TEHRAN -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said that the “great sin” of those who provoked the post-election sedition in 2009 was the fact that they emboldened the enemies.

“The great sin of some perpetrators of last year’s sedition was raising the enemies’ hopes,” the Leader stated in an address to thousands of people from the northern Iranian province of Gilan at a meeting in Tehran on Wednesday.
The only way to deal with the enemies is to frustrate them, Ayatollah Khamenei added.
Commenting on Iranians’ massive turnout in the presidential election in June 2009, he said, “The people’s high turnout had the potential to lead to Iran’s success in many political fields, but the seditionists dealt a blow to the Islamic Revolution and the nation through creating sedition and raising the enemies’ hopes.”
The Leader described the 2009 sedition as a great challenge, adding, “In this great challenge, the enemy supported the seditionists on the one hand… but on the other hand, the Iranian nation came to the scene with full strength.”
He also stated that the seditionists sought to mislead people by chanting “true slogans but with false content.”
Iran’s goal is to “cut off the arrogant powers’ hands,” the Leader said, adding, “This is the main reason why the arrogant powers are angry with the nation and hatch plots against it, and last year’s sedition was a manifestation of the enemies’ plots.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader commented on the massive rallies against the seditious movements which came to be known as the 9th of Day demonstrations because they took place on the ninth day of the Iranian calendar month of Day.
On December 30, 2009, millions of people took to the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities and towns to show their anger over sacrilegious acts committed on Ashura day (December 27, 2009) in the follow-up to the post-election unrest.
In 2009, on Ashura day, which is the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS) and his 72 companions, protesters chanted slogans against top government officials. They clashed with the police and damaged public property. Some of them also committed acts that disrespected religious sanctities.
The Leader added, “In a spontaneous move on the 9th of Day, the Iranian nation frustrated the seditionists and gave them a crushing response.”
The 9th of Day was a sign of the people’s vigilance, he said, adding, “The enemies of the Iranian nation and those who assume they can create a rift between the people and the Islamic system must understand the message of the 9th of Day and should be aware that the system belongs to the people and the people are the main guardians of this Islamic system.”
The imperialist powers “have used various methods to confront the Islamic system, including plots, mercenary remarks, and outright animosity,” and all this shows that they have not made a correct analysis and do not have a clear understanding of the Iranian nation, Ayatollah Khamenei noted