Khamenei: We have influence over regional nations

TEHRAN, Jan. 9 (MNA) -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said that Iran has spiritual influence over regional nations because the Islamic system has awakened these nations to the enemies’ plots.

The United States cites the Islamic Republic of Iran as the main factor behind the failure of its policies on Palestine, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Iraq, but the U.S. defeats are due to those nations’ political awakening and their correct policies, Ayatollah Khamenei said at a meeting with thousands of people from the holy city of Qom in Tehran on Sunday.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s power in the region and influence on (its) nations are spiritual because the Islamic system awakens nations,” he stated.

“In this situation, the U.S. tried to prevent the current Iraqi government from coming to power, but due to the awakening of the people, the U.S. could not do anything and this government took power,” he added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader called on academics, officials, clerics, the youth, and all citizens to remain vigilant toward the enemies’ plots.

“The precondition for the successful continuation of the path of progress and power is remaining vigilant and not underestimating the enemy,” he said.

“The enemy makes great efforts to hinder the progress of the Islamic system through exerting economic pressure, launching massive propaganda campaigns, and promoting Iranophobia, but they have achieved no result,” he stated.

Commenting on the political unrest that occurred after the June 2009 presidential election, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “By God’s grace, the people were awakened and entered the scene and were able to foil a major plot.”

The foreigners masterminded the “sedition” to overthrow the Islamic system and the so-called “leaders of sedition” were the puppets of the enemy, he noted.

They should not have become the puppets of the enemy, and when they realized that they had made mistakes, they should have changed their path, but they didn’t do so and “committed a sin,” he added.

Commenting on his recent visit to Qom, the Leader said, “In the recent trip, the people of Qom demonstrated their loyalty to Islam and the system and showed signs of insight, and even the enemies could not remain silent and acknowledged it.”