Guest lecture at the memorial ceremony of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei,                  
Colombo, 9th April 2026 


Assalamu Alaikum, Salaam, Good evening, 

Your Excellency,Dr Alireza Delkhosh, Ambassador of Iran to Sri Lanka & Maldives, Former Minister, Hon. Wimal Weerawansa, Distinguished Guests,Ladies & Gentlemen, 

At the very outset, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Iran Cultural  Centre  for inviting me to speak this evening at the memorial ceremony of the beloved martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution,Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei. It is significant that we are gathered today, just 40 days since the official national mourning of the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khameini a timeline that mirrors the traditional Shiite cycle of remembrance known as Chehelom in Farsi 
or Arbaeen in Arabic. 

The practice stretches back centuries: The 40th day after a death is considered a sacred moment for renewing loyalty to a spiritual figure and reaffirming connections to religious values. Across Tehran and in cities and villages across Iran, Husseiniyas are filled with worshippers today. Historically, these Shiite houses of worship were first established in the 10th  and 11th  centuries as dedicated spaces to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein. 

For most of the participants, the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei, who embodied religious and political authority in the Islamic Republoc of Iran as the Velayet -e-Faqih and Rehbar respectively for almost 37 years, has revived the Shiite narrative of martyrdom that began with Imam Hussein. 

In the winding streets of Mashhad, in the North East of Iran, where the scent of old books mingled with the Islamic call to prayer, the Azaan, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei began a life that would intertwine faith, intellect, and national destiny. 
From childhood, he was steeped in the Islamic studies and literary heritage of Mashhad, growing into a figure whose influence would extend far beyond seminaries and indeed the national borders of Iran. 

He was socially and politically active since the very beginning, actively taking part in the resistance activities against the Western backed Pahlavi monarchy.

After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, he was elected as the country’s president in 1981 and served two terms until 1989. Following the demise of the Founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini in June 1989, Ayatollah Khamenei was chosen as the Spiritual Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. During his presidency, which coincided with the war of aggression by Iraq from 1980 to 1988, Ayatollah 
Khamenei led from the front and became a source of emulation for young fighters. 
Fast forward to 2025-26. Iran faced foreign armed aggression twice, by the US and israel ,first in June 2025, then again in February 2026.

Both wars, unprovoked and illegal, proved pivotal for Iran, as it showcased its astounding military capabilities to the world through Operation True Promise.

Then came the fateful morning of February 28. A US-Israeli missile struck his home office in downtown Tehran, assassinating him as he recited the Holy Qur’an while fasting, as well as members of his family, senior government and military officials. The sheer the barbarity and utter depravity of the war of aggression 
became manifest to the entire world, by the US missile strikes on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in Minab, southern Iran. According to eye witness accounts, verified by satellite-based analyses, the school was triple-tapped by three distinct missile strikes. Hence, it can be unambiguously concluded that the attack on the school was not an accident, but a cold-blooded mass murder of civilians, in which at least 175 people perished, over 100 of them school children, mostly girls between 7 and 12 years of age.

It was Day One of the Ramadan War. Forty days later, on Wednesday, 8th April, the war ended, albeit with a tenuous ceasefire, which we all hope will put a permanent end to the military conflict. The United States has accepted the 20 point proposal put forward by Iran, as a workable basis for a negotiated settlement. 

The day of Iran’s “historic victory” coincides with the 40th day since the martyrdom of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, marked with nationwide rallies planned for today. 

As military experts agree, this victory against the so-called “superpower” and its illegitimate ally, the Zionist entity in occupied Palestine, stands as a testament to the vision of the martyred Leader.

His assassination sent shockwaves throughout the world — not only for the loss of a political and spiritual leader, but for the sudden loss of a father figure who had shaped governance, security, social policy, and cultural identity of the country for more than three decades. 

His inspiring journey was forged in the tumult of the Islamic Revolution and the painstaking construction of governance and national resilience,a trajectory that left an enduring mark on the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

Today, as the Iranian nation celebrates a historic victory against the US-Israeli war machine after 40 days of relentless fighting, it is time to recall Ayatollah Khamenei’s contribution to this triumph – and to reflect on where the Iranian armed forces stand today. 

Defence and military leadership 

Following the completion of his advanced seminary education, Ayatollah Khamenei’s trajectory was soon tested by the upheavals sweeping Iran at the time. 

Ayatollah Khamenei was actively involved in the grassroots-level movement against the Pahlavi regime and spent time in the regime’s notorious prisons as well. 

Yet, it was the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, after the Islamic Revolution, which would fully expose the depth of his resolve and tenacity. When the war was imposed on Iran, starting from Khuzestan, Ayatollah Khamenei did not retreat into an administrative job. 
From the earliest days of the war, he assumed multiple roles simultaneously: as Imam Khomeini’s representative on the Supreme Defense Council, Tehran’s elected voice in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and the Friday Prayer leader for the capital. Yet, rather than confining himself to committees and offices, he 
sought direct engagement on the frontlines. 

“He was never the kind of commander who stayed behind sandbags and maps,” recalled one of his contemporaries. Not only that, unlike other Leaders, Ayatollah Khamenei sent his own 17-year-old son Mojtaba, the present Spiritual Leader to the war front, to fight the enemy, leading the nation by personal example and not 
empty rhetoric. 

Ayatollah Khamenei moved across Khorramshahr, Susangerd, and Dobb-e Hardan,walking on dangerous terrains, often reaching the riverbank mere steps from enemy lines. 

“Even when the frontlines were perilous, he would travel back to Tehran to lead Friday prayers, returning to the battlefield without pause. Surviving the assassination attempt on June 27, 1981, at the Abuzar Mosque, in which he permanently lost the use of his right arm, he emerged not weakened but battle hardened and imbued with firm determination. 

Ayatollah Khamenei’s influence extended to Iran’s strategic sphere. Under his inspiring and expert guidance, Iran’s defence industry matured from dependency on imported hardware, due to the maximum pressure sanctions imposed by the West to producing totally indigenous technology-based weapons of a global 
standard. 

Air-defence missiles reached breakthroughs once considered impossible. Drone development, nearly abandoned after the war, was revived on his insistence, integrating artificial intelligence to extend operational reach beyond human oversight. 
Under his leadership, Iran became a global leader in missiles and drones, which were effectively used in Operation True Promise 4 in the past month, inflicting heavy blows on the enemy as seen in 99 waves of the operation since February 28. “His knowledge of Artificial Intelligence (AI) was so expansive that I struggled to 
keep up,” Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the martyred Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force noted in one of his interviews. 

“His questions made it clear: if we wanted to advance, we had to widen our studies across every frontier of technology. Ayatollah Khamenei wasn’t merely following up on our work; he was a driving engine, a steadfast supporter of building Iran’s defensive capacity.” 
 
Governance: Revolution, participation, and cultural independence

This same attention to detail and foresight characterized his approach to governance. During his tenure as the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized cultural dimensions as the core measure of the Islamic Revolution’s success. He regarded the Islamic Revolution not merely as a political change but as a cultural transformation, awakening a society long conditioned to view itself as inferior. “From childhood, the people were conditioned to internalize the notion that being Iranian meant being base and substandard,” he once noted. “The Revolution revived confidence, inspired self-belief, and set Iran on a path toward cultural independence.” 

Economic Vision: Selfless labour, Independence, and oil-free development 

Ayatollah Khamenei’s strategic vision encompassed the economy as a central pillar of national strength, emphasizing sustained planning and ethical labour. He stressed the importance of an oil-free economy, arguing that dependence on raw material exports left the nation vulnerable to manipulation and pricing attacks. 

Value-added production and domestic industrial growth, he maintained, were essential for the country’s sovereignty and long-term stability in the face of external pressures. 

Ayatollah Khamenei’s economic philosophy blended rational planning with religious imperatives, emphasizing equity, justice, and social responsibility. In 1996, he stated, “Guard the country’s financial resources, combat waste and excess, and oppose those who destroy public and private property.” These principles remained central to Iran’s development trajectory as they reflected the martyred Leader’s foresight, pragmatism, and moral guidance. 

Literary contributions: preserving and shaping cultural identity 

Long before his leadership in politics and defence, Ayatollah Khamenei demonstrated a lifelong devotion to Persian literature and poetry. In the tumultuous days following the Islamic Revolution, he summoned prominent poets to help in the creation of a national cultural identity. 

Even in the middle of intense political responsibilities, he would attend gatherings of revolutionary poets, critiquing their work and fostering literary discourse. His translations and analyses demonstrate mastery of Persian and Arabic literature, as well as a deep familiarity with mystical and classical poetry. 

“Ayatollah Khamenei had a phenomenal knowledge of innumerable verses from the Masnavi and ghazals of Indian style poets, sharing them with scholars and enthusiasts,” Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, senior advisor to the martyred Leader and President of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature, said in a recent interview. He noted that Ayatollah Khamenei’s literary sensibilities were inseparable from his spiritual and political life, reinforcing the intertwined pillars 
of Islam and Persian identity that defined the martyred Leader’s vision of Iran. 

Women and society: Dignity, rights, and empowerment 

One of the most notable areas of progress for women in Iran is education. Iran has one of the highest rates of female university enrolment in the world, with women accounting for over 60% of university intake in recent years. This remarkable achievement has resulted in an increasing number of women pursuing careers in 
diverse fields such as engineering, medicine, law, science and business. Today, women are at the forefront of intellectual and professional development in Iran today, contributing to academic research and innovation, often defying societal expectations and stereotypes, by excelling in traditionally male-dominated fields. 
Ayatollah Khamenei’s approach to women’s rights and women’s empowerment reflected a synthesis of religious principles and societal advancement. He described women’s status in Islam as “exalted and sublime,” emphasizing that the Quranic expressions on women’s identity are “the most sublime and progressive of all.” 

As the Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khamenei would celebrate women’s accomplishments across science, athletics, research, politics, and health. 
He often regarded them as unparalleled in Iranian history and on a par with men. 

“At no point in its history has Iran possessed even one-hundredth of this number of female scientists, thinkers and intellectuals. It was the Islamic Republic that elevated women and enabled their advancement in all fields of importance,” Ayatollah Khamenei said while addressing a gathering of women in 2025. 

“Women are like flowers. They are not servants,” he said in one of his widely circulated speeches, emphasizing that domestic labour could be compensated financially and that women’s psychological tranquillity was essential for family harmony. He maintained that men and women possess complementary strengths. 

“If we adopt a comprehensive outlook, we see that there is no difference between men and women. Certain privileges have been granted to women and others to men, based on their natural characteristics which Allah has bestowed upon them.” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s life unfolded across the full spectrum of Iran’s modern 
history. He was not a distant authority but a Leader in the centre of struggle, responsibility, and nation-building. 

His leadership led to military modernization, economic restructuring, religious scholarship, and the moral-ethical debates shaping women’s roles in society. His legacy is found in the sustained development of a nation, militarily capable, culturally vibrant, socially cohesive, and economically resilient, guided by principles of faith, justice, and national dignity. 

Across Iran and the broader Islamic world, the imprint of Ayatollah Khamenei endures: a life of selfless devotion, humility, indomitable courage, an abiding and deep-rooted faith in Almighty Allah, intellect, and action converged, leaving a blueprint for leadership rooted in responsibility, foresight, and unwavering service 
to humanity. May the legacy of the martyred Rehbar, Ayatollah Khamenei be a beacon of hope and inspiration for millions of people struggling against injustice and oppression across the world.