Gaza issue an essential issue of the Islamic world and said: "The Gaza issue introduced Islam to the world, and it became clear that Islam and religion as a factor lead to people’s power and resistance and their not surrendering in the face of all the bombings and catastrophes of the Zionists."

This issue, he went on, showed the truth of the Western culture and civilization to the world and it became clear that the politicians born from this culture are not even willing to acknowledge that the Zionists are committing genocide against Palestinians.

He said despite their empty rhetoric, they veto UN Security Council resolutions aimed at halting the Zionist regime’s crimes.

Imam Khamenei also said the self-immolation of a US Air Force officer in protest against the crimes of the Zionist regime was the peak of scandal and disgrace for the US’s inhumane policies and the West’s cruel culture". He further added that even this person who was brought up in Western culture recognized the depth of the disgrace of this culture.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution then expressed hopes that God would grant complete victory to Islam, Muslims and Palestine, especially Gaza.

KHAMENEI.IR