IRAN: Khamenei binds nukes to revolution's goals

Iran's top political, religious and military authority said his country would refuse to back down on its nuclear ambitions, regardless of what the U.S. tried to do.

Supreme leader Ali Khamenei spoke today to thousands of followers as well as politicians, ambassadors and other dignitaries gathered at the south Tehran tomb of revolutionary founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on the 19th anniversary of his death.

"Our nation will not back down one moment against bullying of the U.S," he said in a momentous and politically charged speech:

The U.S. and its allies are ready to transfer nuclear technology to countries with much less technological competence, but refuse to accept our rights in that regard and all the time they accuse us of pursuing a nuclear bomb. We have said over and over again that we do not want the bomb. But because we have managed to have native nuclear technology and we are not depending on them for that, they are accusing us of trying to have nuclear weapon. For them if you are technologically dependent on them in the nuclear field, they do not mind you having nuclear power. But they know that the Iranian nation has achieved nuclear technology for peaceful purposes without relying on them. That is why they are against us.

Seated in an armchair, with his white long beard and eyeglasses framing his pale face, Khamenei said the U.S. was baffled by Iran:

The American president and his staff in the administration are calling sometimes for psychological warfare, sometimes terrorism and sometimes begging for help from the Iranian nation. They are confused because of the U.S. failure in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He also thunderously called for a return to the basic values of the Islamic revolution that transformed his country and the world 30 years ago. That includes spreading the revolution's values:

Today the anti-imperialist slogans of the Iranian nation are music to the minds and hearts of Islamic nations across the world. Defending the oppressed nation of Palestine and opposing with the octopus network of Zionism are part and parcel of the revolution.

Though he didn't make the incendiary calls for the destruction of Israel, he said the Jewish state was weak and unable to survive without outside help:

There are two reasons for its standing on its feet. One is the contemptuous support without any preconditions of the U.S. and the other reason is that Arab and Islamic countries do not support the Palestinian people. Israel is a forgery and an imposed country in the region, and if the Arab and Islamic countries support the Palestinian nation, the circumstances in the Middle East will change entirely.

Much of Khamenei's speech focused on Iran's domestic situation. He said the turbulent and ideologically first years of the Islamic Republic served as a guide for today's leadership. 

"The political will of the late Imam Khomeini  should be the manual for running day-to-day routine of the country now and in the years to come, generation after generation," he said.

In his speech, he allowed for no possibility of changing the system to keep up with changing times:

The Islamic revolution is like Islam, as the religion is comprehensive. It is political, social, cultural, religious at the same time and that is the secret of its survival. No one has the right to ignore or separate one part of the Islamic revolution's values, simply because circumstances in the world have changed. Nobody has the right to forget the anti-despotic and anti-alien forces character of the revolution or to ignore religious values of the revolution. This revolution is alive with all its revolutionary slogans. This revolution belongs to all walks of society and it is not exclusive to one specific walk or class.

The worshipers and pilgrims at Khomeini's shrine responded with uproarious praise. "Oh, free-minded leader," they chanted, "we are fully ready."

Khamenei likened Iranians who failed to support the revolution's values to those who break the Ramadan fast before dusk but also appealed to Iran's nationalism. Islam, he said, strengthened the Iranian nation.

Our Islamic revolution is a contribution to the progress of the nation. Enemies of the nation for years argued that progress is mutually exclusive with religion. On the contrary ... the spirit of revolution has empowered the nation in all fields. Islamic revolution has been a short cut between backwardness and West-toxification.

"Death to America!" the faithful chanted. "Death to America!"

"Today," he continued, "a cold war against the Islamic revolution is taking place and it's waged by the arrogant powers in all aspects of life. In the cultural field the enemies want to undermine the determination of our nation, especially the youth, by spreading narcotic addiction and promoting debauchery among young generation. Every single member of society should fight against narcotic addiction and debauchery so that young people channel their energies into innovation and scientific progress."

— Ramin Mostaghim in Tehran

Photos: From top, Supreme leader Ali Khamenei addressed the faithful today (ISNA). They gathered inside the shrine dedicated to the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (ISNA). They also practiced lamentation ceremonies outside the shrine (ISNA).

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Comments

[Persi]

Israel mafia cotrols US policies and they are digging US grave by enticing them to attack Iran.It is really cynical Iranian regime has no repsect for human rights in Iran and American regime has no respect for human-rights outside U.S. What a disgusting world we live in.

[Adameva]

We are all threatemed by the USA presence in the middle east as they want to impose divisions and wars amongst middle eastern countries/people for the expansion of greater ISRAEL and the OIL.

ISRAEL will attack IRAN and that's the beginning of a new era. ARABS have to be divided and enter into wars with TURKS, KURDS, IRANIANS, SAUDIS, SYRIANS, CHRISTIAN ARABS, other ARABS etc and etc to the fullest. ISRAEL is the real victory with more than 200 nukes and other shophisticated weapons etc. and etc.

End of the day, liberations of ARABS, TURKISH, KURDISH, IRANIANS, and others under ISRAEL supremacy of no fly zones and no nukes for long term PEACE and OIL from the middle eastern soil/region.

Terrorists/insurgents from natives of middle eastern soil will be eliminated and compulsion to the liberation and NEW ORDER of ISRAEL's political objectives.

[michael]

Saint Michael Traveler speaks for Israel as only an Israeli can who has visions of an Iran in the Stone Age whether by voluntary deindustrialization or imposed by US of Israel, by nuking, for the crime of having what they don't have.

Iraq didn't have nukes and hence was a target of opportunity, which is why it is an imperative deterrent against aggression by US of Israel for any industrialized country, or which is on that road, to have a deterrent quantity of deliverable nukes else it is an irresistable target of opportunity to predator state US of Israel with it's T-Rex mentality.

Any small or medium size nation in the world knows that it will be the target of US of Israel depradations, if it's not already an unwilling host to a US base, and must seek to have a nuclear deterrent, just like Israel has, just like USA has, or the consequences will be dire.

[Saint Michael Traveler]

Israel has nuclear bombs, and we gave them nuclear capable airplanes to use the bombs. By the way, we helped Israel to put 200 of the nukes together. Israel is our only friend.

Iranians must be jealous of Israeli's nukes. If Iranians don't like Israeli's nukes, so be it.

By the way, what is this idea that we have a bad economy, expensive collage loans, few professional jobs, and crumpling infrastructures?

Forget about it! We have to worry about Iran; you know they are working on nuclear fuel cycle to make electricity. What do they want electricity for?

My great grandparents used what they had to heat their home, light their house after dark, the good old fashion way. Why do Iranians want to be like us now? It was good for my great grandparents; it must be good for Iranians now.

Last, we must not talk to these Iranians; Israeli’s have told us not to do it. Plus, our great President Bush wants to revisit the 1953 regime change and put in place someone like old Shah. He new what we wanted, and he did it. No question asked.

Kidding aside, you asked for my idea, please read: American Foreign Policy and the World: a New Direction
http://straveler-myamerica.blogspot.com/2008/05/american-foreign-policy-and-world-new.html

[Brook]

The int'l community (including the US) has actually supported Iran's nuclear program. It's the enrichment that can be used to make a bomb they oppose. So, the solution offered was to enrich in Russia in exchange for a transfer (yes, a transfer) of technology to help the Iranians in addition to a generous package of economic aid, which they badly need. This is the truth, folks. Iran is not being bullied. You have to ask why they cling so desperately to enrichment. Answer, because they want the bomb. I actually don't blame them for wanting it, given the circumstances, but this govenrment is far too radical and irresponsible to be allowed to enrich uranium. If they want more respect from the int'l community, they're going to have to act more respectable.

[michael]

Iran's alleged goal of having a nuke or two or a hundred does not matter, nor do Koranic exhortations to the faithfull to go forth and convert the world, even if using the ultimate sword, for even if they did have nukes they could not dare risk using them lest they be utterly obliterated along with their 70,000,000 people.

What makes this a genocide of choice is that the weakest of the three does not even have nukes, but the other two find it convenient to peddle the fiction that it does in order that the no risk genocide can be brought down for both fun and economic hegemony.

[Jim Jimerson]

Pathetically misleading title. I hope you can sleep well at night!

[Saint Michael Traveler]

The title of the article: “IRAN: Khamenei binds nukes to revolution's goals” is misleading. The correct title should have been “IRAN: Khamenei binds nuclear energy to revolution's goals.” The word “nuke” commonly refers to nuclear bomb. Iran is not developing nuclear bomb. She is developing nuclear fuel cycle for production of electric energy. This national policy again was repeated yesterday:

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Tuesday June 3, 2008 (Associated Press):
"Iran is after the peaceful use of nuclear energy and we will strongly pursue and reach it despite the envy of our enemies," he said. "No wise nation is interested in making a nuclear weapon," since it is not logical and can't be used, he added."

[Jeremy R. Hammond]

"Why do you have to lie all the time about Iran? The headline "Khamenei binds nukes to revolution's goals" is designed to mislead (most people understand "nukes" as "nuclear weapons) to the OPPOSITE of what Khamenei actually said!"

This post by Bernie Schwartz hits the nail right on the head. The headline is indeed most deceptive and false.

[South African]

Richard Carpenter BEFORE you make such stupid comments and spread such disinformation do yourself a favour and shut up,
The world needs less of people like who you who spread such bad information.

[David]

an above poster wrote, 'The Koran demands that if a Muslim has the resources to spread Islam by force, they have no choice, they must do it or go to Hell for being a counterfeit Muslim." which is blantantly false and misleading and reflects more on the poster's ignorance than anything else. Islam is an open book and if you want to know about it go to the source, not to some dodo who can't even spell the name of the Musim holy book correctly.

[tedson]

The real reason Bush wants to attack Iran is to cover up his Iraq blunder. His knows that since he handed Iraq to the Shiites he basically handed Iraq to Iran which was the stupidest foreign policy blunder in history. He probably now wants to switch Iran to Sunni control.

[Paul]

Even if Iran was obviously pursuing a nuclear weapons programme, who could blame them with a vicious, armed-to-the-teeth nation like Israel close by constantly issuing threats about what they will get America to do to Iran.

[Bill Dennison]

One American nuclear missile submarine -- one submarine -- could flatten the hundred largest cities in Iran within thirty minutes of an Iranian attack on the United States. The Iranians are perfectly aware of that fact. Iran is an ancient and proud civilisation. The leadership and citizens are not interested in collective suicide regardless of the neocon disinfo claims to the contrary. Thus the Iranians would conduct themselves accordingly even if they had a few nooks, which they do not. Israel as well as the United States could dish out overwhelming nuclear punishment if it were attacked. Israel possesses in the neighbourhood of 200+ nuclear bombs and warheads. (Carter claimed 150 Israeli nooks but most modern intelligence analyses put that figure higher.)

Has one sane and rational person in the United States ever lost a minute of sleep worrying about being attacked by Iran? Nope.

This entire demonisation campaign against Iran is the product of one small group of paranoid, neurotic, mentally unbalanced control freaks. The headquarters group is in Tel Aviv, their North American subsidiaries are in Washington DC and New York City.

No more American life, limb, blood or money are to be sacrificed at the whim of the Israel-first crowd inside Israel or inside the United States (one of the motivations behind the unprovoked American attack on Iraq was Israeli "security").

Iran is zero threat to the United States. If the Israelis are frightened of Iran then the Israelis are free to try whatever they think is necessary. Themselves. But leave the United States out of it.

P.S. Oh, by the way, Iran is sitting on proven petroleum reserves of approximately 126 Billion barrels. The United States burns approximately 8 Billion barrels per year. Israel has no oil. For a petroleum addicted country like the USA it doesn't seem logical to be working at maintaining an hostile relationship with Iran and its third largest oil reserves on earth.

[hamed]

sometimes when you are so swaped with a subject it would be very difficult to concentrate on other failures. the suffering point about Iran that really these days is turnning to a critical subject-at least for those who live in Iran like me- is not our nuclear problem but is our social liberties which is being ignored by both national and international societies. I think talking about nuclear things is enough and now we all should pay a close attention on our social condition and liberties which everyday is undermined more and more.

[Richard Carpenter]

Bernie Schwartz (Jewish?) and Hosein (Muslim?) you two need to get together and drink "The Cool-Aid" together. You two are some of the deaf, dumb and blind who don't get what is going on. Pakistan already has "Nukes", Iran wants them more than their own survival and if Pakistan falls into pro-Taliban hands, cities like Paris, London, Rome, NYC and Washington DC will be vaporized. They want you dead Schwartz, just like Daniel Pearl....screaming while they hack off your head; you, your kids and your grandkids if you have any.
Islam has been waiting patiently for centuries to be in a position of global strength. The Koran demands that if a Muslim has the resources to spread Islam by force, they have no choice, they must do it or go to Hell for being a counterfeit Muslim. you might note that 1% or 2% of Islam is presently devoted to trying to kill us while the other 99% or 98% are perfectly willing to stand back and watch them. They rest will be along shortly when we are on our knees. They just don't want to get their hands bloody right now. WAKE UP!

[Great White Buffalo]

Forget the headline guys. What I love is the death to America part. Regardless of what the Nut Bag Chief Muslim had to say, those Iranians love to chant "death to America"
Right back at ya.
Death and genocide to Iran and it's citizens, and their kids, and their elderly, and their prophet the great traitor, Muhammed

[Hosein]

The title is very misleading. Instead of telling the truth that the spiritual leader of Iran clearly states that the nuclear objective of the country is for peaceful electicity generation and forbid the development of nuclear weapons, you use such a title. This is a grave discredit to journalism.

[Bernie Schwartz]

Why do you have to lie all the time about Iran? The headline "Khamenei binds nukes to revolution's goals" is designed to mislead (most people understand "nukes" as "nuclear weapons) to the OPPOSITE of what Khamenei actually said!