Khamenei Issues Order for ‘Combined Offensive’ in Security and Media Fields

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic on Tuesday, February 9, while addressing a group of commanders from the Air Force and Air Defense of the Army, claimed that the Islamic Republic of Iran is the target of an “combined offensive by the enemy front” and said: “We cannot always remain in a defensive position.”

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated: “We must also launch combined offensives in various fields including media, security, and economic,” and added that in this regard “officials in particular are obligated to make efforts.”

These remarks from the Supreme Leader come as many regional countries accuse the Iranian government of adopting an aggressive approach and interfering in the affairs of other nations, and consider statements by Islamic Republic officials about “erasing” countries or governments from the “face of the earth” and repeated “death to” slogans directed at various countries as aggressive stances.

In the media and “security” sphere, the Supreme Leader speaks of the Islamic Republic “remaining defensive” while reports indicate that the Islamic Republic has “killed or abducted at least 540 Iranians” abroad, and the harassment of Iranian journalists residing outside by the government and threats to abduct them continue.

In another part of his remarks, Ali Khamenei claimed that “great and epic achievements over the past few decades have been accomplished in various fields such as economic, social, development, educational, health, industrial, religious and cultural, diplomatic and political, defense and security,” but according to him, these “astonishing measures” have not been adequately reflected in the country’s media landscape.

These comments come as the propaganda apparatus and media outlets of the Islamic Republic continuously publish news and reports about what they call “revolutionary achievements,” yet the economic, cultural, political, and social situation in Iran contradicts these narratives. Official reports and statistics also confirm the dire situation in the country across various sectors.

Recently, a parliamentary representative announced that approximately three million Iranian households, comprising 20 million people, suffer from “absolute poverty.” According to official statistics, currently 60 percent of the country’s population is considered below the poverty line.

A member of the parliament’s presidium also announced on January 11 that, citing official statistics, “land prices in Tehran have increased approximately 40-fold on average over the past 10 years, and housing prices have increased approximately 20-fold.”

Iran also holds a very weak position globally in terms of transparency indices. Transparency International announced in its latest annual report on February 20 that Iran ranks 130th out of 180 countries in the world based on financial corruption.

Iran also ranks last, at position 166, in the global passport index of countries, which the research institute “Henley Passport Index” published on January 21, placing it at the same level as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

On the other hand, in a “highly confidential” document that Radio Farda published on February 1 from a meeting of the Tharallah Command, Mohammadi from the social deputy of the IRGC Intelligence Organization, who was among the attendees of this meeting, stated: “A survey was conducted in society that shows the situation of society is in a state of subsurface explosion.”

He added: “Social grievances over the past year have increased by approximately 300 percent,” and protests in Iran have focused on “inflation, salary arrears, social disarray, and water.”

Criticism of “Non-Negative” Reports on the Pahlavi Era

During his Tuesday speech, Ali Khamenei also, attacking media outlets he called “hostile,” stated that the content these media outlets publish regarding the Pahlavi government era is not negative and harshly criticized this.

Ramadan Sharif, spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, had also said on December 28 that 50 million Iranians are “unaware” of the clergy’s activities against the Pahlavi government, and “due to lack of awareness,” some films related to the Pahlavi era believe them.

He called these films “fragmented and distorted” and said they are broadcast in order to “convince the people that the Iranian revolution was a mistake.”

The IRGC spokesman made similar remarks in December 2019 and said that 40 million Iranians have “neither experienced nor felt” the Pahlavi era and the Islamic Republic has failed to raise awareness about the Pahlavi government, and the young generation in Iran has “become doubtful.”

Concerns expressed by Islamic Republic officials intensified after during the street protests in 2017 and 2019 in Iran, protesters chanted slogans in support of the Pahlavi era.

Source: Radio Farda