Western plans to make inroads into the Islamic Republic are primarily focused on corrupting top officials and decision-makers, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution cautioned.
"Officials, directors, elites and influential people involved in making major decisions are the main target of the [West's] infiltration project," Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said.
He was speaking in a meeting with commanders of Basij volunteer forces in Tehran on Wednesday, ahead of the anniversary of the 1979 establishment of the force on Nov. 26.
The Leader said even though some allegedly took advantage of the issue of blocking "western infiltration" to advance their own political agenda, it is still an important issue and cannot be neglected.
"It is important to realize that the enemy is devising plots in this regard," the Leader's official website quoted him as saying.
Ayatollah Khamenei categorized infiltration into two types: case-based and networking.
"The case-based infiltration is aimed at spying and gathering intelligence, but more importantly, affecting decision-makers," he said.
Enemy's agents are working secretly to influence the attitudes of officials and important people involved in the country's affairs.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted that the networking infiltration is more dangerous.
"Based on this approach, the enemy often uses the two tools of money and sexual attractions to build [influential] networks among people in the country to alter their values, beliefs and hence lifestyle."
Ayatollah Khamenei denounced those who accuse Basij of being radical, saying they are often unwittingly contributing to the West's plots to expand its corrupting influence in the Islamic Republic.
"Through such accusations, knowingly or unknowingly, they help undermine the strong bulwark of Basij and advance the enemy's dangerous project of infiltration," he said.
