‘Martyr Raisi’s Services Served National Honor’

TEHRAN -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Tuesday Iran is “not waiting for anyone’s permission” to enrich uranium, stressing that he does not expect a positive outcome from ongoing nuclear talks with the U.S. and blasting Washington’s “absurd” statements.
“We do not think that negotiations with the U.S. will bear fruit now,” Ayatollah Khamenei said here, adding, “We do not know what will happen.”
“The assertion by U.S. representatives that they will not allow Iran to enrich uranium is utter nonsense. We aren’t waiting for anyone’s permission,” he said, warning Washington against making “empty and absurd statements.”
Iran “has its own policies and its own method” and “will continue to implement its policies,” the Leader asserted. 
Ayatollah Khamenei touched on the insistence of the Americans and certain Western countries on halting enrichment in Iran, saying, “At a suitable time, I will speak to the nation about the true intention and goal behind this insistence.”
The speech follows recent statements by U.S. officials doubling down on demands that Iran completely abandon uranium enrichment, which Tehran has repeatedly rejected. 
“We have one very, very clear red line, and that is enrichment. We cannot allow even one percent of an enrichment capability,” U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by saying that enrichment “will continue with or without a deal.” Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian also said on Monday that Iran “will not yield to pressures” and will continue to “pursue peaceful nuclear advancement.”
The last round of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington concluded last weekend. Iranian officials noted a somewhat positive atmosphere, yet stressed that talks remain difficult.
Iran has received a proposal for a fifth round of nuclear negotiations with the U.S. and is currently reviewing it, Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said on Tuesday. 
U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that Iran must “move quickly, or something bad is going to happen,” reiterating his threats to launch a military attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. 
Tehran has insisted over the years that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful. Washington and Tel Aviv have accused Iran of seeking to acquire a nuclear weapon, contradicting U.S. intelligence assessments that say Tehran is not pursuing a bomb.
Ayatollah Khamenei’s comments came during a speech for the one-year anniversary of the passing of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian in a helicopter crash. 
The Leader described the principal purpose behind honoring the martyrs as promoting reflection and drawing lessons from their lives. 
Elaborating on the spiritual, verbal, and practical characteristics of the martyred president, he said, “Martyr Raisi was a complete embodiment of the characteristics of an official in a divine government.”
“With tireless dedication, he served the people, and he defended the dignity, honor, and credibility of the Iranian nation. This path and this approach offer a great lesson for all of us officials, for the youth, and for future generations.”
The Leader said distancing oneself from Pharaoh-like governance and advancing toward divine governance is an essential standard for managing the country, citing Martyr Raisi as a perfect representation of this principle.
Arrogance, belittling the people, and placing the burden of responsibility upon them are among the traits of Pharaoh-like rule,” Ayatollah Khamenei said. 
“Martyr Raisi stood in stark contrast to such traits. He regarded himself as being among the people, and in some cases, even lower than them, and it was with this perspective that he governed the country.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said utilizing all available capacities in the service of God’s servants, and avoiding any personal exploitation of the political and social positions that come with authority are among the key lessons of Martyr Raisi’s life.
“There are many individuals within the Islamic system who are adorned with these traits, but these characteristics and lessons must be transformed into public culture,” he said.
The Leader emphasized that a person’s heart, speech, and actions are the three fundamental elements for recognizing their character, adding that Martyr Raisi possessed a humble and God-remembering heart, a frank and truthful tongue, and tireless, continuous action.
Martyr Raisi’s humility, prayer, supplication, and spiritual intimacy with God were constant characteristics throughout all stages of his responsibility and beyond, Ayatollah Khamenei said.
“His heart overflowed with compassion for the people. Without expressing complaints about their expectations or harboring pessimism toward them, he was constantly concerned about fulfilling the heavy duties he bore.”
Ayatollah Khamenei touched on Martyr Raisi’s manner of speaking, even in the realm of diplomacy, saying it was marked by clarity and honesty: 
“He would adopt clear and explicit positions and never allowed the enemy to pretend that Iran had been brought to the negotiating table through threats, inducement, or tricks.”
The Leader touched on the Americans’ insistence on direct negotiations to create the perception that Iran had surrendered and, stating that Martyr Raisi never allowed this perception to take root. 
“Of course, indirect negotiations took place during his term similar to what’s happening now. Needless to say, there was no result. We don’t think these will yield results now either. We don’t know what will happen,” he added.
Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted Martyr Raisi’s clarity and sincerity.
“To grasp the significance of his manner of speaking, one must compare it to the duplicitous language used by the officials of certain Western governments — those who loudly claim to defend peace and human rights, deafening the world with their slogans, while shutting their eyes to the massacre of more than 20,000 innocent children in Gaza — and even supporting the criminals who commit these atrocities.”
He cited Martyr Raisi’s extraordinary work ethic and practical commitment as another dimension of his excellence.
“He was constantly working and striving. He recognized neither exhaustion nor the division of day and night when it came to providing continuous, high-quality service.”
The Leader further pointed to various services carried out by Martyr Rais, such as water supply, road construction, job creation, reviving dormant and shuttered workshops, and completing unfinished and stalled projects, as tangible, direct services for the people. 
Martyr Raisi, the Leader said, also served the nation’s honor, dignity, and international standing, and he enhanced them.
The Leader touched on international financial centers’ reports showing Iran’s economic growth, rising from nearly zero at the beginning of the Raisi administration to nearly 5% at its end as a source of national pride and honor, and an indication of the country’s progress. 
“The fact that the President [Martyr Raisi] held up the Qur’an and a picture of Martyr Soleimani in a UN General Assembly is a source of pride for the nation.”