Khamenei: Iranian nation will overcome enemy plots

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday that the Islamic republic faces a "major confrontation" with enemies' plots but feels no weakness in facing challenges. Khamenei expressed confidence that the Iranian nation will overcome the plots of the enemies through perseverance and unity, Press TV reported. "In their own imagination, our enemies plan to create obstacles in the way of this great and determined nation so that these advances (of Iran) don't come about," Khamenei said, adding that " But they should be assured and know that, as we have experienced from the first day of the (victory of) Islamic revolution (in 1979) until now, our enemies will fail in all their plots and schemes in the future as well." The Iranian leader pointed out that Iran currently faces a " major confrontation" with the existing challenges and stated that the country feels no weakness in facing the obstacles, according to the report. "We do not feel weak. We feel powerful and potent. We know that all these impediments can be removed through endeavor," he was quoted as saying. Khamenei stated that unity among the Iranian nation and officials, convergence among different official bodies and dutifulness of all individuals can lead the country towards further achievements. He also warned Iranian officials against underestimating the enemy's schemes and noted that the enemy employs different means to achieve its antagonistic objectives, including sanctions, military strikes, soft war, and cultural invasion, said Press TV. The United States and the European Union (EU) have imposed and expanded sanctions toward Iran over the years despite Tehran's insistence on the peaceful nature of its nuclear drive. The West and Israel suspect that the Iranian nuclear program, which the officials of the Islamic republic insists is "peaceful," may have military dimensions. The United States and Israel have not ruled out the possibility of striking Iran's nuclear facilities. The Islamic republic has threatened that it will retaliate if its nuclear establishments are hit.