Ayatollah Khamenei urges vigilance against enemy’s soft war

He made the remarks on Saturday during a meeting with families of Iranian martyrs on the sixth anniversary of the martyrdom of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani.

The meeting took place at the Imam Khomeini Religious Center in Tehran on Saturday, January 3, marking the day General Soleimani was killed in a US drone attack near Baghdad, Iraq, in 2020.

Families of General Soleimani and his comrades, as well as relatives of martyrs who were killed during the US-Israeli 12-day war against Iran in June, attended the meeting.

Addressing recent gatherings, including those by businesspersons, the Leader delineated a clear distinction between legitimate protest and destructive riots.

“Protest is justified, but protest is different from riot. We talk to the protester; they should voice their concerns. Talking to rioters is useless,” he said.

He warned against malicious elements exploiting legitimate grievances. “It is absolutely unacceptable for a group, under various names and pretexts, with the aim of destruction and destabilizing the country, to position themselves behind faithful, sound, and revolutionary businesspersons, misuse their protests, and create riots.”

“The enemy’s plot must be recognized. The enemy does not rest; it seizes every opportunity. They saw an opportunity here and wanted to exploit it,” the Leader added, while noting, “Of course, our officials were and will be present in the arena; but the important factor is the Iranian nation.”

Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the enduring legacy of Martyr Soleimani—faith, sincerity, and action—as a guiding principle. “What is important is not being indifferent in the face of the enemy’s soft war. Not being indifferent in the face of the enemy’s rumor-mongering. These are important.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader expressed strong confidence in the business community, describing them as “among the most loyal strata to the Islamic system and the Islamic Revolution.” “We know the Bazaar well. One cannot oppose the Islamic Republic and the Islamic system in the name of the Bazaar and businesspersons. Yes, these gatherings were mainly by businesspersons, but their point was correct,” he said.

He acknowledged the core economic concern behind the protests: “When a businessperson looks at the state of the national currency, the decrease in its value, the instability of exchange rates, which causes the business environment to lack stability, and says ‘I cannot do business,’ they are telling the truth.”

“The officials of the country accept this, and I know that the President and other high-ranking officials are seeking to resolve this problem. This is a problem, and the hand of the enemy is also involved in this,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

He attributed the volatile surge in foreign exchange rates to enemy action: “The sharp, uncontrolled rise in foreign currency prices and its instability—going up and down so much that a businessperson doesn’t know their obligations—this is not natural; this is the work of the enemy. Of course, it must be stopped, and they are trying through various measures—both the President and the heads of other branches and some other officials are striving to fix this.”

“Therefore, the protest of the businesspersons was about this matter, and this matter is a correct one,” the Leader affirmed. “What is important is that a group of provoked, mercenary elements of the enemy stand behind the businesspersons and chant anti-Islam, anti-Iran, and anti-Islamic Republic slogans. This is what is important.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said: “What is important is that when one feels the enemy seeks to impose something on the country and its officials, to the government, to the nation, one must stand against the enemy with full power and shield it with one’s chest. We will not back down in the face of the enemy. By relying on Almighty God and with confidence in the people’s companionship, we will, God willing, bring the enemy to its knees with divine success.”

In another part of his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei, noting the coincidence of the anniversary of the martyrdom of the esteemed martyr Soleimani with the 13th of Rajab, stated: “Three characteristics—faith, sincerity, and action—were the defining traits of that dear martyr, who was considered a complete and perfect human being in our time.”

He described deep faith in God, divine support, and faith in the goal as the prominent characteristics of the Commander of Hearts, adding: “Haj Qassem was a man of divine sincerity and did not act for personal fame or the praise of others.”

The Leader, honoring General Soleimani’s presence in all necessary arenas, said: “Unlike some who understand well and speak well but take no action, he was present in all scenes where it was necessary; whether in preserving and guiding the movement of the Revolution and confronting evils in Kerman, or in the Quds Force, defending the shrines, confronting ISIS, and in other arenas.