Tehran:In a televised address to the Muslim Ummah and Iranian Nation, Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah Imam Syed Ali Khamenei paid homage to the founder of Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini on his 31st death anniversary and recounted his legacy.
The ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the passing away of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) – the great founder of the Islamic Revolution – which used to be held annually at his resting place with masses of people attending, was broadcasted live due to the Corona pandemic.
On the 31st anniversary of the demise of Hazrat Imam Khomeini, Imam Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, referred to the chaotic condition in the US following the murder of another black man by American police and stated, “A police officer putting his knee on a black man’s neck and pushing until he dies shows the nature of the American governments.”
In his televised speech on Wednesday, the Leader of the Revolution stated that what is being witnessed today in US cities and states is the disclosure of a reality that was always kept concealed. He emphasized, “Today’s situation is in fact like the slime at the bottom of the pond that has risen to the surface.”
Decades after his departure, Imam Khomeini “is still alive among us, and should remain alive among us.”
Imam Khamenei pointed out that such crimes have frequently happened in the past, and the Americans have done the same things in many countries including Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and other such countries.
Referring to the slogan of “I cannot breathe,” which the American people have been chanting in recent days, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated, “This is what the nations that have been the victims of US’s oppressive usurpation want to say from the bottom of their hearts. By God’s favor and grace, the US has been disgraced as a result of its own actions. Their management of the Coronavirus brought them to disgrace, and their weak handling of the situation caused them to have several times as many casualties as other countries. The American people feel embarrassed and ashamed of their government.”
The Leader recalled how Imam Khomeini also transformed the people’s attitude towards the so-called superpowers and their presumed invincibility to the point that the then US rulers acknowledged that the Imam had “humiliated” them.
“At that time, no one assumed that anything could be done contrary to what the US willed.
This is the nature of the U.S. governments, a policeman kneels on a black man’s neck until he dies
Imam Khomeini proved that superpowers are not invincible. We witnessed what happened to the Soviet Union. And today we are watching the US and see what is transpiring there,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding Imam Khomeini taught the masses how these big powers can be overcome.
Commenting on the massive public protests that have swept the United States in recent days, the Leader said the “cold-blooded” murder of an African American by a white police officer in Minneapolis exemplified the US’s overall “behavior and essence” that has manifested itself in Washington’s atrocities throughout the Middle East and elsewhere in the world.
The Leader underlined the Imam’s spirit of “seeking and encouraging change,” calling him a “true leader.”
From a young age, Imam Khomeini would advise in favor of “rising up in the path of God,” Ayatollah Khamenei noted, and reminisced how the late leader would invoke “spiritual revolution” among people through his speeches.
Imam Khomeini thus managed to eventually bring about “change across the whole Iranian nation,” and prompted the people to abandon the spirit of lethargy and capitulation in the face of oppression, the Leader stated.
Imam Khomeini also caused the nation to abandon its feelings of self-deprecation and consider itself entitled to self-esteem, and extended the nation’s attitude towards religion beyond a simply personal matter, Ayatollah Khamenei remarked.
The revolutionary leader kept up his efforts at inducing change even after the Islamic Revolution, the Leader said.
The revolutionary attitude is still alive today, said the Leader, citing the country’s scientific and defensive achievements and noting that Iran has attained the “deterrent status” thanks to its defense power.
The Leader then underlined the importance of continued pursuance of change as a means of betterment, and proceeded to name some instances of desired change in various arenas.
As one desired prospect in the field of economy, the Leader cited potential severance of dependence on oil revenues.
Across the social sphere, the Leader sternly warned against allowing the population’s median age to rise.