The commemoration ceremony for Iran’s Martyr President Raeisi and his accompanying delegation in the helicopter crash was held at Imam Khomeini Husayniyya, Tehran, at 9:30 a.m.

Speaking to the late president’s family on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei considered the late president as the symbol of the motto of the Islamic Revolution.

He further described the people’s love for the late President Raeisi as “a message to the world that would benefit the Islamic Republic.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described the loss of Mr. Raeisi as a great and irreparable loss for the country.

Late President Raeisi and Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, along with two top officials of the Iranian province of East Azerbaijan, and four other people on board the helicopter were returning from a dam inauguration ceremony on Iran’s border with the Republic of Azerbaijan when the aircraft crashed into forests in Varzaqan region.

In a message issued on Monday morning, Ayatollah Khamenei expressed his great sadness over the death of President Raisi in the incident that took place in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province a day earlier.

In the message, the Supreme Leader described Raisi as a hard-working cleric and a popular president who dedicated his life to serving the people of Iran, the country and Islam.

“In this bitter tragedy, the Iranian nation lost a warm-hearted, humble and valued servant,” said Ayatollah Khamenei, adding that President Raisi never stopped his hard and round-the-clock work for the people of Iran despite being faced with criticisms of ill-wishers.

He offered condolences to the Iranian nation and approved Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber to take over as interim president and to cooperate with the heads of the Iranian parliament and judiciary to prepare the ground for the election of a new president within the next 50 days.

Ayatollah Khamenei also expressed sadness over the death of other senior officials who were with President Raisi in the helicopter crash in East Azerbaijan, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian as well as Tabriz Friday prayer leader and the provincial governor.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei received a group of commanders of the armed forces for a meeting on Sunday.

He talked about the recent Iranian retaliatory attack against the aggressor Israeli regime dubbed “True Promise Operation”.

In response to the Israeli terrorist attack on Iran’s consulate building in Syria on April 1, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other Iranian armed forces attacked military targets in occupied Palestine with a barrage of drones and missiles on 13 April.

Ayatollah Khamenei praised the armed forces for the retaliatory attack on the occupying Israeli regime for showing to the international community how powerful the Iranian nation is.

“By God’s grace, the armed forces displayed a good shot of their capabilities and power and a commendable image of the Iranian nation. They proved the emergence of the resolve of the Iranian nation on the international stage,” the leader said.

He said the high number of missiles and drones launched during Operation True Promise against targets inside the Israeli-occupied territories is a secondary matter.

“The main issue is the emergence of the power of the resolve of the Iranian nation and the armed forces on the international stage and proving it, which has saddened the other side,” he added after congratulating the anniversary of the national Army Day to the armed forces.

Ayatollah Khamenei appreciated the efforts and endeavors of the IRGC, the army and the police force and advised the armed forces to continue their efforts and move forward to face enmities and enemies by relying on innovation and initiatives.

“You should not stop progressing for a single moment because stopping means going backward. Innovation in weapons and methods, and knowing the enemy’s methods, must always be on the agenda,” Ayatollah Khamenei stressed.

In the meeting, Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces presented a report on the recent reprisal attack against the Israeli regime on April 13 known as the True Promise Operation as well as the latests about the readiness and preparedness of the different armed forces.

Ayatollah Khamenei will lead the Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Grand Mosalla mosque of Tehran.

Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide because it marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has issued a message after the Israeli regime’s attack on Iran’s consular building in Damascus on Monday.

We will make them regret committing this crime, the Leader stressed.

Ayatollah Khamenei also prayed to God to bestow divine forgiveness and blessings to the IRGC military advisors who were martyred in the Israeli strike.

The evil regime of Israel will be punished by the hands of our brave men, he concluded.

The Israeli regime attacked Iran’s consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Monday evening. The Israeli aggression led to the destruction of the entire building and the martyrdom and injury of the entire people inside it.

Seven of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) military advisors were martyred following the Israeli attack on Iran’s consulate in Damascus on Monday, IRGC said in a statement.

Reacting to the Israeli aggression, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kan’ani on Monday night said that the Islamic Republic of Iran, while reserving its rights to take countermeasures, decides on the type of reaction and punishment of the aggressor.

Earlier on Monday, Iran’s Ambassador to Syria stressed that the country will give a decisive response to the Israeli regime.

Several distinguished reciters, teachers, and Quranic activists take part in this ceremony on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar; the month cycles through the seasons.

The outset of the sacred month depends on the sighting of the crescent moon; the first day is expected to be on or around March 12, 2024.

Ramadan is believed to be the month when the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH).

Addressing navy commanders in this meeting, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei emphasized the implementation of sea-based economic policies, the need to discover new capacities in order to increase the authority of the system and the country, as well as create vitality and hope in the society.

Ayatollah Khamenei termed the progress of the navy since the beginning of the Islamic Revolution as impressive and unbelievable.

In the first years of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the presence of the army navy beyond territorial waters was unimaginable, but now the army navy travels 360 degrees around the world with strength and returns to the country with pride, the Leader said, referring to the 360-Degree mission of Iran navy.

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to expanding ​​influence in the sea and relying on technology and knowledge as the two main policies of navy forces in order to strengthen the components of power.

During the meeting, the Commander of the Iranian Navy, Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, presented a report on the capabilities and activities of Iran’s Navy.  He also expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the Leader’s announcement of the sea-based development policies, while emphasizing the Navy’s readiness to assist with the implementation of these policies.

The Commander of the Iranian Navy explained that expanding Iran’s area of influence in the sea and relying on technology and knowledge are the two main policies of this force in order to strengthen the system’s power factors.

November 28 marks the National Day of the Navy in the Iranian calendar.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who is the commander of all Iranian armed forces, toured the exhibition of the latest achievements of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)  which was held at Ashura Aerospace Science and Technology University on Sunday.

Addressing a gathering of the IRGC commanders who were accompanying him on the visit, he hailed the achievements made by the young Iranian military experts and said “In every scene that our youth entered with resolve and faith, they have been able to do great things, and the signs of determination and faith were clearly evident in this exhibition.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that one of the characteristics of the IRGC Aerospace exhibition initiative and innovation, adding that, “Definitely, we should not be satisfied with the current level of success, because various military and civilian sectors in the world are continuously advancing and progressing, and we must try so as not to get behind.”

Elsewhere, the Leader pointed to the Zionist Israeli regime onslaught on the Gaza Strip in Palestine and lambasted the Western countries for supporting the racist Israeli regime.

“The Zionist regime is a symbol of racial discrimination. The Zionists consider themselves to be a superior race and consider the rest of the human race to be an inferior race, and that is why they have killed several thousand children without any remorse,” Ayatollah Khamenei further noted.

“When the American president, the German chancellor, the French president, and the British prime minister support and help such a racist regime, it would mean that these men support racial discrimination as the most hateful issue in the world,” he added.

“Despite the massive bombings in Gaza, the Zionist regime has so far failed to advance because they said from the beginning that our goal is to destroy Hamas and the Resistance and stop them, but after more than 40 days and using all their military power, they have not yet been able to do this and finish the job,” the Leader further asserted.

“The brutal bombing of hospitals and women and children in Gaza is a sign that the leaders of the Zionist regime are extremely nervous about their defeat. The Zionist regime’s failure in Gaza is a fact, and advancing and entering hospitals or people’s homes is not a victory, because victory means defeating the opposite, which the Zionist regime has not been able to achieve so far nor will it be able to do so in the future,” he further said.

Ayatollah Khamenei went on to note that condemning the Zionist regime is not enough at ll, calling on the Muslim nations to boycott the occu[pying regime.

“The major work that can be done is to cut off the vital artery and flow of the Zionist regime and the Islamic governments have to prevent fuel and goods from reaching the regime,” the Leader of the Islamic Revolution further said.

“Islamic states should cut their political relationship with the Zionist regime at least for a limited period,” Ayatollah Khamenei further asserted.

In the end, the Leader called for continuing massive pro-Palestine rallies to not allow the Palestine issue to be forgotten. “We believe in God’s promise and we see a bright future. We will do our duty.”

Addressing a group of people from Sistan and Baluchestan, and South Khorasan provinces on Monday, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said that the world is on the verge of an evolution.

This transformation includes several issues, including the weakening of the world’s arrogant powers, he said, adding that arrogant powers such as the US and some European countries have weakened and will become weaker.

The emergence of new regional and global powers is another part of this global transformation, he added.

The Leader went on to say that based on the received information, the American government has created a group, the mission of which is to create a crisis in countries, including Iran.

The American government has found out that there are several sensitive issues in Iran that can be turned into crises through provocation, Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted, referring to the diversity of ethnic groups, religions, and the issue of gender and women.

According to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, such dreams will never come true.

“The enemies are serious in their enmity and plotting, and we are also very serious in confronting them,” the Leader noted.

“America interfered in various governments, but the condition is now declining. Today, America has to create a combined war in order to hit the governments that it wants to hit, which is very costly for it, and will not work out in the end.”

As for the decline of Europe, the situation is no better.

“You hear these days how the African countries that were under the influence of France are rising against France one after another,” the Leader said.

“The Western powers, which are headed by America and then Europe, do not have the former power today, they are weakening and this weakness is increasing. Day by day, new powers are rising; this is a great global change.”

Nevertheless, “When we say the enemy is becoming weak, it doesn’t mean that it cannot plot, be hostile, and strike, it can,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

“They are busy planning, we should not sleep, we should not be negligent.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “We must be careful not to go astray, not to make mistakes, not to exchange right for wrong.”

“The Qur’an has given us a standard. The Qur’an says that ‘Muhammad is the Messenger of God and those who are with him.’ Are we with the Prophet or not? This is the way, it has a sign.

“’And those who are with Him are bitter against the infidels.’ If you see that the way we are going is a path that makes the infidels happy, know that you are not bitter against the infidels. So you are not with the Messenger of God, you are not with the Prophet.”

Ayatollah Khamenei said, “We must be focused. We must know what we are doing and saying. The words we utter should not play into the enemy’s plan and complete its puzzle. This is dangerous.”

“Care must be taken that this does not happen. If we are careful, the enemy cannot do a damn thing.”