Arash Aramesh

In a meeting with Iranian students, families of martyrs, and members of student Basij organizations, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei made some of his harshest remarks against the United States since the June 12 election. Khamenei said the United States should stop dreaming that the Iranian government will collapse. He said the Islamic Republic has weathered much tougher storms in the past.

Khamenei said, “The United States is still the number one enemy of an Islamic Iran.” According to Sepah News, the media outlet of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), Ayatollah Khamenei said, “The Iranian people will stand up and fight anyone who tries to violate their rights.” He added, “The list of crimes the United States committed against the Iranian people would fill a thick book.” In this meeting, which was held on the eve of the November 4 demonstrations commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the hostage crisis, Ayatollah Khamenei attacked U.S. policies and said, “They say they have changed, but they are only hiding the dagger behind their backs [to strike you with] and smile at your face.”

Khamenei said only children are fooled by these tactics. He warned Iranian officials and asserted, “Iranian officials who are smart and aware will not be fooled by this American tactic.” Khamenei criticized the US by saying, “On one hand, the Americans talk about negotiations, and on the other hand, they say these negotiations must produce their desired results or else!” He warned Washington about Iran’s domestic matters and said, “Even if a handful of gullible and traitorous people with bad intentions are sanding up against the Islamic Republic, they will never be able to roll out the red carpet for the return of the United States to Iran.”

Meanwhile, Tehran and other major cities in Iran are gearing up for a potential showdown between the Green Movement protestors and government security forces at the November 4 parade, commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of Iranian students taking U.S. diplomats hostage. Iran’s security and judicial officials have warned that any possible disturbance in the demonstration will be harshly dealt with.

The Iranian reformist daily, Hayateno, asked the Iranian people to participate in the demonstrations tomorrow, but stopped short of instructing them on what slogans to chant, something that has been taking place on opposition websites, which coach protestors to chant ant- government slogans and also a slogan asking President Obama to make it clear whether he is with the Iranian government or the Iranian people.

“Obama, Obama, Ya ba una, Ya ba ma!” is going to be the favorite slogan of the Green Movement tomorrow which means, “Obama, you are either with them [the Iranian government] or with us [the people].”