TEHRAN – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has stated that West Asia is currently in a critical condition, the outcome of which will be determined by Resistance forces who are taking after martyrs like Hezbollah’s Sayyad Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas’ Yahya Sinwar. 

The Leader made the remarks during a Wednesday meeting with organizers of a congress honoring over 15,000 martyrs from Fars Province during the Sacred Defense in the 1980s. 

“Today, we stand at a pivotal moment in the region. The events unfolding in West Asia, Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank are shaping history. Each incident has the potential to alter the course of events and lead us into a new era,” Ayatollah Khamenei noted. 

“If there were no people like Martyr Sinwar who would fight until the last moment, or if there were no great people like Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah who combined jihad, wisdom, courage, and sacrifice to bring them to the field, the fate of the region would have been determined differently,” he said. 

The Zionist regime is supported by the coalition of evil, but the Resistance front stands strong against this wickedness, the Leader pointed out, noting by God's grace, victory will belong to the Resistance.  

The Leader said what’s transpired in the region in the past year has not only dealt a blow to Israel but also significantly undermined the regime’s Western backers. “The events we've witnessed represent a crushing defeat—not just for the Zionist regime, but for Western civilization, its culture, and its claims. They thought they could easily dismantle and destroy the Resistance, but they were wrong.”

He noted that while Western politicians have claimed to be defenders of human rights for years, they have fully backed Israel in its killing of Palestinian children. “The Westerners have shown that during these years, or even centuries, when they spoke of human rights, they were entirely lying. They have proven and demonstrated this. Ten thousand children were killed! Is this a joke? A child is the embodiment of innocence and tenderness. A child is the central figure that stirs human emotions. Israel killed ten thousand of these innocent beings with two-ton bombs, with all kinds of weapons, and the Westerners didn't even bat an eye.”

The Leader added, “After killing fifty thousand or more innocent civilians and several prominent Resistance leaders, they see no change in the Resistance front. The Resistance fights with the same strength and determination as before. Isn't that a defeat? It's a resounding defeat.”

Ayatollah Khamenei further explained how the Zionist regime has been defanged, saying, “They poured resources into this, they exerted every effort, they had the full support of America and many Europeans. Despite the crimes they committed, their image is now tarnished, hated, and despised worldwide. Even in America, people are protesting them in the streets and universities. Yet the Resistance remains – Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, the young fighters in the West Bank, they are all still fighting. This is a great defeat, the greatest defeat.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader praised Fars Province as a prominent symbol of the harmonious blend of religion, heroism, and art. He paid tribute to the province's distinguished martyrs, past and present, including martyr Masoumeh Karbasi, who was recently assassinated by the Zionist regime in Lebanon. He emphasized that the congress should serve as a platform to immortalize this unique combination. 

The Leader highlighted the attempts during the Pahlavi era to undermine religion in Shiraz and Fars Province in general, particularly through events that contradicted people’s beliefs and values. He denounced these efforts, stating that they were misguided attempts to separate art from spirituality and heroism. Ayatollah Khamenei asserted that the true path to national advancement lies in the harmonious integration of religion, heroism, and art. 

He advised the congress organizers to carefully evaluate the impact of their cultural and artistic productions, emphasizing the importance of educating young people about the proud history of Iran, especially in the years following the Islamic Revolution. He stressed the need for accurate narratives surrounding events like the takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran and the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War.