Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Underlines Iran’s Continued N. Progress

TEHRAN (FNA) Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei stressed continued nuclear activities by Iran, cautioning that any suspension of nuclear efforts would make the country lag behind the modern world and embolden enemies to make further aggressions against Iran.

Addressing a large and fervent congregation of the public in the city of Abarkouh on the fourth leg of his visit to the central Yazd province on Saturday, the Leader praised resistance of the nation and officials in defending the country’s nuclear rights.

He viewed resistance in the nuclear issue as a national requirement, saying, “This resistance is a necessity and national need because if we drop our pursuit of nuclear energy, we will have to lag behind the world while such a passive stance would embolden the enemy to make further progress.

“Thus, as all Iranian people countrywide have declared, access to this scientific power and the power of nuclear energy is really the inalienable right of the Iranian nation,” Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated.

The Supreme Leader further called for a large turnout at the polls during the March parliamentary elections, and stressed the need for the candidates to observe correct election behavior and avoid damaging reputation of other nominees.

“Extensive turnout of the public in the March 14 elections will stage the firm determination, power and decisiveness of the Iranian nation,” he said, reminding that aliens have always sought to dissuade the public from going to the polls, but to no avail.

The Leader reiterated the need for national self-confidence and self-belief, warning that enemies seek to fill Iranians with a feeling of disappointment in a bid to make them underestimate themselves and lose self-confidence.

Meantime, he called for clean campaigning, urging candidates and their supporters to abstain from smearing rivals’ reputations.

“I strongly request and insist that candidates and their sympathizers strongly avoid insulting, discrediting and damaging the reputation of individuals in the elections,” Ayatollah Khamenei underscored.

The call by the Leader comes prior to the March 14 elections expected to be a key indicator for the 2009 presidential vote.