Statements of the supreme leader of the revolution during Basij week

In a meeting with thousands of Basij members from various sectors, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution described this unique phenomenon as emerging from Iran’s culture, national identity, and history. He emphasized the need to strengthen and improve the quality of Basij activities, stating:”The Basij thought and ideology are based on two pillars: ‘faith in God’ and ‘self-confidence.’ These two outstanding qualities will undoubtedly lead to overcoming the policies and plans of global imperialism.”Ayatollah Khamenei also described the future of the Resistance Front as much stronger and more expansive than today, adding that despite the ongoing war crimes by the Zionist regime in Gaza and Lebanon, it will not be victorious. He stressed that the arrest of Netanyahu is not enough and that a death sentence should be issued for him and other criminal leaders.He considered the Basij to be inherently a cultural, social, and military network and explained that its persistence is due to its authenticity and deep roots in Iranian historical identity. He stated: “Imam Khomeini, about three weeks after the U.S. embassy takeover and the display of America’s hostility, transformed that great threat into a major opportunity by establishing the Basij on December 5, 1979, planting this noble tree in the social, cultural, and military spheres of the country.”The Leader of the Revolution emphasized that the military dimension is just one aspect of the Basij and noted that Basij is primarily a school of thought and ideology, which plays a prominent role in various fields by relying on two fundamental principles: “faith in God” and “self-confidence.”He attributed Basij’s characteristics, such as courage, innovation, quick action, broad vision, enemy recognition, and sensitivity to various movements, to its solid foundations and added: “The meaning and outcome of faith in God is surrendering to the Creator and relying on Him, trusting in His promises.”Ayatollah Khamenei described faith in God within Basij members as the belief that all elements of the infinite universe are God’s army, and if one is a servant of God, this army will assist them by God’s will and according to divine traditions, as seen in various periods of history.He also discussed the importance of self-confidence and trusting in one’s abilities, such as decision-making, willpower, and action, saying that recognizing and utilizing these abilities directly counters the plans of imperialism.The Supreme Leader identified the denial of nations’ abilities and their humiliation as a constant policy of imperialists, pointing out that, according to the Quran, Pharaoh used to humiliate his people to force them into submission. He noted that modern-day Western powers, like the U.S. and Europe, humiliate other nations to plunder their resources.He referred to internal forces of imperialism as complementary to external and psychological pressures and cited the nationalization of Iran’s oil industry as an example of how foreign powers and their internal allies attempt to erase the nation’s history and capabilities to clear the path for domination.Ayatollah Khamenei identified the Basij as the antidote to such national humiliation, adding that after World War I, Iranian delegates were even denied entry to the Paris Peace Conference. However, the Revolution reversed the situation and restored national dignity. He described the Basij’s ideology as a barrier breaker, which neutralizes the soft-power tools of imperialism aimed at humiliating, disarming, and instilling despair among nations.The Leader of the Revolution also reflected on Imam Khomeini’s efforts since 1962 to build the ideology of the Basij, instill self-confidence, faith in God, and hope for victory in the people. After the Revolution’s victory, Imam Khomeini built a strong defense in the form of the Basij to protect the country from various threats, playing an active role in military, social, scientific, construction, and political fields