Statements at the Meeting with Sports Champions and Global Scientific Olympiad Medalists

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad and his pure family, especially the Awaited One on earth.

Welcome, and I am pleased to be part of this gathering, which is a manifestation of growth and the display of national strength and the power of youth. Medalists — whether in sports or in scientific fields — have brought joy to the people. You have made the Iranian nation happy with your efforts, you have inspired the youth; this is a great value. The medal you received this year, in these past few months, has a significance beyond that of ordinary medals; why? Because we are in the midst of a soft war. In the soft war, the enemy seeks to depress the nation, to instill despair, to dissuade it from its own capabilities; with your medal-winning, you have been able to counter the enemy's movement and, in practice, you have demonstrated and manifested the capabilities of the Iranian youth and the strength of the Iranian nation, which is evident in its youth. Therefore, it can be said that this medal has added value; this is the strongest response that could be given to the enemy, and you have given it.

Our dear Iran is a symbol of hope; it is a symbol of hope. The whispers of some regarding the despair of the youth, the younger generation, or similar matters are unfounded. Iran is a symbol of hope. The Iranian youth is talented and capable. It is important that we recognize and understand the capabilities, skills, and strengths of the Iranian youth. The Iranian youth possesses the quality to reach the summit, just as you have reached the summit: "World Champion" in a particular sport or in a specific scientific endeavor. You have reached the summit. The Iranian youth has the ability to elevate themselves to the summit, of course, if they strive. This talent exists within them; what is needed is effort, endeavor, and movement.

In our country, some sectors have advanced in a leap after the revolution. Progress has been in leaps, one of which is this year's sports achievements of our youth; in wrestling, in volleyball, and in some other sports, they have been able to showcase themselves to the world. We did not have this state; we did not have these capabilities. Perhaps what has been demonstrated this year is unprecedented in the history of the country's sports. The same is true for the Olympiads; in the scientific Olympiads, our teenagers have been able to reach the summit, they have been able to triumph over their competitors in real competitions; that is, Iran has been at the forefront of an international competition. Everything you do is, in fact, accounted for as an achievement of Iran; everything you do is accounted for as an achievement of the nation. This flag that these gentlemen have shown is very valuable. This prostration they perform, this prayer that our athlete makes after victory, is very valuable; it is a symbol of the Iranian nation.

These Olympiad youth are today a shining star; and in ten years, they will become a sun if they work hard. My insistence is this; I urge the officials not to abandon these youth. They should not be content with what they have achieved so far; they should move forward. This "star" will become a "sun" in ten years if it progresses. Great works can be accomplished. Of course, from the very beginning of the revolution, we have seen this role in our youth. You know — of course, our youth have read in books as well — that shortly after the revolution, two years after the victory of the revolution, [the enemies] imposed a war on the country that lasted eight years. This eight-year war at the beginning of the revolution, with numerous shortages, with empty hands, ended in victory for Iran; that is, Iran was able to defeat its enemy, Saddam, who was supported from all sides; who accomplished this? The youth. The innovations were made by the youth. We witnessed this closely. These youths were able to organize military innovations in such a way that they overcame the limitless capabilities of the enemy. This was the state of the battlefield. In knowledge, it is the same; in the battlefield of knowledge, it is the same. Today, our youth, after many years, are ranked among the top research centers in the world; in the top ranks; that is, at least among the top ten ranks. Our youth have accomplished great works in nanotechnology, in laser technology, in the nuclear industry, in various military industries, and in important medical research. Just a few days ago, I was informed that one of our important research centers has found a treatment for an incurable disease — which had been considered incurable until now — this is very important. The youth are working, the country is moving, the country is working; you are the manifestation of this work. This is the state of our youth.

The enemy does not want to see this situation; first, it does not want to see it. It wants to prevent this situation if possible. The enemy cannot bear to see scientific progress, technical progress, progress in service fields, progress in sports; however, to the extent that exists and it cannot prevent, it tries to distort it with lies and truths; this is the enemy's work; they exaggerate some faults, they keep some clear truths hidden, they say the opposite. You who have reached the summit of sports or the summit of science have, in fact, shown that the atmosphere of Iran is a bright one; contrary to the enemy's propaganda that wants to say that the atmosphere of Iran is a gloomy one, a dark one. You want to go and show that the atmosphere of Iran is a bright one. Their effort is to make the Iranian youth lose their self-belief; this is what the enemy wants to do.

Of course, the youth must increase their efforts. The youth have an inexhaustible energy. "Youth" is an extraordinary force, it is not finite; whatever you do, whatever effort you make and consume this energy, this energy becomes stronger. The energy of youth is such that the more you work, the more it increases, the stronger it becomes. They should increase their efforts, devote their talents to their nation; this is what matters. Now, some may wish to live in another country, but they must know that they are strangers there; you who go to another country, whatever you do, wherever you reach, you are a stranger there. [However] this is your home, this is your land, this belongs to you, this belongs to your children and your generation; the Iranian youth should pay attention to these points. And a stranger in a country cannot live comfortably. You see how they treat immigrants — as they say — in America and elsewhere; because they are strangers. Because they are strangers, they are treated this way; with difficulty, with bitterness, with complete indifference, with cruelty. Well, this is regarding you Olympians and my dear ones who have also executed good programs.

These dear teenagers have truly shown a memorable performance; I mean, I have never — except for one other time right here — seen such ancient athletic movements performed by these children. And of course, teenagers should not engage in heavy sports; they should do as much light exercise as they can, perform these activities, but leave heavy sports for a few years later. Well, this relates to sports and the Olympiad.

In these days, there have also been nonsensical statements regarding our dear Iran; we cannot refrain from saying a word about these. The President of the United States, in occupied Palestine, with a bunch of empty words and foolishness, tried to give hope to the despairing Zionists and boost their morale; my analysis of the President of the United States' trip to occupied Palestine and the actions he took and the words he said is this. They are despairing; they suffered such a blow in the twelve-day war that they could not believe it, they did not expect it, and they became despondent. He went to boost their morale, to pull them out of despair; the words he spoke are words directed at the despairing officials. They did not expect that an Iranian missile, made by the hands of Iranian youth, could turn some of their sensitive research centers into ashes with its flames, with its fire; they did not expect this, and this event occurred; they were able to penetrate deep into some important centers of the Zionist regime and destroy them. These missiles were made by Iranian youth; we did not buy this from anywhere, we did not rent this from anywhere; this is made by Iranian youth, this is the identity of Iranian youth. When an Iranian youth enters a field and strives, endeavors, and prepares the scientific infrastructure for themselves, they accomplish such feats, they achieve great works. These missiles were prepared by our armed forces and military industries, they have utilized them, and they continue to do so; if necessary, they will use them again in the future. As I mentioned, my conclusion is this: these nonsensical statements made by this gentleman there, these light words and foolish behaviors, were meant to boost the morale of the counterpart, to give them morale; they have lost their morale. However, there are several points:

The first point is that America is the main partner in the war in Gaza; without a doubt. He himself admitted this in his statements, saying we worked together in Gaza; even if he had not said it, it was evident; their weapons, their resources have abundantly come into the hands of the Zionist regime to be rained down on the heads of the defenseless people of Gaza. America is complicit in this crime. He says we are fighting terrorism; over twenty thousand children and infants have been martyred in these attacks; were these terrorists? A four-year-old child, a five-year-old child, a newborn, you killed twenty thousand of them! Were these terrorists? You are the terrorists! You are the terrorists who produce ISIS and unleash them upon the region, and then keep them for a day when you want to use them again — this is how it is now; some members of ISIS are in the hands of America, they are kept somewhere so that whenever they want, they can use them — you are the terrorists! The terrorism is American! In the two-year war in Gaza, according to official statistics, they killed seventy thousand people.

In the twelve-day war in Iran, in addition to the indiscriminate killings and bombings that rained down on a thousand and some population [and martyred them], they assassinated our scientists. He boasts about having assassinated an Iranian scientist; yes, you assassinated a scientist, individuals like Shahid Dr. Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and Shahid Dr. Fereydoun Abbasi and others; however, you cannot assassinate their knowledge. He boasts that we bombed Iran's nuclear industry and destroyed it. Very well, think that way! But what business do you have to interfere and say "must" and "must not" if a country has a nuclear industry? What business does America have with whether Iran has nuclear capabilities or not? These interferences are inappropriate, wrong, and tyrannical.

I heard that in all the states of America, people are now chanting against him in the streets; according to the report that was given and you heard, seven million people in various cities of America, in different states of America are chanting against this person. If you have so much capability, go and calm them down! Go and silence them and send them back to their homes. They interfere in the affairs of other countries, they build military bases. The terrorism is American; in fact, it is the true embodiment of American terrorism.

He says, "I am a supporter of the Iranian people"; he is lying. These secondary sanctions that America has been imposing for several years and many countries have been influenced by fear, who are these sanctions against? Against the Iranian nation. You are the enemy of the Iranian nation, you are not the friend of the Iranian nation.

He says, "I am a negotiator, I want to negotiate, let’s negotiate with Iran"! A negotiation that is predetermined by tyranny is not a negotiation, it is imposition; and the Iranian nation will not submit to imposition; the Iranian nation will not submit to imposition. This is not called negotiation. "Let’s sit down and talk and let this be the result"! He specifies; this is tyranny. Iran cannot be influenced by such tyrannies like some other countries.

He points out that "in this region, what they call the Middle East and what we call West Asia, there is death, nothingness, and war"; well, you are the ones who start wars, America is a warmonger, it is America that initiates wars, it creates wars; in addition to assassination, it stirs up wars. This war belongs to them, death belongs to them; the actions they take, what America does in this region [is this]. What are all these military bases for? Why has America established so many military bases in various countries of this region? What are you doing here? What does this region have to do with you? This region belongs to the people here. Therefore, everything this person stated as a position is wrong and much of it is a lie and indicative of tyranny; tyranny may affect some nations, but it will never affect the Iranian nation, God willing.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.