Speaking to thousands of people from various walks of life on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei stated, “There should be no doubt that what happened in Syria was the result of a joint American-Zionist plot.”
The Supreme Leader underlined that while a neighboring country played a visible role in the developments, the primary conspirators and strategists are based in the US and Israel.
“Yes, a neighboring state of Syria clearly played a role in this matter and continues to do so — everyone can see that,” he said. “But the main conspirator, the main planner, and the command center lie in America and the Zionist regime.”
Ayatollah Khamenei added, “We have indications that leave no room for doubt about this conclusion.”
He also reassured the audience of the future of the Resistance Front, saying, “By God’s grace, the scope of the Resistance will encompass the entire region more than ever.”
“This is what the Resistance Front is,” he asserted, adding, “The more pressure you apply, the stronger it becomes; the more crimes you commit, the more motivated it becomes; the more you fight them, the more expanded it becomes.”
Ayatollah Khamenei dismissed as “ignorant” those analysts who argue that the Islamic Republic of Iran will become weaker as a result of the recent developments.
“I tell you that By God’s grace, Iran is strong and powerful and will become more powerful,” he added.
The Supreme Leader further expressed optimism about Syria’s future, stating, “By God’s grace, the occupied territories in Syria will be liberated by the brave Syrian youth. Do not doubt that this will happen. The US will also be expelled from the region by the Resistance Front.”
He highlighted the differing objectives of those involved in the Syrian conflict, noting, “Some seek territorial occupation in northern or southern Syria, while the US aims to secure its foothold in the region. These are their goals, but time will prove that God willing, none of these objectives will be achieved.”
The US, he went on to say, will not be able to establish a foothold in the region and will be expelled from the region by the Resistance Front.
Fight against Daesh in Syria
Ayatollah Khamenei elaborated on Iran’s involvement in Syria during the rise of Daesh, describing the terrorist group as “a bomb of insecurity.” He explained, “Daesh aimed to destabilize Iraq and Syria and eventually target the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
He said Iran’s assistance to Syria had two main motives: safeguarding sacred religious sites and preserving national security.
“Daesh harbored enmity towards holy shrines and intended to destroy them, as they did in Samarra with US support. They planned to target Najaf, Karbala, Kadhimayn, and Damascus. Faithful young Iranians could not allow this,” he said.
On national security, Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the urgency of addressing threats before they reached Iranian soil. “Our authorities wisely realized that if this insecurity wasn’t stopped there, it would spread across our country,” he noted.
Gen. Soleimani’s role in Iraq and Syria
The Supreme Leader lauded the martyred anti-terror commander, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, and his comrades for their pivotal role in Iraq and Syria.
“Our commanders organized and armed local youth in Iraq and Syria, breaking Daesh’s back. The fight was led by these young people, not by deploying Iranian armies,” he explained, emphasizing Iran’s advisory role.
Ayatollah Khamenei also dismissed claims that the Resistance Front has been weakened, affirming, “Resistance is not a hardware system to be broken; it is a belief, a doctrine that grows stronger under pressure.”
He once again expressed confidence that the scope of resistance would continue expanding across the region.
Syria’s support for Iran during Iraq’s war of aggression
The Supreme Leader also acknowledged Syria’s critical help to Iran during Iraq’s war of aggression, highlighting the Arab nation’s bold move to cut off Iraq’s oil pipeline, which supported the dictator Saddam Hussein financially.
“We helped the Syrian government, but before that, the Syrian government gave us vital help at a critical juncture. Most people don’t know this,” he stated.
He further underscored the necessity of resistance against the enemies, stressing, “The Resistance will prevail, and the region’s future belongs to its determined people.”
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