Leader Censures Bahraini Regime’s Insanity

Date: 27 June 2016 - 21:29

News ID: ۲۸۲۵۱

TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has denounced the Bahrain regime’s "blatant foolishness and insanity” for stripping a prominent Shia cleric of his citizenship.
The regime stripped Sheikh Isa Qassim of his citizenship this week, accusing him of fomenting sectarianism and forming groups. The move sparked protests by Bahrainis and outrage among Shia Muslims across the region.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the "persevering and knowledgeable” Sheikh Qassim was a moderate who would have worked to "prevent extremist tactics,” adding "now, no obstacle can prevent these young enthusiasts from rising up.”
"This is blatant foolishness and insanity. When he still could address the Bahraini people, Sheikh Isa Qassim... would advise against radical and armed actions,” Ayatollah Khamenei said on Sunday.
"These fools do not understand that eliminating Sheikh Isa Qassim means removing the barrier in front of the spirited Bahrani youths against the government. Nothing can silence these youths anymore," the Leader said.
The Bahraini regime called in Saudi and UAE troops in 2011 to crush an uprising led by Shia demanding reforms. Since then, there have been almost daily skirmishes between Bahraini youths and security forces.
In a series of moves over the past three weeks, authorities also closed down the main Shia opposition Al Wefaq Islamic Society, doubled the prison sentence on the group’s leader, Sheikh Ali Salman, and detained prominent rights campaigner Nabeel Rajab.
"In Bahrain, a ruthless and arrogant minority is oppressing the majority; and has now carried out an act of aggression against the diligent scholar, Sheikh Isa Qassim. This is insanity and stupidity," Ayatollah Khamenei said.
The Leader said the problem is Bahrain is not being Sunni and Shia but "it is the issue of an arrogant and oppressive minority oppressing the majority.”
Ayatollah Khamenei touched on Takfiri groups wreaking havoc in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere, saying those "terrorist groups do not differentiate between the Shias and Sunnis.”
"They just target any Muslim who sides with the Islamic Revolution and is against the United States.”
The Daesh terrorist group, Ayatollah Khamenei said, was created to confront the Islamic Republic of Iran.
"The main aim behind the formation of Takfiri terrorist groups and their terrorist operations in Iraq and Syria was attacking Iran but they have fallen in a trap in those countries,” the Leader said.
Ayatollah Khamenei made his remarks in a meeting with a group of the families of those martyred while fighting Daesh and other Takfiri terrorists attacking holy Shia shrines in Syria and Iraq.
The Leader praised the valor and sacrifices of Iranian youths and those from other countries who have volunteered to fight terrorists in Syria and elsewhere.
Ayatollah Khamenei hailed martyrs and their families as the pillars of Iran's power and authority.
"Wherever we relied on the revolution and the revolutionary spirit, we forged forward but whenever we did something to satisfy arrogant elements, we fell behind and failed.”
The Leader faith in God, Jihadi beliefs and a strong passion for the revolution among the youth are the sources of Iran's power in its asymmetric warfare against the arrogant front.
"Arrogant powers are not able to grasp the sources of Iran's power and therefore they resort to violent ways against the Islamic Revolution,” the Leader said, adding those powers and their affiliates are also unable to recognize the sources of power among Muslims; hence their analyses often tend to be miscalculated.