Khamenei: Do Not Attack Each Other Over 'Such and Such Convention or Treaty'

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, warned on Thursday, March 14, during a meeting with members of the Assembly of Experts, about 'enemy infiltration into the virtual space and culture of the country,' predicted the 'heaviest defeat in history' for the United States, and urged that in discussions about 'such and such convention or treaty,' officials 'should not attack each other.' After emphasizing the importance of 'drawing boundaries with the enemy,' the leader stated that opponents should not be accused of 'colluding with enemies.' Khamenei, without going into details, said, 'When a certain convention or treaty is being discussed in the country and supporters and opponents present their arguments and viewpoints, both sides should not accuse each other of colluding with the enemy and attack one another.' Among the four bills that Hassan Rouhani's government has submitted to meet FATF standards, two bills known as 'Palermo' and 'CFT' have become contentious, and the Expediency Discernment Council has repeatedly postponed decisions regarding them. The leader's remarks came a day after the final statement of the sixth Assembly of Experts meeting, which warned that the approval of these two bills would be a 'strategic mistake.' Although no explicit statement from Khamenei regarding these two bills has been published so far, most opponents of these bills are appointed individuals and those close to him. While the leader warned on Thursday that supporters and opponents should not be attributed to the 'enemy,' he explicitly attributed commentators on another subject to the 'enemy.' Khamenei, referring to 'the position and status of the Islamic Republic in the region' and claiming that 'the enemy is wary of us in the region,' said: 'Those who raise 'incorrect and inappropriate statements' about the presence of the Islamic Republic in the region are actually aiding the enemy's plan.' The leader did not refer to the content of these 'statements and remarks' or their speakers. The issue of the Islamic Republic's military presence in Syria or its support for groups in the region, including the Houthis in Yemen, Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq, and Hezbollah in Lebanon, is a topic that faces severe reactions when discussed by non-governmental commentators. The United States, the European Union, and several Arab countries have always described Iran's actions in the region as 'destabilizing' and 'interventionist,' and most recently, the U.S. Secretary of State expressed concern during a meeting with the UN Secretary-General that 'Iran's destructive actions in the Middle East' undermine U.S. efforts to resolve regional conflicts. Mike Pompeo, referring to the Trump administration's recent efforts to reduce Iran's oil exports, stated that the goal of these efforts is to compel Iranian leaders to 'meet the demands of their people and protect them' and reduce the threat of instability in the Middle East. However, on Thursday, the leader of the Islamic Republic, referring to the fact that U.S. officials talk about 'the most severe sanctions,' said: 'If we mobilize our maximum capabilities and resources, we will inflict the heaviest defeat in history on the United States.' After the official U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA in May of this year, all sanctions against Iran were reinstated, and in recent months, efforts have been made to 'reduce Iran's oil sales to zero.' Since last November, with the imposition of full sanctions, trade and banking transactions with Iran, including oil purchases, have been under U.S. sanctions. However, the U.S. granted about eight months of exemptions to eight of Iran's oil customers, including China, India, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Turkey, Italy, and Greece, allowing them to gradually reduce their oil purchases from Iran to zero. This exemption ends on May 3.