Leader: Iran must not back down from revolutionary ideals

Ayatollah Khamenei has issued a detailed statement dubbed "The Second Phase of Islamic Revolution" on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the 1979 uprising that toppled the US-backed Pahlavi regime.

In the statement, Ayatollah Khamenei said the Islamic Revolution guaranteed Iran’s security, stability, and territorial integrity, and stressed that Iran must not back down from its national and revolutionary values.

"Among all the nations suffering from oppression, few make an effort to launch a revolution; and among those nations that have risen and launched a revolution, few have been witnessed to have pursued it to the end, or moved beyond merely changing the government and safeguarded their revolutionary values," read the statement.

"However, the auspicious Revolution of the Iranian nation—which is the greatest and most popular revolution of the contemporary era—is the sole revolution that has persisted forty years of pride, saved from betrayal to its values, and it has preserved its dignity and original slogans against all the temptations which seemed irresistible; hence, entering the second phase of self-development, society-processing and civilization-building," the Leader added.

"The day when the world was divided into the materialistic West and East, and no one presumed a major religious movement would emerge, the Islamic Revolution of Iran stepped into the scene gloriously and mightily; it broke the frameworks; it flaunted to the world the outdatedness of the clichés; it put the religion and the material world together, and declared the coming of a new era," Ayatollah Khamenei continued.

"Today, after 40 annual celebrations of the victory of the Revolution..., one of the two centers of animosity has already perished, and the second one is struggling with predicaments that signal its death in the near future. Whereas, the Islamic Revolution is advancing while preserving and adhering to its mottos."

The Leader noted that the Revolution's mottos of freedom, ethics, spirituality, justice, independence, dignity, rationality and brotherhood had no expiry date and "are not limited to a single generation or society so that they would rise in a period and decline in the next."

"It is impossible to imagine a people who despise these values," he asserted.

"Since its inception, this Revolution has never been merciless nor has it ever shed blood; it has neither been passive nor hesitant. Standing assertively and courageously against bullies and thugs, it has defended the oppressed," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The future: A message to young people

The Leader said the responsibility for building a "great Islamic Iran" lies with the youth, who have to take it upon themselves and pull the country forward using their own experiences while keeping an eye on the experiences of the past.

"The decades ahead are your decades, and it is you who should protect your revolution while you are qualified and full of motivation, and move it closer to its great ideal: that is, the emergence of a new Islamic civilization and the preparation for the rising of the great sun of wilayat (may our souls be sacrificed for him) [Imam Mahdi (a.s.)]," he wrote.

"To take steady steps in the future, we need to develop a good knowledge of the past and learn from it. If this strategy is neglected, lies will replace the truth, and the future will be menaced by unknown threats," the Leader said. "The adversaries of the revolution are strongly motivated in their efforts to spread distortions and lies about the past and even the present, using money and all tools" at their disposal.

The Leader said the Islamic Revolution guaranteed stability and security of the country and then helped the nation advance on many fronts by acting as the "engine" for progress.

Another key achievement of the Revolution was promoting popular participation in elections and other aspects of the country's political process while boosting engagement in charity activities and other social matters, he said.

It also expanded "beyond the limited number of isolation-seeking elites" the understanding of international issues such as "crimes by the West and particularly the United States; the Palestinian cause and the historical oppression of the Palestinian nation; the issue of bullying powers’ warmongering attitudes, vices, intrusions in other nations’ affairs and the like."

Talks with US can only 'harm'

Ayatollah Khamenei said dialog with the United States will bear no fruit, adding that Iran considers US and some European states as deceitful and untrustworthy.

He said the United States' main challenge is Iran’s support for Palestine and the Islamic Republic's powerful presence in the region.

Washington's problem is to prevent the transfer of advanced Iranian arms to resistance forces, the Leader said.

He said the US sees itself in need of support by other countries to confront Iran politically.

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that the US will be defeated in any confrontation with Iran.

Iran is at an elevated position worldwide thanks to its Revolution, the Leader said.

He called on Iranian youths to work hard to speed up national progress.

Ayatollah Khamenei also thanked Iranians for their glorious turnout in rallies marking the Islamic Revolution’s 40th anniversary on February 11.