Assalaam walaikum,
I found this article to be timely and profound:
Egyptians rising up against servitude to U.S.: Leader
Tehran Times Political Desk
TEHRAN - Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said that the main cause of the protests of the Tunisian and Egyptian nations was the humiliation they suffered due to their governments’ servitude to the United States.
Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks at Friday prayers at the Tehran University campus, in reference to the popular protests which have recently occurred in certain Arab countries.
During his sermon, the Leader called Mubarak the “servant” of Israel and the United States.
He told worshippers, “For 30 years, this country (Egypt) has been in the hands of someone who is not only not seeking freedom, but himself is the enemy of the quest for freedom. Not only is he not anti-Zionist, but he is the companion, colleague, confidant, and in a sense, the servant of the Zionists.”
The Tunisian president was also linked to the U.S. and there are reports which show he had connections with the CIA, the Leader added.
However, Western countries are making efforts to deflect the world’s attention from the main cause of the uprisings and say they occurred due to economic problems, Ayatollah Khamenei stated.
The Leader also said that Israel is worried about the events in Egypt since it will lose the support of its ally if the Egyptian revolution is successful.
He also described the developments in the Arab world as the “echoes of the voice of the Iranian nation.”
“Today’s events in North Africa, Egypt, and Tunisia and some other countries have a specific meaning for us,” he said.
This is the Islamic awakening that “was always talked about at the time of the victory of the great Islamic Revolution of Iran,” he added
He also called these developments a “real earthquake”, adding that if the Egyptian nation leads their revolution to victory, they will make the United States suffer a “permanent defeat” in the Middle East.
Hopefully, Egyptian army will join the people
During one part of his sermon, Ayatollah Khamenei switched from Persian to Arabic and addressed the Egyptians.
“Do not back down until the implementation of a popular regime based on religion,” he said, AFP reported.
“The clergy should play a role. For example, when people come out of mosques and chant slogans, they should support (them). Inshallah (God willing), part of the Egyptian army will join the people. The main enemy of the Egyptian army is the Zionist regime and not the people,” the Leader added.
West has adopted wrong approach toward nuclear issue
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader said the West has adopted a wrong stance toward Iran’s nuclear program.
The Western countries’ mistake was that they created a brouhaha and played up the issue, he stated.
“Iran has made unexpected progress in the nuclear area and despite all the pressure, it has stood firm and will not back down,” he noted.
He also announced that Iran will attain full self-sufficiency in gasoline production on February 11, which is the 32nd anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution.
The Leader also said that the political unrest that occurred after the Iranian presidential election of June 2009 was guided by foreign elements.
http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=235171
