By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer

“Happy are those who have departed through martyrdom. Happy are those who have lost their lives in this convoy of light. Unhappy am I that I still survive and have drunk the poisoned chalice.” 
This immortal passage of the Father of the Islamic Revolution continues to ring in our ears ever since he expressed it when Iran was denied victory on 20th July 1988 by the UN Security Council and the powers that had openly sided with aggressor Saddam of the bloodthirsty Ba’th minority regime during the 8-year US imposed war.
The UN resolution finally became effective on 8 August 1988, supposedly ending all combat operations between the two countries but allowing Saddam to use the MKO traitors to penetrate Iran 145 km deep inside the borders from Iraq.
It is another matter that Iran’s heroic combatants decisively routed the terrorists and finally restored peace to the western borders by August 20 of the same year.
The lessons of the imposed war are vivid in our memories, and we should never trust the big powers, especially US the Great Satan.
Imam Khomeini (RA) had repeatedly warned the international community against the crimes the Ba’thist dictator was committing against the Iranian nation and the Iraqi people.
Under the wise leadership of Imam, the Iranians could defend their sovereignty, dignity and country against the aggression.
Today also, Iran follows the same wise policies of the Late Imam, thanks to the foresight of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
During the recent defence of the country against the joint Israel-US attack, Iran’s heroic armed forced set great examples of patience, sacrifices and wisdom, decisively devastating the economic and military installations of the cowardly enemies.
A fearful US again resorted to ceasefire to deprive the Islamic Republic of another resounding victory, and saving its Zionist surrogate from total destruction. 
In view of these facts, Iran and the Iranian people are determined to defend the country without biting the bait of negotiations with an untrustworthy adversary.