TEHRAN - Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday advised students to exercise wisdom, be hopeful and idealistic.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with a number of students and members of students’ associations on the 27th of the fasting of month of Ramadan.

The Leader, who spoke after some students expressed their views about certain issues, said, “You the dear youth should follow the right path with seriousness. Follow the right path of the revolution, Islam, country, system... The country needs you. You need idealism, you need hope, you need wisdom.”

Ayatollah Khamenei went on to say that idealism is the engine for moving ahead and hope is the “fuel of this engine.”

If there is no hope that engine will stop moving and it cannot realize its goals, he remarked. 

Ayatollah Khamenei added, “Rationality is also the steering wheel of this engine.”   

The Leader also advised the students to set long-term prospects for themselves. 

“Our best youth are mostly students… and I want you to realize this goal and that is (achievable through) ‘look to future prospects’.”

The Leader said in his view the duty of a diligent student is look to the future.

A student, he noted, should be able to reform his mind and have influence on the society and also “reform the world.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said some may feel surprised that how is it possible that a student be able “change the world”. But, he said, this “is not surprising”.

Citing an example, the Leader said, “Today you are students, but tomorrow a student will become a ‘political’ official and take managerial role in an important organization of the country.”

“These (people) who are now officials of the country were students before.”   

On countering the enemy and showing resistance, the Leader said, “The victory of the revolution (in 1979) was the triumph of right over evil. 

Nobody imagined that the struggle for revolution will bear fruit but it happened.”

“It was a surprising event,” he pointed out.
  
He also referred to the eight-year war against Iran in the 1980s, saying, “All were against us. The U.S. was against us. The Soviet Union was against us. NATO against us. Muslim countries against us. The Muslim Turkey against us… all. But we won. In such a war that all were against us we won.”
 
On the issue of referendum raised by a student, the Leader said, “The voice of people should be heard.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said people elect their representatives in the form elections. 

They elect president, parliament representatives, etc., the Leader pointed out.

However, it is not possible to hold referendum on any issue that is raised, he said. 
Some people, the Leader said, even don’t have a true understanding of issues which call for holding referendum on them.
  
It is not possible to hold referendum about everything, he noted, adding   
no country in the world holds referendum on any issue that is raised.

It is “simplistic” to think that it is possible to hold referendum about any issue that is raised, he pointed out.

The enemy has more enmity with the youth.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader said the arrogant powers and the Zionist cartels that have a dominant role in Europe and the U.S. are “undoubtedly” and “extremely” against the officials of the Islamic Republic and if they had been able to do that they would have “torn them apart” 

But, he added, they are more hostile toward the youth because it is not for the motivation of the youth the officials cannot do anything.

“In fac, it is the youth who are doing the works. Progress is at the hands of the youth.”