Hawzah News Agency-On Saturday July 2nd, the 26th day of the blessed month of Ramadan, a group of university students and representatives of students associations from across the nation met with Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

More than a thousand students including representatives of various students associations had a friendly and open meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei on Saturday evening, July 2, 2016. The 5-hour meeting included students’ concerns regarding the academic, cultural, social, political and economic issues of the new generation and statements by the Leader of the Revolution on “Academic and students affairs, university student’s most important duties in the process of the nation’s resistance as well as various current issues.”

Before His Eminence began his speech, a few students and representatives of student associations took the tribune to openly express their viewpoints about the country’s major issues.

In his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei expressed pleasure and contentment with Ramadan meetings with university students and said: “The various issues and different viewpoints that were brought up in this meeting were good and pleasant and they displayed the intellectual growth of university students and their demands; it also proves that over time revolutionary aspirations and open minds as well as serene reasoning has significantly expanded day by day among university students.”

The Leader of the Revolution described the current crucial conditions of the country as very similar to those of the Al-Ahzab battle (The Battle of the Confederates) at the time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and added: “Today all the materialists and bullies of the world have arrayed against the Islamic Republic and have attacked it in all its aspects.”

Ayatollah Khamenei further noted that: “At such conditions, those who are weak in their belief or are perhaps the enemies’ insiders, express hopelessness, desperateness and low self-esteem; however, those with a firm belief in God- no matter how difficult the situations get- resist with a unbendable determination and willpower."

The Leader of the Revolution stressed that: “If we want to resist against the arrogant front and achieve the dignity and glory that the Islamic Republic of Iran deserves, we need to consolidate and strengthen our piety in both personal and public behavior."

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out to Iranian nation’s “landmark and inevitable struggle against the arrogant front” and said: “The struggle first began when the Iranian nation decided to be independent and developed and this was incompatible with the global domineering powers’ interests.”

His eminence described certain individuals comments- which states that the Islamic Republic is looking for excuses for not getting along with the major powers- as superficial and unintellectual, saying “ this struggle and resistance does not need any excuse as long as the Iranian nation resists in accordance with their dignity and their revolutionary and Islamic background. This resistance exists and there are only two ways to end it: either the Islamic Republic of Iran obtains such a power and capability that the other party won’t dare attack it or that the Islamic Republic of Iran loses its original identity and turns into a lifeless outward,” adding that for the Iranian nation, the first i.e. “achieving full power” is what would bring an end to the struggle.

“Of course it might be that today the US policies require that it distinguished between different officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran and categorizes them as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ authorities, but if find the capability, they will call the same so-called ‘good’ authorities as bad ones, too,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.

His Eminence referred to concerns raised by the students during the meeting including the new oil contracts and commented: “As long as the necessary corrections, within the frame work of the nation’s interests, are not carried out on the contracts, they will absolutely not be signed.”

Tapping on issues of the necessity of rationality in the country, The Leader of the Revolution stated that: “these days many comments are made regarding rationality and the necessity of rational dialogue between the political parties- which is in essence a practical and very appropriate topic and in accordance with the advice of Islam, the Quran and Imam Khomeini’s- who was one of the greatest wise men of the world,” describing the Islamic Revolution “a rational revolution” and those who think Iran needs to rely on the West for development, have actually lost their rationality since “the reason orders us to learn from experiences.”

His eminence pointed out to the very bad treatment of JCPOA by the French and the Americans and stressed that: “Regarding the JCPOA, it was proven that the Americans- both the Congress and the State- are still busy practicing animosity towards Iran. Rationality orders us to deal with such an enemy with wisdom and prudence and avoid being deceived by it, falling into what the enemy has plotted.”

Ayatollah Khamenei tapped on US’s claim on willingness to negotiate and cooperate with Iran on regional issues including the Syrian crisis and said: “We do not want such a cooperation because their main goal is to cut Iran’s presence in the region.”

Finally the Leader of the Revolution stressed that: “Based on the spiritual, religious and ethical duty that I have, I will resist as long as I am alive and I trust the people; just as I am certain that the outcome of the resistance is victory.”

The meeting which commenced before the Sunset, was followed by a prayer in congregation and later the attendees broke their fast sharing their iftar with Ayatollah Khamenei.

The full text of the speech will be uploaded on the website later.

End.