US presence root cause of insecurity in West Asia: Ayatollah Khamenei

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the Americans' presence in the region is the cause of insecurity in West Asia, underlining the need for unity among Muslims in the face of the US and the Zionist regime of Israel.  

"We consider the US presence in the West Asian region to be a detriment to the nations of this region and a cause for insecurity, destruction and backwardness of the countries," Ayatollah Khamenei said on Wednesday in his annual Hajj message.

"Today, as always and more than ever, the necessary interests of the Islamic Ummah lie in unity; such unity that creates a single force in the face of threats and hostilities, and yells at the devil incarnate, that is the aggressive and treacherous US, and its mad dog, the Zionist regime, and bravely stands up to their bullying," the Leader added.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the treatment of American people by their statesmen, the deep social gap in the country, the "stupidity" of those elected to govern the US and the horrific racial discrimination there reveal the depth of moral and social crisis of Western civilization and the invalidity of its political and economic philosophy.

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"America's treatment of weak nations is an augmented version of a policeman's treatment of a defenseless black man with his knee on his neck and squeezing him to death," the Leader said, adding that other Western governments are each examples of such a catastrophic situation to a certain extent.

Commenting on Iran's foreign policy, the Leader said, "We consider all Muslim nations to be our brothers, and treat non-Muslims who have not entered the opposition front with goodness and justice."

"We consider the grief and sufferings of Muslim communities as that of our own and we try to heal them," he added.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the Islamic Republic of Iran's constant concern is to help the oppressed nation of Palestine, sympathize with the war-torn nation of Yemen, and care for the oppressed Muslims anywhere in the world.

Describing the Hajj as "a display of power against the arrogant powers who are the hotbed of corruption, oppression, bullying and looting," the Leader said "their oppression and malice have hurt and lacerated the body and soul of the Islamic Ummah."

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The annual Muslim Hajj pilgrimage begins with only a small number of worshipers this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Contemplation on the Hajj leads one to believe that "many of the ideals and aspirations of religion for humanity will not come to fruition without synergy, solidarity and cooperation among a group of religious people, and with the emergence of such empathy and cooperation, the grudge of enemies and foes will not create a significant problem in this path," he noted.

The Leader also recited verses from the Holy Qur'an that prescribe unity among Muslims and resistance against bullying and oppression by enemies, and said, "These important and crucial guidelines should never be separated from our intellectual and value system as Muslims and should never sink into oblivion."

Today, not only the cultural model of the West - which emerged from the very beginning with "shame and disgrace" - but even its political and economic model of money-based democracy and discriminatory capitalism have shown their "inefficiency and corruption."

The Leader concluded his message by warning about the "bitter consequences" of the actions of some Muslim countries' rulers, who he said take refuge in the arms of the enemy and endure humiliation and coercion for personal gains, and auction off the dignity and independence of their nations, as well as those who secretly shake hands with the Zionist regime.

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Iran’s top security official says insecurity in the Middle East stems from the illegitimate presence of the United States and its malicious acts.

The Leader's message was issued as up to 10,000 mask-clad Muslims began the scaled back Hajj pilgrimage amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Among the five pillars of Islam and one of the world's largest religious gatherings, the Hajj is required for all Muslims, male or female, who are physically or financially capable of undertaking it at least once in their lifetime.

But this year, only up to 10,000 people already residing in Saudi Arabia will participate in the religious ritual due to the virus outbreak.

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