TEHRAN – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Sunday said any compromise with the West would only invite further hostility from Iran’s enemies.
“Some people are mistaken to think if we back down from our stances in certain cases that will cause the enmity of the U.S., the global arrogance, or Israel toward us to diminish,” the Leader said in a speech marking the passing of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, at his mausoleum in southern Tehran.
“In many cases, our retreats caused them to come forward and become more aggressive. That is because their main goal is to force Iran to return to the era before the Revolution, that is, the period when the nation was dependent on others and had no identity,” the Leader said.
The Leader said, “During the last few decades, in some administrations, there were individuals who believed in retreating and giving concessions. In one of these administrations, the same country we had retreated before, issued an indictment for our president. Or in another administration, which unfortunately helped the U.S., the Americans ended up labeling Iran as an axis of evil.”
The Leader said the main goal of the enemies’ efforts is to weaken the faith of the people and to extinguish the flames of hope in people’s hearts.
Ayatollah Khamenei said maintaining independence, dignity and national interests depends on preserving faith and hope.
“During the past few decades, stubborn and arrogant institutions did everything they could to weaken people’s faith and hope, and they made progress in a few cases, but in most cases, by the grace of God, they were overcome and defeated by the Iranian nation.”
Ayatollah Khamenei described riots that took place in Iran last year as the final link in the series of attempts made by the country’s enemies.
“The comprehensive planning of these riots was carried out in the think tanks of Western countries. Its implementation was accompanied by extensive financial, arms and media support of Western security institutions, traitors and mercenaries who turned their backs on their country and agents of hostile policies against Iran.”
Enumerating some of the hostile measures taken by the Westerners during last fall’s riots, the Leader said, “They thought that the Islamic Republic was finished and that they could use the Iranian nation to achieve their goals, but once again, these fools made a mistake and failed to recognize the Iranian nation.”

Ayatollah Khamenei explained the tactics used by the enemies to create despair in the youth.
“They try to create despair in young Iranians by pointing out the high costs of living and inflation.”
The Leader touched on Iran’s progress in the fields of science and technology, the growing industrial and agricultural infrastructure, transportation, workforce training, construction activities in Iran’s deprived and remote areas, progress in international politics, national honor, and developments in the country’s military and defense authority as hopeful realities that promise a brighter future.
“The enemy wants these facts to be forgotten. It does not want the Iranian youth to know about them,” he said.
The Leader pointed out that another method that is employed by the country’s enemies in order to create despair has been to make people pessimistic towards the elections.
“This year’s elections are very important. The enemy has already activated its artillery to destroy it, even though we are nine months away from the elections.”
Ayatollah Khamenei described Imam Khomeini, as the leader who managed to bring about great transformation on national, Islamic, and global levels.
Imam Khomeini was the flagbearer of divine missions in an age of armed ignorance in recent centuries, he added.
“Not only is Imam Khomeini the outstanding figure of our time, he is also one of the outstanding figures of Iran’s history that no person or movement will be able to erase from historical memories, nor will they be able to distort him in an effective and long-lasting manner.”
The Leader touched on the incredible dimensions of Imam Khomeini’s character in religious sciences, faith and piety, strength of character, power and will, rising for the cause of God and revolutionary politics and creating transformation in the human system.
“The collection of these dimensions is not seen in any of the leaders in Iranian history. For this reason, our unique Imam will always be alive and will introduce his luminous face to everyone with a resonating voice.”
The Leader explained the unprecedented transformations that Imam Khomeini brought about in Iran, the Islamic nation and the world.
“This Revolution shattered a political structure consisting of a monarchy and replaced it with a democracy. This Revolution removed a puppet system of governance that bowed to world powers replacing it with an independent system that relied on national dignity. This system of governance removed an anti-Islamic government from the picture, and it established and built an Islamic government in its place.”
The Leader said Imam Khomeini equipped a nation that had its eyes fixed on the hands of foreigners with the power of “We can,” which is something that will overcome all current and future problems.
“The Imam breathed life into the depressed body of the Palestinian nation,” he added.
Imam Khamenei, the Leader said, underlined that the removal of passivity in the face of materialism and drawing the attention of nations to spirituality was the main line of Imam Khomeini’s transformation on a global level.
“That outstanding character revived spirituality in the world. The intensive attack of the political and media centers of world rulers on spiritual issues and their vulgar efforts to promote materialism is a reaction against this development.”
Pieces of paper and audio tapes were the only tools used by Imam to convey his messages and words to the people, the Leader said, adding faith and hope were the two important factors that enabled Imam Khomeini to carry out his miraculous activities.
He said having faith in God and continuing on the way of Imam, while fighting the enemies of God are equivalent to having faith and trust in God’s promises.
“God has promised that whoever aids Him, will receive His help. He has promised to defend the believers and make them steadfast and strong in the steps they take,” the Leader said.
Ayatollah Khamenei outlined the distinction between the Islam that Imam Khomeini believed in and the Islam of capitalism and the eclectic Islam of uninformed intellectuals.
“Imam believed in the Islam of the Book and the Sunnah along with sound jurisprudential reasoning and proper comprehension. He strongly rejected the views of uninformed, so-called intellectuals.”
The Leader also spoke about another aspect of Imam Khomeini’s faith, which was his “faith in the people.”
“With a deep understanding of the divine verses, the Imam had deep trust and faith in the motives and actions of the people, including their votes.”
The word ‘Republic’ in the Islamic Republic is the result of the Imam’s trust and belief in the people, Ayatollah Khamenei said.
Hope, the Leader said, was the second soft factor during several decades of Imam Khomeini’s transformative activities.
“Hope, was a permanent element and the driving force of Imam Khomeini’s movement, in such a way that he spoke of rising for the cause of God in the 40s, he practically entered the uprising field in the 60s and in the 80s, he refused to turn a hair amid the terrible military-security and political storms.”
“As Imam Khomeini stated himself, he never lost hope. He believed that when the nation wants something, they will surely achieve it,” the Leader added.
Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Without a doubt, his most important lesson and advice to us is to continue his path, guard his legacy, and follow the triple transformation that he created at the level of the country, the Islamic nation, and the world.”
The Leader said requirements and means necessary to follow the path and goal of Imam Khomeini to be different from that which was used 40 years ago.
“Of course, the fronts have not changed and today, like yesterday, the front of Arrogance, the front of the Zionists and the front of aggressive powers are lined up in front of the Iranian nation.”
He said the difference between the current front formation and the one in the past is that the Iranian nation has become stronger now, while the enemy has become weaker.
The Leader said, “The honorable Imam’s transformations have stubborn, spiteful enemies who are criminals and aggressors. In order to deal with them, the Iranian nation must be equipped with the same soft skills that the magnanimous Imam possessed. They need to have faith and hope.”