Khamenei: Some American Leaders are First-Class Fools

On Wednesday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described some American leaders as "first-class fools" who have always made "miscalculations" regarding Iran both before and after the revolution. He urged the government not to back down against the "bullying and nonsense" from the U.S. and Europe. Khamenei also reiterated his call for the government and other officials to focus on improving the living conditions of the people. These remarks were made during a meeting with a group of citizens in Qom, commemorating the anniversary of the protests in December 1978 in the city. On December 19, 1978, a number of people in Qom protested against an article published in the newspaper Etelaat, with some considering these protests as the beginning of the demonstrations that led to the overthrow of the Pahlavi monarchy. This day is officially referred to as "Qom Uprising" in the Islamic Republic's calendar. Khamenei noted that on December 10, 1978, the then U.S. President visited Tehran and gave a "ridiculous speech praising Mohammad Reza [Shah]" in which he claimed Iran was an island of stability, meaning that the U.S. felt secure about its subservient regime. He added, "But it was not long before the people of Qom rose against that dependent regime," highlighting the American miscalculations. Mocking the Americans who pride themselves on their "calculative analysis and foresight," he said, "Here, too, some Westernized individuals boast about America's power." Khamenei referred to a recent "miscalculation" by the U.S. regarding Iran, recalling that not long ago, an American official expressed hope to celebrate Christmas 2019 in Tehran. This was a reference to John Bolton, the White House National Security Advisor, who previously defended regime change in Iran at a gathering of the Mujahedin-e Khalq and stated that the Iranian revolution should not see its 40th anniversary. Khamenei reacted to these comments without naming anyone specifically, stating that "some American leaders pretend to be crazy, which I do not accept, but they are first-class fools." He urged the Rouhani administration to have "courage and rationality" in the face of American officials' nonsense, adding that they speak irrelevantly and like clowns, citing an American official who suggested that Iran should learn human rights from Saudi Arabia. He advised the government not to back down against the threats and nonsense from the U.S. and Europe, asserting that their threats, promises, and even their signatures hold no credibility. Khamenei's remarks seem to refer to new EU sanctions that were initiated on Tuesday due to "planning a terrorist act on European soil" against one of Iran's intelligence agencies. He also urged the government to "choose the path with rationality and proceed with motivation and emotions, appreciating the internal capacities of the country and paying special attention to the people's livelihoods." He warned officials to "be careful not to lean towards elitism, extravagance, and tyrannical behaviors." Khamenei also addressed the Iranian people, stating, "The enemy is trying to create anxiety among people through rumors and accusations, attempting to turn them against each other, which they cannot do, but the people must counter these enemy tactics."