TEHRAN Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei Saturday said that any nation willing to achieve a status of honor and dignity should be able to demonstrate a wise, courageous and thoughtful guidance. Addressing the families of martyrs, war-disabled and the self-sacrificers in Birjand, Khorasan Province, he stated that the praise for the martyrs and their families was based on a strong ratiocination.

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei participated in the gathering of families of martyrs of Nahbandan in northeastern Province of Khorasan yesterday morning. The Leader praised the resistance and patience of the martyrs' families and responded to their warm greetings. He also called on the family of Ahmad Atash Dast who had been close to the Leader at the time of his exile in Iranshahr, at his home.

Ayatollah Khamenei then addressed the people of Nahbandan in their gathering. Ayatollah Khamenei said that the Islamic Republic feels duty bound to have an equal look at all people from various walks of life. Addressing local citizens in this northeastern city, the Leader said that he is visiting the deprived city of Nahbandan to draw officials' attention to remote areas of the country in order to concentrate their efforts on development of remote areas whose deprivation dated back to before the triumph of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. (IRNA)