Pres. Rouhani: Martyr Soleimani was both commander at battlefield, a top diplomat in negotiation

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Iran's President described making 83 million Iranians happy as being revolutionary and stressed, "The Islamic Revolution belongs to the entire Iranian nation," adding, "The slogan of 'All together' is the important strategy of the late Imam Khomeini (RA) and the Islamic Revolution".

Parts of President Hassan Rouhani's speech is as follows:

In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

I congratulate the historic day of 22 Bahman (11 February) to the entire Iranian nation and the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, and commemorate all martyrs of the Islamic Revolution, the Imposed War and the Imam of Martyrs.

February 11 of 41 years ago showed us how divine power is manifested in the will of a great nation.

Despite what they publicised that the era of religion and spirituality is over and despite them dividing the world into the east and the west, the great Iranian nation could stand up to the regime that was armed to the teeth with their religious motivation and without relying on any power and superpower, leading the Islamic Revolution to victory.

Without a doubt, we saw the power of God and the will of the right well in the historic event of 11 February 1979.

How could it be possible for our nation to mark the greatest victory of history without God's attention?

Here, I would like to mention an important point. The entirety of our revolution was a choice. In fact, the Islamic Revolution was based on a choice, and people chose between a corrupt regime that was dependent on America and a religious democracy.

Between superpowers and independence, our people chose independence. Our path is the path of elections and our revolution is based on the great choice of a nation 41 years ago and in later elections. Of course it is clear that from the first day we have been facing sworn, tough enemies. Iran's Islamic Revolution did not just affect Iran, but it also affected the region, the world, Muslims, and freedom seekers.

For a major power like America it is very hard to endure the Islamic Revolution and victory of a great nation that drove the superpower out of this land. It is natural that they dream of returning to 41 years ago and returning to this land every night.

They know well how much Iran's role in the region is important. They know well what Iran's role in the region is and they know well that Iran is the greatest power in the Middle East. This is why from the first day, America and Zionism are the sworn enemy of this nation and revolution. What America is saying is that people did not have the right to choose and we had approved monarchy for Iran and wanted it to stay, why did people came and chose a modern path for their life.

We say that the Iranian nation always have the right to choose and our enemies say that you do not have the right to choose. America tells us you should go back to 41 years ago and our people say that we will not go backwards and our path is towards progress and perfection of this country. So you see that this enmity for the past 41 years has manifested in different forms, but the path of our revolution is the same as the first day.

I call on young people, academics, students and researchers to once again read Imam Khomeini's (RA) speech in 1979 carefully. Imam Khomeini stood by what he said at Behesht Zahra until the last day of his life.

He was honest to people; he told people that their future is at their own hand. He said to people that we are seeking cultural and political independence in this country. What Imam said in 1979 was the same until the last day of his life. Imam's path was a steady one without any division and people saw this honesty in his words and actions.

What has made our revolution stronger is people's presence and vote and we must act based on whatever people want from us. I would like to appreciate the armed forces, the IRGC, Basij and all forces. The day when people took to the streets at the funeral of Martyr General Soleimani and asked the armed forces and the government for revenge, the armed forces did what people wanted. The fact that Ain al-Asad Air Base was showered with missiles means doing what people want.

The day when an airplane near our airport made the sky blue and burnt the hearts of us and the Supreme Leader, people wanted the authorities to apologise and the armed forces did it and explicitly apologised from people and promised that such a mistake would not happen again.

The armed forces that is with people and acts based on people's wish is the same thing that the path of our revolution has taken.

Sometimes things are said in the media that are different from Imam's path and our revolution. Do not forget that Imam always said "all together" and this being together is an important strategy of the Islamic Revolution. Whenever we were with each other America has failed. Let's not allow some to say this faction or that faction. We must all defend this country and stand up to the US together. This revolution belong to all not a single faction or individual.

In February 11, all ethnic and religious groups felt victorious, not this faction of that faction. The entire 36 million population of that time felt victorious.

If we do something that we all feel victorious, that means being revolutionary. Whenever we do something that makes 83 million people, it means being revolutionary. In many instances, this or that is wrong, resistance or diplomacy is wrong, both are right alongside each other.

Our Martyr Soleimani was both a commander in the battlefield and a top diplomat in negotiation. He was martyred when we was on the way to meeting with the Prime Minister of Iraq. He was not going to the battlefield, but the arena of diplomacy when he was martyred.

General Soleimani was someone who was a powerful commander in the battlefield. In the negotiation arena, he was a powerful diplomat as well. Let's consider all aspects of Martyr Soleimani.

Martyr Soleimani was not looking for war in the region, Americans are lying. He was not looking for instability in the region, America and Israel are lying. Martyr Soleimani was looking for stability.

Martyr Soleimani gave Iraq, Syria and Lebanon stability, and the region security. Martyr Soleimani was the man of war and peace, a war that leads to peace; a peace that makes us strong enough not to let a war begin. It is a powerful armed forces that protects our country.

I appreciate the defence industry of the country that in the recent years, have multiplied our armed forces' power. Our military power today is much more than one year ago.

Before the revolution, 95 percent of our arms were imported and only 5 percent was built inside the country, but today, all our weapons are being built inside the country.

I would like to say that some may think that we must undermine the republic aspect of the system to empower the Islamic aspect. With all due respect, I say to these friends that you are wrong. The republic and Islamic aspects are together. There are some times we need to choose between this or that, but in many instances, we must not choose. Either resistance or diplomacy, no, both of them; either interaction with the world or resistance, no, both of them. Either self-sufficiency or trade with the world, no, both of them.

These are instances that choosing between this and that is not the right thing to do. In many cases, we have to consider all aspects.

What the US is looking for with this much pressure on our people, targeting all our import, export and basic needs is to take away people's patience.

What is miscalculation is that the Americans have not understood the position and greatness of the Iranian nation. Americans thought that they are facing 41 years of civilisation; no, they are facing thousands of years of civilisation; the Iranian and Islamic civilisation for centuries.

Of course, the Islamic Revolution has done very important things in the past 41 years. America is not facing a system or officials; the mistake they are making is that they are facing 83 million people who are united.

Our people are integrated and unanimous when the revolution is concerned; wherever national interest are concerned, we are united. You saw during Gen. Soleimani's funeral that people were united. All people stood against the superpowers and America and voiced their opinion.

America wants to bring the Iranian nation to its knees. America wants a government that does not want to take the heavy responsibility.

This is where America is wrong. They don't know that in Iran, the government, people, armed forces, the three branches, and everyone are united under the flag of the Islamic Republic and the Supreme Council of the Revolution.

Americans thought that if they continued sanctions for three months, no foodstuff would be found in Iran. They said that if they continued sanctions for 3 months, no medicine would be found in Iran and people would have problems finding water, power and gas.

In the past two years, we have been under the most severe sanctions but in the recent months, our government and people are overcoming problems every day.

But today, our people are seeing that we are self-sufficient in many foodstuff items. The day the Revolution achieved victory, Iran's agricultural production was 26 million tonnes a year. The day the 11th government started its office in 2013, our foodstuff production was 97 million tonnes and today, it is 126 million tonnes.

America is wrong and hasn't understood that our farmers and engineers all over the country are firmly standing for their needs.

They thought that if they impose sanctions on our petrol, queues would be formed in petrol stations, but what happened today? Today we are exporting petrol.

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