Imam Khamenei Meets with University students and Elite academicians+Photos

Some 1,000 elite academicians and university students in a meeting with the Supreme Leader Monday evening exchanged ideas on various university, scientific, cultural, social, political, and economic issues with His Eminence.

During the intimate meeting which took about 210 minutes initially eleven political, scientific and student activists on behalf of the student bodies, unions, and associations took some 150 minutes to present their various viewpoints regarding different issues in the country.

Imam Khamenei while replying to the presented questions, and clarifying on the proposed ambiguities, considered political, scientific, ethical, and spiritual idealism as the most important expectation of the student bodies in general, and then presented a series of musts and must not’s regarding the critical moderate, just, and hopeful approaches regarding the country’s affairs.

The Supreme Leader referred to some of the matter presented by the students, which he said were very well presented and inclusive of some very useful points, which the concerned officials must pay serious attention to.

Among the interesting points focused by the students, Imam Khamenei referred to the need for lenience and broadmindedness in encountering people with viewpoints that vary with ours in various matters, including political field, which the Supreme Leader said is quite alright.

His Eminence encouraged the various system officials, including the country’s national radio-TV network (IRIB) to attend the universities, listen to the students and reflect their viewpoints to the society.

Regarding the cases in which the Judiciary Force has summoned some weblog and website authors to courts of justice, the Supreme Leader said that the judiciary officials have their reasoning, which would solve some ambiguities if it would be presented to the society, adding, "But I believe harsh encounter regarding the expressed opinion of a young university student is not appropriate.”

Regarding the justice seeking economic approach and Islam’s viewpoints regarding capitalism, which were elaborated by a student, His Eminence said, "Of course the economic approach in the country must be justice based, and this has no contradiction with implementation of Constitutional Article 44 (on privatization).

Imam Khamenei considered the "resistance economy”, which has been recently proposed by His Eminence to counter the western imposed sanctions and pressure, different with the aggressive economy, which was proposed by a student, suggesting that a precise analysis on it would be presented, which might be used as a complement for the resistance economy.

His Eminence reiterated that the resistance economy is not a defensive and segregation economy, but an economy for a nation that wants to pass through tough times and sanctions, and simultaneously pave its path for national blossoming and prosperity.

In response to a student’s question who had asked whether criticizing equals completing the puzzle of the enemy? The Supreme Leader said, "I am by no means opposed to criticism, but on the country emphasize that the student bodies should preserve their critical stands.”

Imam Khamenei all the same stressed that in criticizing care should be taken not to move in line with the enemy. A student had asked whether technical viewpoints that differ with the viewpoints of the Supreme Leader should necessarily be considered blasphemous. The Supreme Leader rejected the idea, emphasizing, "Such ideas are credible for their owners, and should not be considered as opposing the Islamic system.”

Addressing millions of university students across the country, Imam Khamenei proposed that today studying well, acquiring scientific knowledge, doing serious research works and being serious in academic studies is a kind of holy war, Jihad.

The Supreme Leader seriously criticized those who consider the universities "anti-religion”, arguing, "That is a reactionary and quite erroneous approach, dating back to the beginning days of establishment of universities in Iran a few decades before the revolution, when efforts were made to bring up a generation of alienated pro-west intellectuals.”

Imam Khamenei proposed the students not to say what they are not certain about, not to speak behind the back of the others, and not to accuse the others baselessly.

His Eminence advised the young students not to fall preys to the attraction of acquiring posts and position in their student bodies, which were once insignificant, but might today be pompous, arguing that such pitfalls can bring down to knees even those who are spiritually well prepared.

Considering the university students as the "country’s officers in the soft war” His Eminence said that the hearts, minds, and mentalities of the people are targeted in the soft war attacks of the enemies, aimed at changing the relations between the system officials and the people.

His Eminence proposed the students not to limit the level of their knowledge to weblogs and websites, proposing that they should rely on Qur’an, read the martyred master Mortza Motahhari’s books, as well as those of the prominent and even young clerics of the seminaries, and to increasing the span of their knowledge this way.

Imam Khamenei considered having a hopeful approach of great significance, emphasizing the need for increased Islamic studies, broadmindedness regarding the country’s realities, just criticism, and continuous and balanced supervision as the major duties of the country’s student bodies, emphasizing, "All these must be accompanied with lenience and rationalism, refraining from extremism and lack of enthusiasm.”

IQNA