TEHRAN -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said here on Saturday that under present conditions, the U.S. has resorted to various propagandistic ploys to confront the great Iranian nation, IRNA reported.

Ayatollah Khamenei said that the relentless efforts and endeavors underway in Iran for reforms and solving of problems facing the masses demonstrate the country's biggest campaign against the U.S. The Leader said today is not the right time for the U.S. to act as it did on August 19, 1953, because the Iranian nation, who is now a model for other nations of the world, supports Islam and the revolution with zealous Iranian women, men and youth being ready to confront any plot.

Ayatollah Khamenei also cautioned the enemy's intention to dishearten people toward the Islamic establishment, undermine religious beliefs, that have been the driving force for the Iranian people in their efforts to overcome hardships, and foil any attempt to solve people's problems.

Enemies are now attempting to divide the system and weaken its popular support, but the Iranian people would not be deceived by their apparently nice words, said the Leader.

Ayatollah Khamenei said Americans have resorted to propaganda campaign because they have lost their hopes in the effectiveness of military and economic methods.

The Leader went on to say that Americans know pretty well that if they opt for military intervention, the Iranian nation would give them such a crushing response that they would regret their deeds.

Economic sanctions against Iran, which have tuned out to be ineffective for Americans over the past 23 years, might inflict damage on the country but would eventually prompt the Iranian nation to rely on their own potential and capabilities, added Ayatollah Khamenei.

The paramount Leader instructed the press and media to deal with domestic issues in a responsible manner while refraining from serving as agents for the enemy in the society.

If such a practice (serving as enemy agents) is made deliberately, it will be a big treason but if it is done unknowingly it would be a blunder, said the Leader.

Ayatollah Khamenei scoffed at that high ranking officials and representatives of the U.S. for getting involved in anti-Iran propaganda campaign on the one hand and speaking about reforms in Iran on the other.

The kind of reforms favored by the U.S. are equal to corruption because by reforms they mean dismantling the Islamic Republic of Iran, which mirrors the public faith and their call for independence, Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Leader said that real reforms in Iran should manifest the campaign against poverty, corruption and discrimination.

The U.S. is against real reforms in Iran because whenever the issue of campaign against economic corruption is raised, the U.S. propaganda machine and its agents inside the country begin to raise hue and cry and spread rumor about the move, said Ayatollah Khamenei, adding that they did not spare any efforts to divert Iranian officials' attention from the unemployment problem.

In the Americans' eyes, a reformist is the one who stirs unrest and speaks against the interests of the revolution and the system, the paramount Leader said.

The Leader instructed political factions in the country to make a distinction between themselves and the U.S. The holy system of the Islamic Republic, that has been established based on public votes, is the most popular one worldwide, said Ayatollah Khamenei. He said the U.S. considers such a government as undemocratic while it supports military governments, despotic systems, the states where not even a single election is held, and the usurper regime of Israel.

"The U.S. statesmen are not entitled to speak about democracy and reforms in other countries because they are the center of corruption," said Ayatollah Khamenei.

The Leader announced that the most important way to face the U.S. threats is ceaseless campaign to solve people's problems. He said officials of the state should seize the opportunities available and serve people sincerely with all their might.

He criticized certain individuals who consider submission to the U.S. bullying and hegemony as an opportunity and said opportunity means serving the public and confronting the U.S. agents and lackeys inside the country.

Elsewhere in his remarks Ayatollah Khamenei called on government officials and the Judiciary to deal with those spreading rumors and lies strongly and without any mercy.

The government, Judiciary and Majlis should pay attention to their duties more than ever before, the Leader said.