Iran's Leader: We Must Stand Against the Anti-Revolutionary Thought

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of Iran, emphasized on Wednesday, February 3, to the Secretary and members of the Supreme National Security Council that it is necessary to stand against the current of "anti-revolutionary thought" and "disbelief in the struggle against imperialism." According to Iranian news agencies, the leader stated: "From the very beginning of the Islamic Revolution's victory, some did not accept revolutionary thought, and some, although they were within the system, did not believe in the struggle against imperialism, and we must stand against this current." The conservative newspaper "Kayhan" dedicated its front page on Thursday to this statement by Ayatollah Khamenei, referring to it as a "warning from the leader of the revolution about the shifting foundations of Imam's line." The newspaper "Vatan-e Emruz," which represents the hardline conservatives, also highlighted this part of the Supreme Leader's remarks. It seems that the insistence of conservative newspapers critical of the government to use these specific words and sections of Ayatollah Khamenei's speech is because they perceive the audience of these remarks to be political currents within the government that are in favor of negotiating with the world or individuals like Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the head of the Expediency Discernment Council. Following the agreement between Iran and six world powers in July of this year, international sanctions against Tehran were lifted in exchange for the suspension of many of the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities. At the same time, Western economic delegations have visited Iran, and the door to Iran's trade relations with the global community has opened. These new developments have raised concerns among conservatives who oppose political openings and improving relations between Iran and the West, and they warn, following the Supreme Leader, about the "influence" of the West in Iran. In another part of his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei addressed the redefinition of the concept of security, stating: "The correct and pure revolutionary thought of Hezbollah must prevail in the Supreme National Security Council and its secretariat." According to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, "Today, due to the new and complex methods of the enemy, such as the issue of cyberspace and its cultural, ideological, social, and anti-security impacts, the struggle has become harder and more sensitive." Ali Shamkhani, a senior commander from the Iran-Iraq war who served as Minister of Defense during Mohammad Khatami's administration, manages the secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council. The presidency of the Supreme National Security Council is held by the President of Iran, and its other members include the heads of the two legislative and judicial branches, the Ministers of Interior, Intelligence, and Foreign Affairs, the head of the Management and Planning Organization, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, and, as necessary, commanders of the IRGC and the Army or some other ministers. Saeed Jalili, the former Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and Iran's nuclear negotiator during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency, remains a member of this council by the Supreme Leader's decree.