Following is a report on the official Friday sermon in Tehran for February 13, 2009, by interim Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati. The report is from the English website of the official Iranian news agency IRNA, on the same date. (To view the MEMRI TV page for Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, visit http://www.memritv.org/subject/en/487.htm )
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Launch of Satellite – A Hammer Hit Over the Heads of the U.S. And Israel; Satellite's Launch Based on Khomeini's Statement "You Can"
Interim Tehran Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati said in his sermon that Iran's launch on February February 2, 2009 of its domestically made Omid satellite[1] was a hammer that was hit over the heads of the U.S. and Israel. "Everyone in [the] four corners of the world said (after that event) we do not know what Iran is doing. Every once in five or six months the Iranians announce an invention, or a scientific achievement."
He continued: "If a country wished to do such a thing [i.e. launch a satellite,] they would have had to seek the assistance of a big world power, and when the Iranian friends intended to manufacture this satellite they sought the assistance of some neighboring countries, but they sneered at us, telling us that is too big a goal for a country like ours to achieve, refraining from offering us assistance, and so much the better they didn't. The offsprings of Iran and the pious Iranian youth, therefore, manufactured this satellite quite indigenously and it was successfully launched into the (earth) orbit."
Jannati further emphasized, "The late Imam (Khomeini) once said, 'You can,' and it is this capability relying on which Omid satellite was launched successfully... he general policies of the system need to be implemented, and by grace of God, we would pursue the objectives of an Islamic civilization that would manage to establish justice within the barriers of its domain and block the path for discrimination, looting, oppression, hegemony seeking, despotism, and criminal acts, and that would happen, since its signs are already observed, and by will of God, embracing victory is close at hand."
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He then stated: "The enemy fails to understand the existing spirituality in our country and the power we have gained under the shade of that divine atmosphere."
"Thank You Very Much [To Israel] For Not Permitting" Iran Access to Nuclear Technology
Referring to comments by former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, who had said that "we won't permit Iran to have access to nuclear technology," Jannati said: "Thank you very much indeed for not permitting, as we did not know we had to seek your permission in advance, and also we made mistake in not seeking your permission prior to launching the Omid Satellite!"
He continued: "Look how absentminded they are. They have gone fully insane. The Iranians work manly and mightily, leaving behind the entire hurdles in the way of their advancement and then, Israel, which is itself heading towards downfall and its weak days, having tasted the agony of defeat in confrontation with a small portion of Gaza residents and its will to suppress them, is now bragging we won't permit Iran to have access to nuclear technology."
Jannati said: "Just as the Westerners have confessed, after joining the nuclear club of the big powers, Iran has now entered the group of the eight industrial countries that are capable of launching satellites, and is now after the passage of 30 years (from the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran) ranking fourth among 179 countries in advancement scale... Those who observe a little justice in expressing their stands when they read such confessions admit that Iran is constructing its future today."
Turning to those outside Iran, he said: "Come on now and end playing political games for a while. Be frank with the people. End hatching plots and establishing ties with the enemies. Do not show the green light to America. You would create problems both for them, and for yourselves, while creating trouble for us."
For 30th Anniversary of Revolution, "Noble, Prosperous Iranian Nation Hit Another Severe Punch Against the Head of the Americans and the Israelis"
Also in his sermon, Jannati congratulated the Iranian nation on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, expressing appreciation for their attendance at nationwide rallies, and said: "The noble and prosperous Iranian nation hit another severe punch against the head of the Americans and the Israelis with that move, starting a soft enemy breaking plan against those who are planning for overthrowing the system softly."
He emphasized, "They have to get the message and decide whether they wish to confront a 70 million strong nation and urge them to surrender, since the message of [the] rallies was that this nation will not surrender, and is faithful to Islam, the late Imam [Khomeini], and the revolution, and is still an enemy of the United States."
Endnote:
[1] For Iranian TV report on launch, see "Iran Successfully Launches First Domestic Satellite Into Orbit" " Also see "Iranian Space Agency Head To Fars: Iran Will Build More Satellites" http://www.thememriblog.org/iran/blog_personal/en/13538.htm ; "Iranian Research Satellite Launched" http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/13421.htm.
