The Enduring Legacy of a Leader From Safeguarding Iranian Identity to the Horizon of Civilization-Building

However, the outcome has always been contrary to what the planners had in mind. The cowardly attack by America and the child-killing Zionist regime and the martyrdom of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution are of the same kind – an action designed to weaken Iran and create a rupture in national cohesion. But the blood of this martyred leader once again united the Iranian nation around the axis of identity, independence, and national dignity.

According to the Taghrib News Agency (TNA), Fereydoun Fa'ali, in a note titled "The Enduring Legacy of a Leader / From Safeguarding Iranian Identity to the Horizon of Civilization-Building," addressed his views on cultural heritage and the necessity of preserving the memory and path of that great martyred leader. The full text is as follows:

The martyrdom of Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in the criminal attack by America and the Zionist regime, is not merely the loss of a political and religious leader, but a great loss for a thought that considered historical identity, cultural heritage, handicrafts, and tourism as pillars of national authority and civilization-building of Islamic Iran. Today, as the Iranian nation bids farewell to the body of this martyred leader with unparalleled grandeur, revisiting his strategic view of cultural heritage is a necessity for Iran's future.

Throughout more than three decades of leadership, the Supreme Leader of the Revolution did not regard cultural heritage merely as a collection of historical artifacts, but introduced it as the preserver of historical memory, the root of national identity, and a capital for the country's future. On August 17, 2011, he stated: "Iran's dignity is far too high to be considered a second-rate country in the world. Our historical record, our cultural heritage, our people's capabilities, and our natural capacities all dictate this to us." This view shows that from his perspective, cultural heritage did not belong to the past, but was a capital for Iran's present and future authority.

The martyred leader repeatedly warned against the humiliation of nations' historical identity by dominating powers, and emphasized that one of the strategies of colonialism is to discredit the past of nations. On July 10, 2004, he stated: "For the past one hundred and fifty years, they have done this to us; they humiliated Islam, our past, our cultural heritage, and our religious and national values." For this reason, he considered the preservation of historical monuments, valuable buildings, rituals, languages, and Iranian traditions as part of cultural resistance against domination.

Among his most enduring views on cultural heritage are his words during his trip to Fars Province on May 8, 2008, where he said about Persepolis and other ancient monuments: "These buildings are the product of the Iranian artist's handiwork, the product of the elevated and enlightened Iranian mind over past centuries." He also emphasized: "The Iranian mind, the Iranian artist's fingertips, the Iranian magnanimous spirit, and the Iranian taste are a source of pride for a nation." This view drew a clear line between the political exploitation of past governments and the artistic and civilizational value of Iran's historical monuments, showing that protecting these works is honoring the genius of the Iranian nation.

In the view of the martyred leader, handicrafts were not merely a traditional art, but the identity-based economy of Iran. In a meeting with executive officials of Qom Province on October 27, 2010, he emphasized support for carpets and handicrafts and stated: "Attention should be paid to handicrafts; this can benefit and prosper people from within their own lives." This approach led to the special place of handicrafts in the country's macro-policies over the years.

Symbols of this attention can also be seen in his cultural conduct. His emphasis on the use of authentic Iranian art, visits to handicraft exhibitions, dialogue with artists, and emphasis on domestic production all indicated that from his perspective, handicrafts create a deep connection between culture, livelihood, and the resistance economy – a connection that today can still pave the way for the country's sustainable development.

Tourism, in the intellectual framework of the martyred leader, was a cultural, economic, and civilizational industry. In a meeting with officials of Fars Province on May 8, 2008, he explicitly stated: "If the country's officials can properly utilize the issue of tourism with correct publicity and the right direction, its income will make the province independent of all other sources of support; the issue of tourism is very important." This statement was made years before tourism was recognized as one of the drivers of the global economy.

He always emphasized that Iran, with its Islamic shrines, literary figures, historical monuments, and unique nature, has the capacity to become one of the world's great tourism hubs, and believed: "We have so many historical figures; why not show them?" This short statement is, in fact, the roadmap for introducing Iran's civilization to the world.

The strategic view of the martyred leader did not remain merely in statements but also appeared in the general policies of the fifth, sixth, and seventh development plans of the country. Emphasis on protecting cultural heritage, developing the tourism industry, supporting handicrafts, strengthening religious tourism, recreating Iranian-Islamic architecture, and significantly increasing the number of foreign tourists all show that he considered this field as part of the strategy for progress, the national economy, cultural diplomacy, and the soft power of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In the days when millions of people in Tehran, Qom, Iraq, and other cities, with a historic and unparalleled presence, are bidding farewell to their martyred leader, we realize more than ever that ideas cannot be assassinated. The enemy may have thought that with the martyrdom of the leader of the Islamic Ummah, national cohesion would weaken, but what was seen in the field was the unparalleled solidarity of the Iranian nation, the unity of ethnicities, religions, and generations, and the people's renewal of their pledge to the ideals of independence, dignity, and Iranian-Islamic identity.

The great community of cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts also considers itself indebted to the lofty vision of that martyred leader – a vision that regarded heritage as the preserver of identity, handicrafts as a dignity-creating economy, and tourism as the language of dialogue among civilizations and the introduction of Iran's truth to the world.

Undoubtedly, the best way to honor the memory and path of that great martyred leader is to continue this same path – a path that considers the protection of cultural heritage, safeguarding national identity, supporting handicraft artists, properly introducing Iran's civilization, and developing tourism not as an administrative duty, but as a national and civilizational mission.

We believe that dear Iran, in the light of unity, consensus, and national cohesion, and relying on its great cultural and historical capital, will emerge victorious from all tests and crises, and the blood of the martyred leader of the revolution, like the blood of other martyrs of this land, will make the mighty tree of dignity, independence, and identity of Islamic Iran stronger than ever.