Iranian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Believed Strengthening Ties with Riyadh Was Beneficial for Tehran

Alireza Enayati, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in an exclusive note for the Islamic Republic News Agency, explained the personal, intellectual and political dimensions of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, may God's mercy be upon him, and, referring to his transnational standing, enumerated the role of the thought of independence, self-reliance, resistance, support for Palestine and the policy of good neighborliness as among the most important characteristics of his school of thought and outlook. The martyred leader considered independence the cornerstone of nations' dignity and enabled countries to chart their own course without submission or dictation from hegemonic powers. National independence was a manifestation of dignity and paved the way for confronting crises. He, while being a global thinker, held a vision for Iran's glory and splendor in the world and transformed it into a force in the heart of the region. He regarded Iran both as the cradle and birthplace of an ancient civilization and as a pillar of the Islamic world. His approach in reconciling independence with openness to the outside world, self-sufficiency and foreign relations, endogenous and outward-looking perspectives, may have been a kind of synthesis of opposites, yet it was evident in his statements. The final point in this brief message was his strong opposition to the Zionist regime, support for Palestine and emphasis on the policy of good neighborliness. In this regard, Saudi Arabia's defense minister, who had traveled to Iran the year before, had an opportunity for [text cuts off]

# EXCLUSIVE

Ambassador of Iran in Saudi Arabia: The Martyred Leader Considered Strengthening Relations with Riyadh Beneficial for Tehran