Iran's top leader says retreating won't stop U.S. hostility

TEHRAN, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Sunday cautioned that backing down from positions will not stop the enmity of the United States and its Western allies toward the Iranian nation, but further emboldens them.

He made the remarks in an address to a ceremony in Tehran, marking the passing anniversary of Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, according to the leader's website.

Khamenei said that "in numerous cases, our retreats made them come forward and become more aggressive."

He said the "enemies' bids" are mainly focused on weakening the people's faith and hopes, and to this end, the foes have made several attempts and strained every nerve and sinew, but have failed in most of them.

Khamenei stressed the enemies' latest bid was the "riots" that broke out in Iran last year after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

Iran's top leader said the "comprehensive" design of the last year's "riots" was developed by Western think tanks and implemented by Western security apparatuses that provided the "riots" with substantial arms, financial and media support.

He added that Iranian people foiled their plots and doomed their bids to failure.

Amini died in a Tehran hospital on Sept. 16, 2022, a few days after her collapse at a police station. Iran has accused the United States and some other Western countries of "inciting riots and supporting terrorists" in the country following her death.