Response of Iran

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed that the main reason the Iranian nation does not waver in the face of the pressures of global powers such as the sanctions, is the religious faith of the people, further reiterating: "Since a few months ago, they have imposed sanctions which were claimed to be crippling and they even imposed a new round of sanctions just a few days before the 22nd of Bahman. They did these in order to break the will of the people, but the Iranian nation responded by participating in the rallies on the 22nd of Bahman more enthusiastically than previous years."

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "The enemies have taken a passive role in the face of the faith, firm determination, wisdom, courage and patience of the Iranian nation and as a result, they make irrational moves."

Referring to the behavior and statements of American politicians, His Eminence described them as unreasonable and thuggish people who contradict themselves. He stated: "The Americans expect the others to give in to their unreasonable demands and their bullying, as a number of people have given in to their demands. But the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic do not give in because they have the ability to reason and they have power and authority."

He gave examples of the irrational positions and moves of American politicians and western governments which follow them, further adding: "They claim that they are committed to human rights and they have raised the flag of human rights in the world. But, in practice, they inflict the most serious harm to human rights and they hurl the biggest insult at human rights by creating disasters such as the ones in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib and the slaughter of the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution described their claim to combat nuclear weapons as another example of the irrationality of the Americans and the contradiction between their words and actions. He added: "Based on this claim, the Americans attacked Iraq 11 years ago. But it became clear that this claim was false in essence."

Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated: "Despite this claim, American politicians support the evil Zionist regime which is equipped with dangerous nuclear weapons."

His Eminence described the claim to support democracy as another false statement made by the American politicians: "On the one hand, they make this claim and on the other hand, they constantly confront Iran which has the most genuine democracy in the region."

He stressed: "The Americans claim to support democracy while they support countries in the region which do not know the first thing about democracy and in which the people have not seen ballot boxes even once."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the Americans' claim to be prepared to negotiate with Iran in order to resolve the issues is another example of the contradiction between the words and actions of the American politicians, further reiterating: "This claim is made while the Americans say inappropriate and false things about Iran and they resort to sanctions and pressures in order to confront the Iranian nation."

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the statements of the American president, which were made a few days ago, saying that America is trying to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons. He reiterated: "If Iran had decided to build nuclear weapons, America would not have been able to stop the Iranian nation in any way."

His Eminence added: "The Islamic Republic of Iran has not decided to build nuclear weapons and this decision is not because of America's concern. Rather, this decision is based on the belief that building nuclear weapons is a crime against humanity. Besides stressing that they should not be produced, it demands that the existing nuclear weapons be wiped out."

He stressed: "The American's claim that Iran is building nuclear weapons is deceptive talk."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated: "On the nuclear issue of Iran, the argument is not about nuclear weapons. Rather, they want to deny Iran its natural and absolute right to enrich uranium and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Of course, they will not succeed in preventing the Iranian nation and our nation will fulfill its objective which is based on its absolute right."

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "Efforts to violate the rights of the Iranian nation is a clear example of the irrationality of the Americans. Therefore, one cannot use logic when he speaks to the irrational and thuggish side."

His Eminence said: "During the past 34 years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has clearly understood - through its involvement in different global issues - who its opposing side is, how he behaves and how it should be confronted."

He said that on the issue of negotiations, the Americans are trying to mislead public opinion in the world, in the region and in Iran by relying on media networks which are under the domination of the Zionists and the Americans, further adding: "The global media network either does not reflect our statements or it reflects them in an incomplete or distorted way. Therefore, I speak to the people of Iran."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the main purpose of American politicians in making an offer of negotiations is creating hype about surrender of the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic, further reiterating: "They want to show Muslim nations - which have just gained strength in the region - that the Islamic Republic of Iran came to the negotiating table despite its intense determination and resistance. Therefore, these nations have no options except for surrendering."

Ayatollah Khamenei stated: "Of course, since many years ago, those who sought domination have tried to drag Iran to the negotiating table and make it deal with them in order to make Muslim nations hopeless. Now, they are pursuing the same goal by publicizing the idea of non-political negotiations. But the Islamic Republic of Iran understands what their goals are by keeping its eyes open and it responds according to these goals."

His Eminence pointed out that in the eyes of the Americans and westerners, the true meaning of negotiations is accepting what they say at the negotiation table, further adding: "By adopting the same irrational viewpoint, they say in their propaganda that they should directly negotiate with Iran in order to make it stop producing nuclear energy and satisfy it with enriched uranium. But, if they had wanted to start genuine and reasonable negotiations, they should have said, let us negotiate so that Iran can give its own reasons and so that issues will be examined in a fair way."

He reiterated: "This kind of negotiation does not serve any purpose. It will not reach any results. Even if Iran accepts to negotiate and even if the officials sit and negotiate with the Americans, what kind of negotiation is this when their goal is this [making Iran surrender and making Muslim nations hopeless]?"

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the Americans' move to break off negotiations whenever they have nothing to say in the face of Iran's reasonable statements: "During the past 15 years, the Americans requested Iran to negotiate with them two or three times, stressing that negotiations are very necessary, urgent and vital. One or two executive officials went and negotiated with them. But as soon as they had no response to Iran's reasonable statements, they broke off negotiations. And by using their global media networks, they pretended that Iran had broken off the negotiations."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that the Americans' propaganda about lifting sanctions if Iran negotiates with America is a false promise. He added: "They naively imagine that our people are exhausted by the sanctions, and when they hear about this promise, they become eager to negotiate with America and they pressure the officials of the country."

His Eminence reiterated: "In fact, this promise is one of the same deceptive statements of the Americans and it shows that they are not after genuine and fair negotiations. Rather, that they are pursuing the goal of making the Iranian nation surrender. If the Iranian people had wanted to surrender to the Americans, they would not have carried out a revolution."

Explaining why the Americans' promise to lift sanctions if Iran accepts to negotiate is false, he stressed: "the aim of the sanctions is, as they have repeatedly said, to exhaust the Iranian nation and to make it separate from the Islamic Republic. Therefore, even if negotiations are conducted but our people stay present on the scene and stand up for their rights, sanctions will continue."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated: "The Americans believe that the Islamic Republic relies on the people and if they separate the people from the Islamic Republic with sanctions, the power to resist will be taken away from the Islamic Republic. The first part of this statement, that the Islamic Republic is dependent on the masses of the people, is accurate. But the second part, that pressures and sanctions will bring the people to their knees and will separate them from the Islamic Republic, is completely false and it is based on misapprehension."

Ayatollah Khamenei added: "Of course, the Iranian nation is looking for blossoming, progress and complete prosperity. But, it does not want to achieve this goal by being humiliated. Rather, it wants to pursue this goal with wisdom, determination and courage. It wants to achieve this goal by relying on its own resources, particularly by relying on the talented youth of Iran."

His Eminence pointed to the astonishing achievements of the Iranian nation and he compared the Iranian nation with nations and countries which have surrendered to America, further adding: "Sanctions bother people. But there are two ways to approach sanctions: either people should surrender and show repentance before global bullies like week nations. Or, like the brave people of Iran, they should increase their capabilities, rely on their own capacities and pass through the danger zone with dignity and strength."

He added: "Undoubtedly, the people of Iran have chosen the second way and they will pursue it. By Allah's favor, they will turn sanctions into an opportunity for growth and blossoming."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the people's enthusiastic presence in the rallies on the 22nd of Bahman does not signifies that the people are not complaining about the high prices and the problems, further adding: "The people, particularly the underprivileged classes, truly feel the hardships. But they do not separate themselves from the Islamic Republic because they know that the Islamic Republic and the dear Islam are the powerful hands which can solve the problems."

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "Contrary to American politicians, the Islamic Republic and the people of Iran are reasonable. Therefore, if they see that the other side speaks reasonably, they will respond appropriately."

His Eminence stated that if America stops bullying and doing evil deeds, if it respects the rights of the Iranian nation, if it stops interfering in the internal affairs of Iran - like the interference by supporting those who started the fitna in 1388 - and if they avoid fueling the fire of discord in the region, it can prove that American politicians have good will.

He reiterated: "If such a thing happens and if the Americans show, in words and actions, that they are not irrational, then they will see that the Islamic Republic and the people of Iran are well-wishing, reasonable and cooperative."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed: "The only way to establish relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran is this and if such a thing happens, the American government will receive an appropriate response."

Greeting  caring heart,