Ramadan is the month of dignity of Palestine and all Muslims: Ayatollah Khamenei

The Muslim nations can gain from Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr by applying them as instruments in achieving glory and dignity. They can use these holy days as their ladder towards spiritual and material improvement; towards dignity in this world and in the next. We ought to be vigilant in utilizing these opportunities.

The Muslim nations were under the hegemony and oppression of the imperious global powers for decades. The world wars, which broke out between the haughty world powers started in Europe. They attacked each other; drawing Muslim and regional nations into the tribulations that result from war. It was after these wars that a dangerous and deadly Zionist outgrowth was created, in our sensitive region among Muslim countries, in the heart of the Islamic world. It was after these wars that the wrong and flawed structure of the United Nations and its Security Council was established and certain governments were given a power of veto. That is to say, the same blood stained hands that started those fatal wars decided to take control of the world afterwards; spreading their hegemony over this sensitive, important and rich region: a region which could have been a center for unity among the Islamic world. This was exactly how they operated. We were suffering from lack of vigilance: The Muslim nations were sleeping. They became the target of attacks and their destiny was afflicted with big complex problems, problems that the Muslim nations are still suffering from. We were not vigilant enough: Leaders of the Islamic countries were suffering from lack of vigilance; during a certain era they became pawns in a game of global powers.

Today it is felt, it is witnessed that this veil of unawareness which clouded minds in the regional countries and in the Muslim countries is disappearing; it is necessary to appreciate this. Today, thanks to the Islamic Awakening, our region North Africa and West Asia -a sensitive region at the heart of the world, which Europeans decided to call “Middle East” – is determining its own destiny. We need to be aware of this opportunity and appreciate it; we should not overlook such an important opportunity. The holy Quds and oppression of Palestine are at the heart of these concerns and events taking place in the Middle East. Countless tribulations in our sensitive region are due to the existence of the cancerous Zionist tumor: the blood stained hands of the global powers are doing everything to safeguard it. The Americans and the other hegemonic powers of the world are openly saying their destiny depends on the destiny of the Zionist regime-this is not in their best interest. Thanks to an Islamic Awakening, Palestine has become the main concern in the world of Islam, once again. You should not let this distinction and this advantage fade away nor be concealed under the enemies’ machinations and plots against the Islamic Ummah. Palestine remains a major concern and over time the people will evaluate their government and their position in regards to Palestine. Of course, pressure by the arrogant and autocratic powers, suppression and coercion, haven’t allowed the wishes of the people to reveal themselves. This year, much to the disappointment of the Zionists during Quds Day rallies, the regional nations managed to speak on what they felt in their hearts regarding Palestine. By Allah’s favor, this movement will become stronger on a day by day.

Of course, the enemy will not stand by and watch. The plots of the enemy will become more complex. Government officials of the Muslim countries, government bodies of Muslim countries and outstanding Muslim personalities including outstanding political personalities, outstanding cultural personalities, intellectuals and religious scholars have a responsibility to clarify this truth for nations. Today the haughty and autocratic powers have returned to the old method of fomenting discord in order to overcome nations. Under different pretexts, they foment discord between leaders of different countries, between different governments and between different nations. Fomenting discord has been the permanent method used by these supercilious powers. They have tried to revive ethnic and nationalistic sentiments among people of different countries. They have tried to highlight the natural differences that exist between languages, races, skin color and religion; this is what the arrogant powers do. This is their old method of “Divide and rule” today they use the same scheme. We need to awaken: The people and the leaders of the Muslim countries must be cautious and vigilant.

Contrary to the existing realities, they hide the main threat to this region and humanity, namely the Zionist regime is the threat to all humanity. Today, even western government bodies are under the influence of the Zionists; they too are suffering from the Zionist centers of power and wealth. And it is clear how the regional nations have suffered at the hands of the Zionists. These assassinations are their work and conflicts between nations are their work; they do these things with various instruments made available to them. We must be vigilant. They shield this threat, which is the main threat to our region. They pass off falsehoods as realities, they falsely highlight threats that do not exist and they foment discord among Muslims; we need to be vigilant. Being Arab or non-Arab, being Shia or Sunni, of different denominations and skin color should not create conflicts among us. “O you men, surely We have created you of a male and a female, and made you tribes and families that you may know each other. Surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you who is most pious.” [The Holy Quran, 49: 13] Being divided into different tribes, families and races should not be a source of conflict. “Surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you who is most pious.” The pivot is something else. The standard is something else. There should be a race between the Muslim nations for practicing Islam, for creating a sense of brotherhood, and in making efforts for the people; for acting against the will of the big powers, particularly America. The Muslim nations should know that wherever America and the Zionists are fomenting discord with their policies, these policies are harmful. They should not be deceived by their policies.

Statements made at a meeting with Government Officials and Ambassadors of Islamic Nations;