Khamenei: What business is it of yours that Iran intervenes in Iraq and Syria?

On Wednesday, April 1, 2018, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered a speech in Mashhad, defending Iran's presence in several countries in the region. In his speech regarding Iran's involvement in Iraq and Syria, Khamenei stated, "International busybodies complain about why Iranians interfere in Iraq and Syria, what business is it of yours?" He reiterated the long-standing position of Iranian officials that Iran's presence in these countries is "only because the governments asked us to." Khamenei's remarks come amid repeated criticism from the internationally recognized Yemeni government regarding the Islamic Republic's "interference" in its affairs. He also emphasized that Iran's presence in the region is based on "rational and logical motives" and not driven by emotions. Khamenei dedicated a significant portion of his speech to an "overview of the 40-year record of the Islamic Republic" and economic issues, explaining his slogan for the new year. He stated that the main issue for 2018, like previous years, is the "economy and people's livelihoods" and named the year as the "Year of Supporting Iranian Goods." He claimed that if national production accelerates with collective effort, many of the people's livelihood issues and employment problems would be resolved, and social harms would significantly decrease. Khamenei assessed the Islamic Republic's 40-year performance positively, claiming that many of the slogans of the 1979 revolution have been fulfilled. He stated, "In summary, the 40-year performance regarding the main slogans of the revolution is acceptable and good." He mentioned that "we have managed to reduce class disparities" and that "freedom has been secured in this country." These statements come as over a hundred cities in Iran recently witnessed public protests against the dire economic and political situation. The government's crackdown on these protests has left at least 25 dead and thousands arrested. Khamenei further claimed that "democracy" and "national self-confidence" are established in Iran today, and "no country has as much independence as the Iranian nation." Regarding freedom of thought and expression, he stated, "There is freedom of thought and freedom of expression; no one has been pressured or violated for opposing the government's views; anyone who claims otherwise is lying." He added that "some are being unfair. They take advantage of the existing freedom and falsely claim that there is no freedom. Foreign radios and propaganda reflect their words. The reality is not like that." This claim comes as many human rights organizations have repeatedly accused Iranian officials of violating international covenants on freedom of expression and have called for the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners in Iran. These organizations cite various instances, such as house arrest for opponents, the detention of thousands of street protesters, and widespread repression in universities and other institutions. Khamenei also acknowledged that "we have not made proper use of capacities, and we are still not doing so today." He stated, "In terms of justice, we are lagging behind; a lot has been done regarding justice, but the justice we seek is not achieved." He urged Iranian youth to take action in this regard. These statements come as government pressures on youth have led Iran to have one of the highest rates of brain drain to other countries. Khamenei had also stated on Thursday, March 15, that "we are aware of the livelihood problems and other issues of the people, but we believe there is no unsolvable problem in the country, and God willing, I will talk to the people about these issues in the coming days." He reiterated this point on Wednesday in Mashhad, emphasizing that there are no "insurmountable" problems in Iran. Khamenei's remarks about "livelihood problems and other issues" come at a time when many sociologists, economists, and political activists have warned of the likelihood of further unrest following the protests of December 2017. Meanwhile, Mehdi Karroubi, a leader of the so-called Green Movement protesters, wrote in a recent letter to Khamenei: "Given your level of presence and influence in the highest echelons of power, you must accept that the current political, economic, cultural, and social situation in the country is a direct result of your strategic and executive policies." Prince Reza Pahlavi, an opposition activist against the Islamic Republic, also stated in his Nowruz message that Khamenei's government has caused the "ruin" of the country.