Supreme Leader Meets Outstanding University Students   
06/08/2012 
In a meeting with outstanding university students from across the country, Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed the need for political tolerance among students and stated: "There is no contradiction between being firmly committed to values and principles and observing the principle of tolerance with non-intellectual people in different areas, especially political issues."

In response to the criticism that student organizations, websites and weblogs are subject to certain judicial actions, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said: "Of course, the judiciary has its own reasons in this regard and if those reasons were discussed, some of the doubts would probably be eliminated. However, I also believe that it is wrong to strongly respond to a young student who expresses a strong opinion."

His Eminence referred to a justice-based view of economy and stated: "The economic view in the country should be justice-based and this issue is not in conflict with the policies of Article 44 of the Constitution [regarding privatization of the economy]."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: "If the policies of Article 44 of the Constitution were implemented in the specified way, definitely they will not result in the kind of capitalism that has been criticized and capitalism will not become the pivot of our large-scale national decisions."

His Eminence added: "The increasing economic problems in the west and Europe have been caused by the nature of capitalism, namely the rule of capital."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that it is necessary to guard against the domination of the socialist view over economic thoughts, further adding: "If the policies of Article 44 of the Constitution were implemented within the specified framework, they will definitely complement justice-based economy."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that an economy of resistance is different from an offensive economy and added: "If an accurate academic explanation were presented in this regard, it might complement economy of resistance."

He reiterated: "An economy of resistance does not require adopting defensive measures and building a defensive wall around oneself. Rather, an economy of resistance is a kind of economy that prepares the ground for the growth and blossoming of a nation, even under threats and sanctions."

In response to whether criticism would help advance the enemies' goals, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "I do not at all believe in avoiding criticism. On the contrary, I always insist that the student movement should preserve its critical attitude."

His Eminence added: "However, it is necessary to pay attention to the point that criticisms should be expressed in a way that they do not advance the enemy's goal."

Elsewhere in his statements, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that contradictions between expert opinions and the views of the Leader do not constitute opposition to Vilayat.

His Eminence stressed: "Accurate expert work - regardless of the result - is valid for the person who is involved in the work and it must not be considered as opposition to the Islamic Republic."

Ayatollah Khamenei also urged students to develop a relationship with the student organizations that are involved in Islamic Awakening.

In response to a comment by one of the students regarding inactivity of the Supreme Cyberspace Council, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that it is wrong to expect results from the council in the short run. "This is because such things take several years."

Discussing his expectations of student organizations and environments, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "University is a dynamic movement that is full of energy and if this energy is released and managed, it will completely guide the country."

He added that universities can fulfill all the expectations by relying on the vibrancy and confidence that have been intensified by the Revolution.

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that idealism is an essential expectation and added: "Idealism in science means going after scientific peaks and this goal makes careful studying a necessity."

Addressing Iranian students throughout the country, His Eminence reiterated: "Today studying, acquiring knowledge, research and hard work is a kind of jihad for students."

Afterwards, Ayatollah Khamenei explained spiritual idealism and stressed the need for commitment to religious values.

He criticized the view that universities are anti-religion environments and added: "This reactionary view, which is completely wrong, dates back to the time when universities were first established in Iran several decades before the Revolution and efforts were made by certain people to build a self-loathing westernized intellectual generation."

Ayatollah Khamenei rejected this view and reiterated: "University is an environment for religion, ethics, purity and spirituality. And the expectation is that universities should be such that anybody who enters university becomes more committed to religion and ethics."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution discussed the requirements of idealism and added: "Idealism must not be confused with belligerence. It is possible to be firmly committed to values and principles without belligerence."

His Eminence said that it is necessary to control one's emotions and to refuse to make decisions when one is emotionally provoked. He added: "Student organizations have had an active and praiseworthy presence in different social and political issues over the past 2, 3 years, but over the same period of time, there have been cases in which student organizations have adopted certain incorrect decisions and measures on the basis of pure and noble feelings of students. This is because decisions should be based on careful and accurate research, not on emotions."

In order to delineate the line between idealism and emotions, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the opposition of the Islamic Republic to the autocratic regimes in the region and reiterated: "In spite of the clear positions of the Islamic Republic, it is wrong to oppose traditional and conventional diplomatic work in this regard."

His Eminence reiterated: "There is no contradiction between idealism of student organizations and observing our national interests, observing the law and exercising managerial judgment. That is to say, it is possible to be young, emotional and idealistic and at the same time act in a way that this does not conflict with the managerial issues and our national interests."

Ayatollah Khamenei added: "It is necessary to pay attention to the depth and meaning of idealism and to adopt decisions and measures while avoiding extremism and taking the realities and interests into consideration. It is also necessary to remember that idealism means being committed to principles, values and ideals and influencing the opposing side while refusing to be influenced by it."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that it is necessary for student organizations to be involved in different issues of the country and added: "Intellectual presence is possible through cultural activities in student media and presenting one's positions and views. And physical presence of student organizations is possible through adopting correct decisions to arrange student gatherings."

His Eminence said that as far as student gatherings are concerned, decisions that are based on emotions will have negative consequences. In order to avoid these consequences, he suggested: "It is necessary for student organizations to establish a center for adopting decisions and taking action. In different issues, through consultation and wisdom, they should reach a unified conclusion about a particular decision or action and all students should be committed to the decision that is made. In this way, decisions and actions that are based on emotions will not be blamed on student organizations."

Ayatollah Khamenei urged all Iranian students throughout the country to avoid speaking about what they do not know. "I ask you to be seriously committed to avoidance of backbiting, slandering and saying what you are not sure about, just as you are seriously committed to praying and fasting."

Ayatollah Khamenei also urged students to pay attention to the enemy's goals in the soft war and said: "I believe that you are the commanders of the soft war. For this reason, I stress that you should pay careful attention to the main goal that the enemy is pursuing through the soft war, namely convincing our people and government officials to revise their calculations."

His Eminence said that the enemy has focused its attacks on the hearts, minds, thoughts and willpower of the people. He reiterated: "They are openly saying that they should convince us to revise our calculations and to convince us that continuing our resistance against the arrogant powers and bullying powers of the world will not benefit us. The commanders of the soft war should understand and counter the enemy's goals in the correct way."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that in order to counter the enemy's goal in the soft war, it is necessary to increase one's knowledge. Addressing Iranian students, he said: "Do not limit your understanding and knowledge to what is written on websites, weblogs and other such places, rather try to improve your knowledge on a daily basis by relying on the Holy Quran and the writings of Shahid Motahhari and our great religious scholars and knowledgeable young seminarians."

Ayatollah Khamenei described optimism as essential and stated that increasing one's religious knowledge, developing insight into the realities of the country, fair criticism and constant and balanced supervision are among the fundamental responsibilities of student organizations. "These things should be accompanied by lenience and rationality and they should also be free from extremism."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that considering the realities of the country fills one's heart with hope