TEHRAN – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday that a display of weakness will embolden enemy to make an attack, citing the Iraqi invasion of Iran in the 1980s as an example.

“The imposed war occurred, because the enemy found the weakness in us,” the Leader pointed out.

“This is a general rule that that display of weakness will prompt enemy to attack,” the Leader asserted.

He added, “If you want to prevent enemy from attacking, you should avoid displaying weakness and show the many points of strength that we have.”

The Leader made the remarks during a meeting with officials and organizers of the Rahian-e-Nour [the Journey to the Light], a term used for journeys to the scenes of the battlefields where Iranian military and volunteer forces bravely resisted against the invading Saddam army. These visits take place annually especially in advent of the new Persian Year which mostly starts on March 21.

The Leader said that the show of weakness also prompts enemy to undermine a country’s economy or cultural values, criticizing Iranian officials for showing weakness in economic areas.

“The mistake some made regarding the big economic challenge that the country is facing now was that some people displayed weakness in the economic sphere and the enemy exerted pressure” on Iran, the Leader remarked.

He also said that the values of the “sacred defense” (resistance against the Saddam Aramy) should not be forgotten.

Elsewhere, the Leader said Iran is gifted with abundant “wealth” and enjoys “strong points” that the most important of which is the “spirit of belief in making endeavor and move on the path of religion”.

He said this belief among the people that “resistance will defeat enemy” is great “cultural asset”.

The Leader also attached great importance to promote cultural values including the values of the sacred defense.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader criticized an unfettered import of goods and lack of efforts to increase domestic production as great blows to economic stagnation.

NA/PA