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Tehran, Feb 7, IRNA -- Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei here Thursday called on the nation and Iran's armed forces to maintain their "unity, vigilance and full preparedness" in the face of threats
from outside.
In a meeting with air force commanders and ordinary personnel, he also made a veiled warning to the United States against its recent aggressive stance toward the Islamic Republic which it has accused of
forming an "axis of evil" with Iraq and North Korea.
"The Iranian nation, in line with their anti-hegemonic attitude, will never initiate an aggression. But, if anybody challenges them or threatens their interests, the answer of the Iranian nation will be strong, making the aggressors regretful," Ayatollah Khamenei said.
He slammed Washington's recent vitriolic attacks on the Islamic Republic, saying the US anger with Tehran was due to Iranians' anti-imperial stances.
"In America's eyes, the only good and acceptable countries are those which are totally submissive to the US and its expansionist policies," the leader said, adding that such an attitude has led to an international disgust.
"It is not only the Iranian nation which hates you, but the whole world and nations detest you as a hegemonic, arrogant, tyrant and hypocritical regime," Ayatollah Khamenei said in address to the US rulers.
The leader also described world superpowers' claims of defending human rights, democracy and freedom as "deceitful sloganeering."
"The main goal of hegemonic powers is to expand their dominance on the world and guarantee their illegitimate interests under the guise of such false slogans. But, this strategy has failed and is not acceptable anymore," Ayatollah Khamenei added.
He cited US support of "totalitarian, corrupt and stooge regimes such as the Pahlavi dynasty" which was toppled in 1979 as a proof of the falsehood of America's pro-democracy claims.
"They (the US rulers) expect the great Iranian nation and its popular government to act like hand-picked governments and execute America's policies. But, this demand is not achievable," he said.
"The Iranian nation hates an interfering government which under the guise of supporting human rights, democracy and freedom, backs the totally anti-human regime of Israel and treats prisoners of war in
Afghanistan and elsewhere in that (regretful) manner," the leader said, in reference to US treatment of Afghan PoWs, which has provoked international outcry.
He also criticized Islamic countries for their disunity in the face of US rulers' taunts, including President George W. Bush's challenging of Muslims with another medieval Crusade War after the September 11 terror attack on American trade centers.
"If the Islamic ummah is threatened with a Crusade War today, it is because of the existing negligence and disparity among large parts of their ranks," Ayatollah Khamenei said.
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