On September 9, 2015, in a public address at the tomb of the founder of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that the U.S. - the "Great Satan" - is worse than Satan, and warned the Iranian people and the moderate stream against being deceived by its attempts to infiltrate Iran. Khamenei added that in 25 years, Israel would no longer exist and that until then it would not have one minute of quiet.
The following are excerpts from his address:
"[Ayatollah] Khomeini called America 'the Great Satan.' That is a very wise saying... Satan only deceives man, but the U.S. deceives, murders, and imposes sanctions."
Crowd: "Death to America, Death to Britain, Death to Israel."
Khamenei: "America raises the banner of human rights, but every day, the blood of someone else is shed in the states of the U.S.... Now there are people [in Iran] who insist on dressing up America, which has these characteristics and which is worse than Satan, and depicting it as an angel. Why? Even if we ignore religion and the revolutionary spirit, what about loyalty to the country's interests? What about common sense? What common sense and what conscience allow you to choose America as a friend, as someone who can be relied upon, and as a guardian angel?
"The [Americans] bedeck themselves in a suit, a tie, and perfume, and present themselves differently to innocent people. The great Iranian people has expelled this Great Satan from Iran. It must not be allowed to return. Anyone who leaves through the door must not be allowed to return through the window. [The U.S.] must not be allowed to infiltrate [Iran].
"The hostility [of the Americans] knows no bounds. Look now, these days following the nuclear agreement, the fate of which is still unclear [both] here [in Iran] and there [in the U.S.]. They sit in Congress and are busy hatching plots. According to the information I have received, certain people are now sitting in Congress and preparing a resolution to harass Iran and cause problems for it... Only when you become so strong that the enemy despairs of attacking [us] politically, in security and economic matters, and through sanctions and so on - only then will the hostility of America cease...
"America does not even hide its hostility. The Americans divide up the tasks - one smiles while the other prepares an anti-Iran resolution. They want to negotiate with Iran, [but] negotiations are a pretext and a means to infiltrate [Iran] and to impose their desires [upon us].
"For clearly defined reasons, which I have consistently stated, we negotiated with America on the nuclear issue. I agreed for [our team] to go and negotiate. They went and negotiated, and, God be praised, our negotiating team conducted itself well. But I did not approve negotiations on any other subject, and we will not negotiate with America."
Crowd: "Death to America, Death to Britain, Death to Israel."
Khamenei: "We will negotiate with the entire world except America... and of course not with the Zionist regime, because the Zionist regime is an illegitimate and false regime. Let me say something about the Zionist regime. After the nuclear talks were over, I heard that the Zionists in occupied Palestine had said: 'In the meantime, thanks to the results of the talks, we will have 25 years of quiet regarding the problem of Iran. After 25 years, we will think of something.' I respond to them by saying: 'First of all, in 25 years you will not be alive.'"
Crowd: "Death to America, Death to Britain, Death to Israel."
Khamenei: "God willing, in 25 years there will be no such thing as the Zionist regime in the region, and secondly, during this period, the fighting Islamic spirit will not give the Zionists even a single day of serenity..."[1]
Endnote:
[1] Farsi.khamenei.ir, September 9, 2015.
