Leader Slammed the US Authorities as “Shameless, Avaricious, Lying charlatans”

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei delivered a live and direct speech to the Iranian nation on national TV on Sunday. The live address took place after he canceled his regular New Year speech at the Imam Reza Holy Shrine in the city of Mashhad in line with precautionary measures to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus.

The speech came on the occasion of the Persian New Year and the auspicious Eid al-Mab’ath, which marks the appointment of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad to his divine mission.

“Today, the most sinister enemy of the Islamic Republic is the United States,” Ayatollah Khamenei said during the live address on Sunday.

“We have no shortage of enemies, but the US officials are such shameless, avaricious, lying charlatans,” Ayatollah Khamenei added. “They are also cruel and terrorists. We have such an enemy against us today.”

“God first told the Prophet of Islam to exercise patience against enemies, but patience does not mean to sit still and do nothing. It means to stand strong and remain true to your calculations regardless of the enemies’ deceits, and to carry on in high morale,” he added.

The Leader then talked about the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Iran and across the world.

“Today, we are faced with a global complication. The virus brings both fear and economic problems. What is needed is patience, as well as right and wise measures. All relevant officials in the country have been given certain directives to carry out [in combating the spread of the virus],” he said.

Ayatollah Khamenei then addressed the US authorities and their repeated claim to send medical aid to Iran to combat the coronavirus.

“These words are most strange,” the Leader said. “First of all, you [US] yourself have a shortage of medical supplies. If you have any medical aid, spend it on yourself. Also, you Americans are accused of having developed the virus yourself. You cannot be trusted. What if the medicine you delivered to Iran actually caused the virus to stay?”

According to the Leader, "part of this virus is said to have been made for Iran by using genetic backgrounds which they have collected from Iranians, which of course is part of their hostility."

“Our 40 years of experience shows that Iran has the capacity to counter any challenges and problems at any level,” the Leader stressed.

He then called on everyone to comply with the instructions issued by the anti-coronavirus national headquarters in a bid to stop the spread of the virus.