The Office of the Supreme Leader

In reaction to Tehran terror attacks

The Leader: They are too trivial to affect the nation’s will

While hearing the opinions and viewpoints of university students about scientific and academic topics as well as the country’s political, cultural and economic topics in a three-hour meeting with university students this evening, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in a speech described university students as being at the front line of the Islamic establishment’s relentless campaign against the hegemonic order and approving the critical and demanding outlook of students on various issues, described “idealistic view and refusal to lose hope after occasional failures” as complementing this concernedness and highlighting the need for realism and an active contribution by the revolutionary student associations and serious attention for the clarification and prevalence of the Islamic Revolution discourse in universities, said, “The basic pillar of universities is science and the most important duty of a university body is the production of scholars, the production of science and the provision of proper direction to scholars and science.”         
Also pointing to Tehran’s terrorist incidents, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed, “Such incidents will not create any dent in the will of the nation and officials and the Iranian nation will mightily continue their movement and push forward.” 
At the beginning of his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei described the students’ remarks in this meeting as very solemn, powerful, though-out, and high-level and while urging the officials of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and Azad University to benefit from these firm opinions, said, “The sum of what was said points to a rise in the reasoning level of university student bodies compared to the early years of the revolution and even previous years and this is exactly what we need.”
The Leader began his comments with an introduction about the keyword “hegemonic order” and added, “The hegemonic order is global bipolarity one pole of which is occupied by “the dominant” and the other by “the dominated.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution pointed to the dichotomies created under the hegemonic order, saying, “The dichotomy of ‘progress and inertia,’ the dichotomy of ‘innovation and emulation,’ the dichotomy of ‘political independence and dependence,’ the dichotomy of ‘self-confidence and passivity’ are dualities that have emerged over the past two or three centuries. The predominant countries, using precise and scientific planning sought to make this situation eternal and permanent while transferring their ideology, culture and lifestyle.”     
Pointing out that some countries found the opportunity for partial liberation in some grounds of domination, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “In such circumstances, the Islamic Revolution breasted hegemonic order and succeeded in fully pulling out Iran from this sinkhole.”   
He said, “Some may ask ‘How has the Islamic Republic fully broken free from the hegemonic order while some traces of the Western culture can still be witnessed in the society?’”  
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution added, “In response it should be said that breaking free from all of the affairs related to the hegemonic order and the management of all of the country’s cultural, political and economic affairs contrary to the course of the hegemonic movement are definitive laws in the Islamic Republic establishment and there may be some violations against this but this issue is different from lack of laws or the existence of contradictory laws.”     
Describing as incorrect some remarks that designate as inefficient the Islamic establishment by pointing to the poor performance of a certain ministry, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed, “The biggest reason for the ‘efficiency of the establishment,’ is its survival and continuity and if the Islamic establishment were inefficient it would have been devoured by now.” 
Ayatollah Khamenei described as a very important development the clear and categorical declaration of the Islamic establishment’s positions against powers and stressed, “This very issue is one of the signs of the efficiency of the establishment.”   
Stressing that faithful, revolutionary and devout youths must not forget the innumerable advances and achievements of the Islamic establishment, he added, “The Islamic revolution succeeded in bestowing identity and purpose upon the Iranian nation by standing up to the hegemonic order.” 
Ayatollah Khamenei described “Iran and Iranian identity” as the reason for indigestibility in the global digestive system and reiterated, “The identity of the Iranian nation and the plentiful causes of this nation naturally pitted the hegemonic order against the Islamic Revolution and an intensive campaign began between the Islamic establishment and the powers and influential global movements.” 
Pointing to the utilization of “hard, semi-hard and soft” approaches by the powers, he described the university and students as one of the main centers involved in this campaign, saying, “Over the past years, great effort was made to eliminate universities from the battle scene.”  
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution pointed to the domination of the currents opposed and hostile to the Revolution over universities in the early years of the Revolution and reiterated, “In those years, universities were truly the arena for ground battles and debate wars but eventually it was the Muslim and revolutionary students who conquered the universities.”
Ayatollah Khamenei recalled a serious blow in that era and added, “Unfortunately, in those years some agitation occurred among the Muslim student bodies and some students who had conquered the university and den of espionage (US embassy) were defeated from the inside and suffered blows due to poor judgment and content and extremism caused by excitements.”   
Pointing to remarks and measures by some people inside the country in line with efforts by ill-wishers to “de-revolutionize” universities, he said, “Unfortunately, some people are helping the undermining of the devout spirits in universities.”
Addressing the university bodies interested in the Revolution and Islam, under any label, in conclusion of this part of his speech, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said, “You should position yourselves at the front line of the continuing campaign of the Islamic establishment against the hegemonic order and while closely studying the scene of the battle and campaign, you should shoulder human, national, Islamic and international responsibility against it.”
Continuing, fully approving of the critical and demanding outlook of the students concerning the issues and problems of the country, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “This critical and concerned outlook must not be taken away from universities.” 
The Leader described as necessary the need for an idealistic outlook beside the critical outlook and addressing revolutionary students reiterated, “Have serious demands on ideals and values and while putting a question mark over the lapses and shortcomings, by no means lose hope and grow frustrated at occasional failures.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said, “If we were to lose hope because of failures or blows, we should have grown frustrated during the struggle era [against the previous regime] or during the [Iraqi] imposed war but we never lost hope due to defeats in those periods because victory cannot be attained with frustration and hopelessness.”
Ayatollah Khamenei urged the students to bear in mind the unique achievements of the Islamic establishment and stressing that you should always feel proud because of the Islamic Revolution, added, “Today, the policies of the biggest world powers have faced defeat in West Asia and they themselves admit that the reason for this failure is the Islamic Republic of Iran’s exertion of influence and might; is this a small achievement that the demand of the Revolution be realized but the demand of the US and its allies come to nothing?”  
He pointed to one of the schemes of the enemy to instill [the notions of] “it is pointless,” “you cannot (do it),” “there is nothing you can do” and reiterated, “Unfortunately, some people inside the country are loudly parroting in their remarks, in newspapers, and in cyberspace the same mindset that the enemy wants to instill in the society.”  
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution told the students, “Your critical and questioning spirits should be sympathetic and solution-seeking regarding the problems inside the establishment, but your confrontation against the enemy should be resolute, explicit and hostile like their hostile treatment.”
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed, “University student bodies are free in confrontation with the external enemy and some considerations concerning diplomatic issues rests with diplomats but students should loudly and clearly declare their stances regarding foreign issues.” 
In another part of his speech, the Leader described “science” as the basic pillar of universities and stressed, “The most important duty of a university body is ‘raising and producing scholars, producing science and giving proper direction to scholars and science’.” 
Highlighting the importance of moving forward in the scientific arena, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution added, “Scientific advance has not yet materialized as befitting the Islamic establishment and the boundaries of science must be crossed because progress in science will result in progress in technology and progress in technology will lead to influence in life and becoming the subject of attention in the world.” 
Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated, “All university bodies, whether ministers, university presidents, managers, professors, curricula contents and education procedures must be placed within this framework.”
The next segment of the speech by Ayatollah Khamenei was making nine recommendations to student associations:
Pointing to the existence of some disposable associations with electoral goals or associations with the aim of countering the religious and revolutionary bodies in universities, he said, “These associations are not our addressees in this meeting, but we are addressing those associations that believe in the Revolution and the Islamic establishment and combating their enemies.”   
“Do not forget idealism.” This was the first recommendation of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution to student associations. 
In outlining the valuable ideals of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei added, “The achievement of a ‘just, free, advanced, faithful, devout, well-off, strong, tough and independent’ society are ideals for the materialization of which, and the salvation of the country and the needy, human life is worth sacrificing.”  
“Realism” was the second recommendation of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. Pointing out that by realism some people mean to merely attend to the obstacles, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said, “Realism means to see the positive realities.”
Ayatollah Khamenei cited “the Islamic Republic’s youthful and talented population, underground resources, exclusive geographical location and advances,” as important realities of the country, saying, “Idealism means to look for and find the path faced with obstacles and problems and this undertaking requires intellectual debates.”  
In the next recommendation to the students, the Leader asked them to play an “active role” in various bitter and sweet incidents and not act as a mere “bystanders.”
“Earnest and all-out efforts for the prevalence of the discourse of the Revolution in universities” was another point which the Leader of the Islamic Revolution highlighted and while describing hopelessness and frustration as wrong, said, “Of course, this address is not particular to universities, rather every one of the cores of intellectual struggle throughout the country must independently work in this area.”
Ayatollah Khamenei added, “Sometimes, the central institutions of intellectuality, culture and politics suffer disruptions and shutdowns in which condition the officers of the Soft War must make decisions and take action in a fire-at-will forma through the realization of their responsibility.” 
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also urged the student associations to establish genuine relations with their audiences through round-table discussions, journals, multi-people debates and not sufficing to cyberspace and continuing asked them to properly clarify and not forget some keywords such as “independence,” “the role of the people in governance,” “freedom,” and “the rejection of the hegemonic order.” 
Ayatollah Khamenei described ‘democracy’ as one of the important keywords and pointing to the expression of surprise and discontent by some of the good and revolutionary chaps at his insistence on the need for the participation of all people in the elections and its result, added, “Catastrophe is the day when people turn their backs on ballot boxes and the enemy too is after the day when 90 percent of the people do not go to the ballot boxes.” 
He stressed to the students, “The presence of the people by the ballot boxes is a great blessing and you should strive for the result that you favor, not to stand in the way of the people’s presence by the ballot boxes.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described the issue of “independence” as very important and said the issue of the UN’s Education 2030 agenda can be assessed in this very framework, reiterating, “Some say we have taken reservations and stated that we do not accept a so-and-so section; whereas, the education system should not be drawn up outside the country even if no clear case in contravention of Islam had existed in it. However, there are instances in contravention of Islam in the document and the assumption of some people who imagine that we have not received correct reports on this issue is not a correct assumption.” 
Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated, “This is Iran and the Islamic Republic and this nation is a big nation. Why should some people in UNESCO or the UN draft our education system for us?”  
In the seventh recommendation, he advised student associations on “religiosity and worship in deeds and words” and asked them to act according to religious principles and divine responsibility.  
 “Courage in action” was the next recommendation to which the Leader of the Islamic Revolution pointed, adding, “University associations should not be kept waiting because of the concern or displeasure of a so-and-so individual or institution, but should weigh all sides of the measure and go back from exactly wherever they realized the incorrectness of their move.”
Ayatollah Khamenei asked the female students to follow the “issue of women in the West” in their research and in the tenth and last recommendation to the student associations reiterated, “University students must remain hopeful and inject hope into universities and not allow a climate of despair to form.” 
Following his recommendations to university students, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution attended to the two issues of “corruption” and “injection of Western culture.”
Describing as incorrect some remarks about the existence of “systematic corruption” in the country, he said, “Systematic corruption existed in the idolatrous [pre-Revolution] era and the system naturally generated corruption; however, today, the cases of corruption that exist, although bad, are odd instances of corruption and not systematic and of course, these cases should be countered.”  
Also pointing to the existence of some motives to “promote Western culture in the country,” Ayatollah Khamenei added, “These motives exist but note that they will never succeed in diverting the Revolution from its course and submerge the country in Western culture.” 
He cited the big generation raised to be interested in Islam and the Revolution as an obstacle to the Westernization of the country’s culture, reiterating, “This generation will develop and grow deeper day by day and the deep and thought-out remarks by the students today are a sign of this reality.” 
Pointing to the persistence, resistance and progress of the Islamic establishment in the past 38 years and the imposition of itself upon the hegemonic system despite all the various designs and plots whether the eight-year war, coup d’état, sanctions, widespread prejudiced propaganda and assassinations, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Tehran’s terrorist events showed the generation and today’s people of Tehran that what terror and terrorist movements are and how terrorists target innocent people.”    
He reiterated, “Conditions much bigger and tougher than what occurred in Tehran today prevailed upon the country for several years, but the Islamic Republic succeeded in continuing its push forward and the hegemonic order did not achieve success.” 
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution added, “The events of today will have no impact upon the people’s will and everyone must know that the terrorist are too trivial to be able to have an effect on the will of the country’s nation and officials.”
He reiterated, “Of course, these incidents showed that had the Islamic Republic not stood up at that region which is the hub of these acts of sedition, we would so far have faced many predicaments in this area inside the country and these [terrorists] will God willing be uprooted.”   

During the meeting, eight representatives of university students, comprising misters:
Matin Montazemi – the secretary general of the Islamic Union of Students
Alireza Azzayyadi – the secretary general of Iraqi students in Iran
Mohammad Amin Salimi - the secretary of the Council for Outlining the Stances of University Student Basij
Amin Sardarabadi - the secretary of the Student Justice Movement
Seyyed Mohammad Hassan Davoudi – the leader of the activist group Sobh-e-Roshan
Abolfazl Mazaheri – the secretary of the Union of Islamic Associations of Independent Students
and misses:
Zahra Sadat Razavi - a member of the Central Council of the Office for Strengthening Unity
Maryam Assarzadeh Mahani – a politico-cultural activist of the Azad Islamic University
expressed the viewpoints and concerns of the student community for more than two hours.

The key topics of the remarks by the representatives of student associations are as follows: 
-    The need for a firm campaign by the Judiciary against economic corruption
-    Criticism of expediential approaches and lack of transparency by the Guardian Council in the credential confirmation process of the presidential election
-    Highlighting the role of the family in the Islamic establishment and the need for the implementation of comprehensive  family policies
-    Criticism of the minor role of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution in cultural policymaking 
-    Stressing the need to create a transparency system for the financial resources of the campaigns of election candidates 
-    Demand for the punishment and firm confrontation against seditionists
-    The need to review the management structures of the country and removal of executive shortcomings 
-    Criticism of the social gap and the drop in the people’s purchasing power and insistence upon the immediate addressing of the people’s urgent problems particularly in the livelihood sector
-    Criticism of misconduct, focus on marginal issues and backwashing instead of concentration on agendas in the election rivalries
-    Need for rejuvenation in executive management and trust in the youth to advance the ideals of the Revolution 
-    Criticism of the diminishing supervisory status of the Majlis (Iranian Parliament) in preventing deviations
-    Insistence upon identifying and countering corrupting bottlenecks in Azad University and close monitoring of the university’s performance 
At the end of this meeting, Maghrib and Isha prayers where held by the students and led by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution 

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