Speaking to a gathering of hezbollahi college and university students on the occasion of the birthday of Ali, the Shi'ites first imam, Mr. Khameneh'i noted that Iran's resistance to imperialism, particularly to the Americans was the main cause for Islamic Republic's grandeur, pride and popularity in the world.

Replaying his old, badly scratched record of primitive anti-American rhetoric, the ayatollah repeated that America's hostility with Islam and the Islamic Iran was the result of humiliating defeats the Islamic revolution of Iran had dealt to America.

"America can not see the victories, the success of Islamic Iran in its battle with world estekbar (imperialism) with the United States at its head. The great Muslim people of Iran had crushed the American dream for exploiting Iran, keeping it as one of its puppets", the ayatollah Khameneh'i told a cheering audience, shouting death to America, death to Israel.

In his view, the recent change of tone and attitude of the American officials towards Iran in answer to Mr. Khatami's timid overtures is "superficial and artificial". "This is a deceit. These men will be satisfied only if they recover the position and privileges they used to have in this country before the Islamic revolution. They are against our freedom and independence, against the awakening of our people, against our pride and glory, against our popularity in the world", the ayatollah said.

"Not having relations with America is one hundred per hundred to our benefice and this despite propaganda to the contrary. No sir, I tell you its is one hundred per hundred to our advantage. This is an old trick to pretend that having relations with Washington help solving one country's difficulties. But experience has proved the contrary", the glir (great leader of the Islamic revolution) observed.