Ayatollah Khamenei Decries Western Outlook on Women


TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei denounced the Western lifestyle and viewpoint on women, highlighting Islam’s respect for women’s dignity and their key role in the families.

Ayatollah Khamenei on Wednesday attended a videoconference with a group of Iranian eulogists in an annual ceremony marking the birth anniversary of Hazrat Fatimah Zahra (PBUH), daughter of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Highlighting the fundamental difference between the viewpoints of Islam and the West on women, the Leader said the Islamic Republic has high regard for women’s respect and dignity, while the typical Western outlook considers women as commodity and instrument.

From the viewpoint of Islam, women and men are equal when it comes to divine and humanitarian values, the Leader added, stressing, “We are proud of Islam’s view, and are diametrically opposed to the West’s view on women and lifestyle.”

Dismissing the Western propaganda about Islam and Islamic hijab’s restrictions on the growth of women as an “outright lie”, Ayatollah Khamenei said a clear evidence for the falsity of such claim is the status of women in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Leader noted that before the establishment of the Islamic Republic, Iran has never had so many educated women involved in various social, cultural, political, scientific and economic fields.

Islam’s view on women provides the foundation for the prominent role of mothers and families, Ayatollah Khamenei underlined, saying the strongest pillars of intellectual and spiritual education and the most genuine atmosphere of intimacy are formed within the family.

The Leader finally deplored the attempts from the Western propaganda campaign and a number of Westernized individuals inside Iran to devalue or eliminate the key role of mothers in families.