Anger With Iran’s Progress Behind West’s Hostilities

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said western countries act with hostility against Iran due to their anger with the Islamic Republic’s progress. 
“Due to this anger, Americans and Europeans enter the arena with all their equipment but they cannot do anything, as they could not in the past and will not be able to in the future,” he said in an address to the people of Isfahan Province on Saturday, Leader.ir reported.
He stated that the arrogant powers’ problem with the Islamic Republic is that if this system advances, their logic of liberal democracy will be negated. 
Over the past three centuries, these states looted other countries’ resources under the pretext of lack of freedom and democracy, according to the Leader. 
A system of governance based on religion and true democracy in Iran has now given an identity to its people and has nullified the western liberal democracy, he said.
Under the influence of the West, a group of people question the Islamic Republic’s freedom and democracy, while being able to express this opinion is an indication of freedom, Ayatollah Khamenei said. 
“Rise to power of different governments with different political views is also a sign of people’s right to choose,” he explained. 
If the Islamic Republic had surrendered to the United States and other arrogant powers, the pressures would be less, but they would dominate the country, the Leader said. 
“Whenever the voice of the Islamic Republic’s power was stronger over the past years, the enemies’ efforts to hit the country were greater,” he said. 
Despite such attempts, they have been generally unsuccessful and unable to stop the Iranian nation’s forward movement, he added. 
Under such circumstances, Ayatollah Khamenei said, it is the duty of all people, as well as authorities, the elite, the youth and academics, to work toward development in scientific, artistic, economic, political, ethical and spiritual sectors. 
“The enemies’ purpose is to shake the pillars of the countries’ power, so all must seriously pursue the issue of progress,” he said. 
The most important instrument of progress is hope, which is why the enemy is using all its resources to induce a sense of hopelessness and reaching a deadlock, the Leader said. 
“Despite all these efforts, hope and movement for progress is still alive in the country.” 

Forward Movement 

Ayatollah Khamenei said there are economic problems which will be addressed, but in other sectors the country is advancing. 
The enemy is trying to stop this movement by creating turmoil, according to him. 
Iran has been experiencing unrest in recent months following the death of a young girl in police custody which later developed into violent clashes between rioters and security forces. 
Tehran blames the West for provoking violence to advance their own political agenda. 
They aimed to involve the people in their plots through the disturbances and when they failed, they began evil and criminal measures so as to exhaust the authorities, according to the Leader. 
“These incidents create problems for the people, but those behind the scenes are too weak to harm the Islamic Republic,” he said. 
“This villainy will certainly end and the Iranian nation will continue the path of development with greater power and higher spirit.”
Ayatollah Khamenei also highlighted the Iranian nation’s history of turning threats into opportunities, including in the recent situation when they appeared in demonstrations and martyrs’ funerals to support the Islamic Revolution.  
“Until this hour, the enemy has been defeated, but the enemy has new tricks every day,” the leader warned. 
Ayatollah Khamenei acknowledged economic problems that have arisen both due to the authorities’ negligence and foreign sanctions, but said they would certainly be addressed and the enemies will be disappointed.