Kneeling on Necks Part of US Nature, Ayatollah Khamenei Says

“A police officer putting his knee on a black man’s neck and pushing until he dies shows the nature of the American government,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in comments on Wednesday, referring to the chaotic condition in the US following the murder of another black man by the American police.

The Leader made the remarks at a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the passing away of Imam Khomeini, the great founder of the Islamic Revolution.

The commemorative service used to be held annually at Imam Khomeini’s resting place with masses of people attending, but it was broadcast live this year due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

The Leader stated that what is being witnessed today in US cities and states is the disclosure of a reality that was always kept concealed. He emphasized, “Today’s situation is in fact like the slime at the bottom of the pond that has risen to the surface.”

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out that such crimes have frequently happened in the past, and the Americans have done the same things in many countries including Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and other such countries.

Referring to the slogan of “I cannot breathe,” which the American people have been chanting in recent days, the Leader stated, “This is what the nations that have been the victims of US’s oppressive usurpation want to say from the bottom of their hearts. By God’s favor and grace, the US has been disgraced as a result of its own actions. Their management of the coronavirus brought them to disgrace, and their weak handling of the situation caused them to have several times as many casualties as other countries. The American people feel embarrassed and ashamed of their government.”

Also in his televised speech, Ayatollah Khamenei said, "Nations resemble an ocean. Creating a storm in an ocean is not something anyone could do. Imam Khomeini created a storm in the ocean of the Iranian nation, turning the Iranian nation that had abandoned self-determination into a determining, influential nation in the world."

"During the Pahlavi rule, the Iranian nation had a contemptuous outlook towards itself, not only before world powers but also before government officials. It didn’t occur to people they could rise up against the Pahlavis and global powers. Imam Khomeini inspired this belief in people," the Leader noted, according to Khamenei.ir.

"The Iranian nation regarded a despotic government to be a natural matter. Imam Khomeini turned such a nation into a nation that determined their own type of government. People’s demands progressed from trivial, limited requests to great, global demands," the Leader added.

"Imam Khomeini revolutionized people’s view of religion. Religion developed from being a personal matter limited to prayers and fasting into being a matter for building a civilization, a society and human beings. Such a change was even produced in the jurisprudence," Ayatollah Khamenei stated.

"Imam Khomeini caused the US leaders at that time to admit that Khomeini had humiliated them. Imam Khomeini proved that superpowers can be broken and beaten. You saw how the USSR collapsed, and you can see the status of the US today," said the Leader.

"Khomeini was an Imam of change but believed all this to be from God. He saw the spiritual evolution of the youth as God’s doing. He believed in ‘You didn’t throw when you threw, it was God who threw.’ [8:17] He said the youth’s evolution was greater than the Pahlavis’ defeat," Ayatollah Khamenei stated.

"What is being witnessed in US cities today is a result of realities that had always been kept concealed. However, today these have been revealed leading to the disgrace of the US government," the Leader emphasized.

"The crime committed against this black man is the same thing the US government has been doing against all the world. They have done the same in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Vietnam, and many other countries of the world. This is the US government’s nature and character that is being exposed today," the Leader noted.

"The people’s slogan of #ICantBreathe, which can be heard in the massive protests throughout the US, is the heartfelt words of all nations against which the US has committed many atrocities," Ayatollah Khamenei noted, adding, "The US government was disgraced due to its behavior. The corona outbreak started later in the US than other countries, they benefitted from other nations’ experience, and they could have prepared, but they failed to manage Corona properly due to the corruption of their government."

"In dealing with its people, the US government has behaved in the worst manner. They kill people and yet claim they advocate human rights. Was not the black man whom you murdered a human being?" the Leader asked.

"The people of the United States have every right to feel embarrassed and ashamed by their governments, particularly the current government," Ayatollah Khamenei said.