Mehr News: "Leader warns of 'psychological war' against Iran"

The reference here to the "internal enemy" is interesting. The goofy overconfident rhetoric of totalitarian regimes often contains hints that not all is well:

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said here on Wednesday that the global powers have waged a “psychological war” against Iran in order to deter Iran’s great technological and economic progresses.

“Psychological war is the most important plot of the enemy,” the Leader told thousands of pilgrims at Imam Reza (AS) shrine in Mashhad, northeast Iran, in the first day of Iranian New Year.

The Leader said scaring the officials and scholars, weakening the public determination, a constant repetition of unrealistic subjects for changing the people’s understanding of the facts, weakening self-confidence, damaging the unity of people and officials, fomenting tribal, religious, political differences are part of the enemies’ psychological war against Iran.

Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the Iranians want a free, wealthy, and scientifically developed country.

He said Iran’s nuclear activities are legal and under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA.

“In gaining access to nuclear technology Iran has been observing international regulations but if they are going to behave illegally by using the Security Council as a tool and ignore the absolute right of the Iranian people we also can act illegally.”

He also warned if the enemies try to use “violence” against Iran for its peaceful nuclear program Iran will undoubtedly use all its power to strike them.

Iran is a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and it has legal right to use nuclear energy for civilian purposes.

The Leader went on to say in order to sustain successes the “dear Iranian nation” should be aware of its status and know about the challenges facing the country and how to deal with those challenges.

The Iranian nation basically wants to serve as a model for other Muslim nations and in order to realize this great objective it should make use of all its capacities, he explained.

Even though hegemonic powers and the puppet rulers blocked Iran’s progress for about 200 years the scientific and political progresses made since the victory of the Islamic Revolution have proven that Iran can serve as an example for other nations, he underlined.

He said the achievements made by Iranian scientists in nuclear technology, stem cells, and many other fields have won international praise.

He added the Iranian nation has been able to introduce new concepts such as “religious democracy” and “religion-based politics” to the world and the realities in the last three decades show that the Iranian nation can achieve unbelievable successes in international scientific, political, industrial, economic, and cultural competitions.

He said the future awaiting the nation is very promising but with many challenges ahead.

“The Iranian nation is facing the two internal and external enemies; and internal enemy means characteristics such as laziness, lack of motivation, hopelessness, and pessimism.

“And lack of national self-confidence is more dangerous than external enemy and the nation should counter these germs and destructive ants.”

The Leader called the international hegemonic system the “external enemy” of the Iranian nation, saying, “The international Zionism and the current government of the United States of America symbolize the external enemy of the Iranian nation.”

He added the enmity of the international Zionism and the U.S. toward Iran began after the revolution and it is still continuing.

Ayatollah Khamenei called “psychological warfare, economic war, and countering the scientific development of Iranian people” the three main approaches of the enemies.

He said the U.S. itself symbolizes terrorism, human rights violations, evilness and interference in other countries’ affairs, but it accuses Iran of such behaviors and tries to “change the place of the accused and the plaintiff.” However, he said, all nations believe that the U.S. should be held accountable for its misdemeanors.

The Leader stated frightening southern neighbors of Iran is another aim of the U.S. psychological warfare.

“Such efforts have been continuing since the beginning of the revolution and some of our neighbors in the Persian Gulf have cleverly realized this conspiracy and some others many fall in its trap.”

Referring to Iran’s readiness to sign “joint defense treaty” with Persian Gulf littoral states, Ayatollah Khamenei said “Like all years after the revolution Iran has extended hand of friendship to these neighbors and believes that the Persian Gulf countries themselves should provide security for this important region through cooperation.”

The Leader also advised the local writers not to pursue the intentions of the enemy willingly or unwillingly. He said anyone who hurt the people’s confidence in the officials and the system and make the people pessimistic about the future and promote division is helping the enemy.[...]

Tags: Iran, Ayatollah, propaganda, nukes