TEHRAN -- In a meeting with thousands of people from Qom Province here on Tuesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei called the holy city of Qom the birthplace of the Islamic Movement in the Iranian calendar year 1341 (1962–1963) and also the provenance of the Islamic Revolution in the year 1356 (1977–1978).

He stated that the movement which began in Qom many years ago has become even smoother now and the Iranian people are more confidently continuing their progress toward a brighter future for the Islamic Revolution and its values, and thus, the most important duty is maintaining unity, confidence, and belief in God.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei said that Iran welcomes the participation of both European and non-European countries in its nuclear activities because the Islamic Republic will never relinquish its inalienable right to make peaceful use of nuclear technology, which has been acquired through the great endeavors of the Iranian youth.

Commenting on President Mahmud Ahmadinejad’s recent suggestion that Iran and Europe should exchange inspectors to examine the human rights and civil rights situations in the two locales, the Leader said that it would be to the benefit of the Europeans to accept the Iranian president’s logical suggestion because it would not only help allay concerns but would also improve bilateral relations and cooperation.

Ayatollah Khamenei also noted, “Those who have threatened to boycott Iran have actually boycotted Iran several times over the years whenever they so desired.

“And now there are still some European countries that refrain from receiving goods purchased from Iran. However, they should know that the only result of these boycotts has been the reliance of the Iranian youth on their own abilities and talents, and so all these threats are quite useless.”

The Leader cited maintaining national unity and trusting in the Islamic Revolution and its bright future as the two main responsibilities of Iranian citizens and officials, adding that officials should avoid differences because any little difference would probably hearten the enemy.

Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to the heavy duty of Qom Seminary clerics in intellectually supporting the Islamic Revolution and standing accountable for any ambiguities, and said, “The West’s Marxism, socialism, radical nationalism, and even liberal democracy have lost their attraction, while the justice-seeking, human dignity, and religious democracy slogans that are derived from Islamic doctrines are still attractive, stable, and alive. Therefore, the world’s attention is focused on the Islamic Revolution and its slogans and ideology.”

The Leader went on to say that the United States has been politically defeated not only in Iraq but also in Palestine because the butcher of Palestinians (Ariel Sharon), who once claimed that he would quash the Palestinian Intifada in three months, has now been defeated by the Intifada.

In conclusion, Ayatollah Khamenei said that the failure to implement the Greater Middle East Initiative and the Road Map is the main reason for the recent U.S. pressure on Syria and Lebanon, adding that if the Syrian and Lebanese leaders, as well as other nations in the region, remain alert, the U.S. conspiracies in those two countries will also fail.