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The 23rd anniversary of the passing away of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran Imam Khomeini.
Iranians from all walks of life gathered at his mausoleum southern Tehran to mark the occasion.
Multitudes of mourners, among them Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians as well as foreign guests, gathered at Imam Khomeini\\\'s mausoleum to pay respect to a man, who changed history by overthrowing the Shah-regime back in 1979.
leader of Iran\\\'s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei addressing a large crowd of mourners in a keynote speech hailed the role of the founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini in restoring national dignity to the Iranian nation. He said Imam Khomeini set the stage for the progress and prosperity of the country. Elsewhere in his remarks Ayatollah Khamenei said the U-S and its allies are exaggerating the issue of Tehran\\\'s nuclear program and that the U-S-led sanctions against Iran have been counterproductive.
Meanwhile, the leader rejected Israeli threats of military strike against Iran as a sign of the regime\\\'s weakness and warned of the repercussions of any wrong action.
Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to the recent revolutions in the region and said the revolutionary nations are seeking dignity, freedom and social justice through Islamic values. He cautioned against plots by the U-S and its allies to undermine the wave of Islamic awakening that is sweeping across the region.
As the leader of the Islamic revolution Ayatollah Khamenei has once said Imam Khomeini was a reality and reality never dies.