TEHRAN – Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, convened with thousands of Basij members during National Basij Week at the Imam Khomeini Hussainiyah on November 29, 2023.
The Leader praised Basij as a priceless heritage of Imam Khomeini, the architect of the Islamic Republic of Iran, highlighting the late Imam’s pride in being a Basij member, reflecting the esteemed status of this voluntary force.
He emphasized the transnational and cross-border facets of Basij as noteworthy traits of this million-strong entity.
Reflecting on Imam Khomeini’s vision of “international cores of resistance,” Ayatollah Khamenei underscored their realization in the current regional landscape.
He cited the impactful Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, executed by Palestinian resistance groups against the Zionist regime on October 7, as an exemplar of these resistance cores influencing the region’s fate.
Addressing the failed American attempts to alter the geopolitical dynamics of West Asia, Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted their thwarted schemes in Lebanon and Iraq. Despite seeking to reshape a “New Middle East,” the U.S. failed in its pursuits, with Hezbollah in Lebanon growing significantly stronger after the 33-day war.
Similarly, the Leader pointed out how resistance cores have embedded themselves in the Palestinian cause within Iraq, preventing the realization of America’s objectives.
He delineated the evolving geopolitical map in favor of the Resistance, attributing its first characteristic to the “de-Americanization” of the region, signifying the erosion of U.S. dominance.
Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized the U.S.’s endeavors to reinforce its influence by bolstering the Zionist regime and encouraging ties with it, identifying the Al-Aqsa Storm as a historic event marking the decline of American influence.
The Leader also highlighted the disruption of imposed regional dualities, such as ‘Arabs versus non-Arabs’ and ‘Shias versus Sunnis,’ asserting that the notion of a Shia Crescent has waned.
He cited instances where both Arab and non-Arab Shias offered significant aid to Palestinians during the Al-Aqsa Storm, underlining the emergence of a new duality: ‘resistance versus submission.’
Moreover, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the significance of resolving the Palestinian issue, advocating for Palestinian sovereignty across all Palestinian lands and reaffirming the Islamic Republic’s proposal for a referendum encompassing all Palestinians, both within and outside Palestine.
