TEHRAN -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said here Wednesday that the presence of U.S. forces and other occupiers in Syria is untenable. 
“Syria belongs to the people of Syria, and those who violate its sovereignty will undoubtedly be compelled to withdraw one day in the face of the power of the brave Syrian youth,” he told a group of families of martyrs and war veterans.
At the meeting which came ahead of Iran’s top anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani’s fifth martyrdom anniversary on January 3, the Leader touched on U.S. military bases in Syria.
“The transgressor must leave the land belonging to a nation, otherwise they will be expelled. Consequently, the U.S. bases will definitely be trampled under the feet of the Syrian youth,” he said. 
Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized that the ultimate victory belongs to the believers. 
“Lebanon is a symbol of resistance. Even though it has suffered blows, it has not faltered and will ultimately emerge victorious. Likewise, Yemen is also a symbol of Resistance and will achieve victory. 
“God willing, the transgressive enemies, led by the greedy and criminal U.S., will have no choice but to take their hands off the people and nations of the region and withdraw in humiliation,” he said.
The Leader elaborated on Gen. Soleimani’s school of thought, saying it is the same as the school of thought of Islam and the Qur’an, which he adhered to and became a “criterion, center, and axis”. 
“If we too embody this same faith and engage in righteous deeds, we can become like Soleimani and become recipients of divine grace.”
The Leader also spoke about the important issue of defending the holy shrines, for which the blood of righteous individuals has been shed. 
“Some individuals, due to a lack of understanding, recognition, and proper analysis of the situation, mistakenly believe and state that following the recent events in the region, the blood that was shed in defense of the holy shrines has been in vain. 
“These beliefs and remarks are a grave error, for had not been for the brave struggle of Haj Qassem and the Defenders of the Holy Shrines, today there would have been no signs of the holy shrines, whether in Zeinabiyah or even in Karbala and Najaf.”
Ayatollah Khamenei recalled the takfiri terrorists’ bombing and destruction of the dome of the Al-Askari Shrine “with the help of America” in Samarra, Iraq in 2006.
“If it weren’t for the self-sacrifice of faithful young men, other holy shrines would have met the same tragic fate,” the Leader said. 
The Leader said the essence of defending the sanctuaries is not only protecting a sacred place but also defending the owner of that place and the school of the noble Imams. 
“In Qur’anic culture, any blood lost anywhere in the path of truth and God, even if victory is not achieved, is never wasted and is valued by God. 
“Of course, victory is certain, and one should not be deceived by the current movements and maneuvers of falsehood,” Ayatollah Khamenei added. 
The Leader said lessons drawn from General Soleimani’s exemplary characteristics should guide efforts towards the main objective of his school of thought, which is “the realization of Islam and the Qur’an.”
The Leader also paid tribute to the esteemed status of martyrs and those who have defended sacred values. “If it weren’t for the pure blood of the martyrs, there would be no sign of our shrines, or any of the sacred sites today,” he stated.
The Leader characterized General Soleimani as a noble fighter and a cherished companion, highlighting his initiative and his courageous, swift, and timely presence on the battlefield as defining traits of the general.
Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted General Soleimani’s pivotal role in combating U.S. evil plans in Afghanistan and Iraq since the early 2000s. 
“The main goal behind the U.S. occupation of these two countries was to encircle Iran. However, General Soleimani, unfearful of America’s apparent might, stepped into the field, and ultimately, those occupations led to America’s defeat and the foiling of that grand conspiracy,” the Leader asserted.
Ayatollah Khamenei described the Americans’ objective in occupying Iraq as replacing Saddam Hussein with themselves.
“The Americans had come to stay, but [General Soleimani] and his companions played a crucial role in enabling the Iraqi people to take control of their destiny through a difficult, complex, and lengthy process involving a hybrid political, military, propaganda, and cultural war.”
The Leader described the defeat of the U.S.-created Daesh terrorist group as another result of the general’s presence on the battlefield.
“In confronting takfiri terrorism, the Iraqi youth truly shone, but in thwarting that plot—upon which the life and death of the region depended—Soleimani, with his initiative, courage, self-sacrifice, and strength, played an unparalleled role.”
The Leader then referred to the fatwa issued by Iraq’s religious authority on the necessity of standing against Daesh, saying, “Thousands of young people responded to that important fatwa and came to the field, but they lacked organization and weapons.”
General Soleimani went on, with the help of prominent Iraqi fighters, especially the late Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was a very great and valuable person, organized, armed, and trained those youths, the Leader said.
General Soleimani, Ayatollah Khamenei said, constantly strove to “revitalize the Resistance Front”. 
“Soleimani’s outstanding characteristic was his exceptional use of the capacities, active youth, and national forces of Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq to revitalize the Resistance in the best possible manner.”
During the meeting, the Leader also highlighted the preparedness of millions of young Iranians to sacrifice their lives in defense of Islam. 
“The Defenders of the Shrine have shown that despite the investments and heavy costs incurred by adversaries, the flag of resistance remains aloft. The enemy has not been able to and will not be able to lower the flag of resistance in Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.”
Ayatollah Khamenei underlined the necessity of preserving the factors of national power to ensure a country’s ongoing resistance and authority. He said the devout and self-sacrificing youth are the most important factors for a country’s stability and strength, asserting that such youths should not be removed from the scene.
“If the devout and self-sacrificing youth are removed from the scene a situation akin to that of Syria will arise, leading to chaos and the occupation of its land by foreign invaders such as the U.S., the Zionist regime, and other transgressive countries,” he added.