TEHRAN – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has underlined the need for proactive countermeasures against the enemies’ propaganda against the Islamic Republic.

In a speech delivered on Tuesday morning, the Leader shed light on the enemies’ efforts to distort the truth about the Islamic Republic and the achievements it has made throughout its history.

At the beginning of the speech, the Leader once again advised the Iranian people to observe coronavirus health protocols. “I have received the third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and I advise our dear people to do what our experts and physicians believe is necessary,” he said.

The Leader then pointed to an important issue that is the Jihad of Explanation. 

Jihad is a sacred struggle by believers against enemies. And the Jihad of Explanation, therefore, means that believers should take on the sacred role of explaining. But explaining what?

The Leader gave the answer. 

Ayatollah Khamenei has introduced this concept to shed light on the need to counter negative narratives being pushed by the enemies which mostly overplay the shortcomings and downplay the breakthroughs the Islamic Republic has made over the last four decades. 

“Today, countering the enemy’s push to distort the realities, achievements, progresses, and epic measures of the Islamic establishment requires a defensive move and a hybrid offensive based on the urgent and definite task of the Jihad of Explanation,” the Leader said. 

The concept of the Jihad of Explanation centers around media work intended to combat propaganda against the Islamic Republic. 

The Leader said there are media outlets that promote “professional lies” against Iran and Islam and distort the truth.

The outlets, the Leader continued, cover up the Shah regime’s ugly face and treasons and sugarcoat it instead. According to the Leader, they make efforts to sully the reputation of the Islamic Republic with all its achievements and people. To counter this media blitz, Ayatollah Khamenei said, the Jihad of Explanation is a must.

Recently, a book was published on the Leader’s views regarding the Jihad of Explanation. The book is eponymously titled “Jihad of Explanation.” It was compiled by Hojjatoleslam Saeid Solhmirzai and published by the Islamic Revolution Publications, which is affiliated with the Institute for Preserving and Publishing the Works of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Speaking at an unveiling ceremony, Solhmirzai said, “The Supreme Leader has always emphasized the need for the Jihad of Explanation of the country’s issues as a significant topic.”

“In order to resolve the problems and nullify the sanctions, everyone must react strongly against the efforts being made to pollute our people’s minds. By spreading propaganda, the enemies are trying to make us despondent about the bright future as promised by the Leader; they also are trying to conceal their weak points,” the author added.

 ‘Wrong calculus’

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks before a group of the commanders and staff of the Army Air Force. The Leader met with the commanders on the occasion of the anniversary of the historic pledging allegiance of Air Force commanders with Imam Khomeini on February 8, 1979, which was a pivotal nail in the coffin of the Shah regime.

The Leader said the huge impact of the Air Force pledging allegiance to Imam Khomeini on the course of events was made possible due to sound media work and proper narration of the events. 

Ayatollah Khamenei praised the pledge of allegiance from the Air Force as a smart move rooted in intuition. “This move also indicated that the calculus of America and the ominous Pahlavi regime was wrong. And they were dealt a blow whence they never expected.” 

The Leader said today too, the U.S. calculus is wrong. “The U.S. is receiving a blow from a place it never expected. Today the two U.S. presidents - the former and the current president - have joined hands to ruin whatever was left of the U.S. reputation, and they're doing it. They are weakening the U.S., and this will continue,” the Leader pointed out.
 
Ayatollah Khamenei added, “Whenever the camp of truth enters the field to confront the camp of falsehood, the enemy makes miscalculations despite all its superficial, hollow power and splendor. The Army Air Force’s blow to the decaying body of the Pahlavi regime on February 8, 1979, was an example of this.”