Supreme Leader: US officials are charlatans and terrorists

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that no wise person could ever think of accepting aid offers from the US which is accused of engineering the coronavirus.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks while addressing the nation on the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad which a major celebration across the Islamic world on Sunday morning.

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed Iran's capabilities in coping with problems and challenges in all levels.

He said Iran is quite capable of solving problems so we should identify domestic potential and employ all motivated and young experts.

Referring to the false offers of medical assistance to Iran by some US officials, the Supreme Leader termed them as "one of those strange remarks".

Addressing the US officials, he said: "First of all, you are facing shortages yourselves. If you have enough (equipment), use them for yourselves. You are under accusations that your created this virus. We do have enemies but the most evil of them is the US."

During the televised speech which is also going live on Twitter and Instagram, the Leader also touched upon the advent of the new Iranian year, Nowruz.

The speech was also available live on his official website, Khamenei.ir.

The Supreme Leader used to address the nation from the holy tomb of the 8th Shiite Imam Reza in Mashad on the opening day of the new year annually but this year the program was cancelled due to health care concerns because of coronavirus spread in Iran.

The following is the excerpt of the speech as published on Khamenei.ir:

"God took a pledge from Prophets throughout history on the day of Mab'ath to believe in the Prophet of Islam and help him. The name and features of our Prophet were described in the undistorted versions of the Torah and Bible, and Jesus referred to the name of the Prophet of Islam."

"Mab'ath contains great concepts. If one believes in these, he will achieve a pure life. One of the goals of the appointment of all prophets was social and economic justice. Imam Ali (pbuh) talked about justice and liberty a thousand years ago, well before Westerners addressed these."

"300 years after the Prophet of Islam, the strongest government in terms of science, culture, politics the military was the government of Islam. If we’re not lazy or narrow-minded today, we can achieve the peak of the Prophet's Islamic government and modern Islamic Civilization."

"Prophets had many enemies. We shouldn't be surprised at having enemies. In the Battle of Ahzab, the believers said the number of enemies attested to God's pledge. The most vicious enemy is the US govt. They are lying, brazen, avaricious charlatans, and cruel, merciless terrorists."

"The US government has declared a few times that they are ready to help Iran with medicines to fight the Coronavirus outbreak. That's strange. Firstly, based on the words of your own officials, you face shortages in the US. So use what you have for your own patients.

Second, you're accused of having created Coronavirus. I don't know how true it is. But when there's such an allegation, can a wise man trust you? You could be giving medicines that spread the virus or cause it to remain. Experience shows you can’t be trusted and you do such things."

"Everyone should observe the guidelines of the National Committee for Combating Corona, God willing. Even religious gatherings have been cancelled in Iran, which is unprecedented in our history. But it's unavoidable. May God remove this disease from all the people of the world."