"These are signs of the power of God and the veracity of the divine promises that say 'If you help Allah, Allah will help you, and establish your feet firmly'," the Leader said Sunday, quoting a Qur'anic verse. 

The Leader made the remarks at the graduation ceremony of a group of navy cadets in Iran's northern city of Nowshahr, where he said the country's "strong resistance against the arrogance has led to a major defeat of the goals of the global oppressors in the region."

"Political analysts and intellectuals of the world are astonished at the fact that Iran, relying on God and national power, has foiled the world powers in the region - a reality which they are admitting now," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Leader touched on the "threats, frowns, taunts and bullying of the oppressive powers to intimidate nations," saying that if a nation does not fear these methods and moves ahead with courage, trust and confidence in its abilities, it will force the superpowers to retreat and defeat.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is a clear example of this reality," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

"For 40 years now, Iran has been targeted by the sabotage of the United States and its accomplices, but it has grown from a small seedling to a strong and fruitful tree," the Leader said.

Iran, "despite the extreme reluctance and numerous measures of the arrogance, has won the hearts of nations with its message of the revolution and made US plots in the region fail," he added.

Ayatollah Khamenei touched on insecurity and instability in various parts of the world, especially in the West Asian region. He said the US and other cruel regimes see their interests in stoking civil wars, terrorist activities and regional conflicts. 

"And unfortunately some countries of the region assist them," the Leader added.

Ayatollah Khamenei singled out the US and the "Zionist regime" of Israel, saying their goal is to prevent the rise of an Islamic power in the region. 

"They know that the fascinating message of Islam is to defend the oppressed and the deprived, so they fear the formation of a power based on Islam."

The Leader called on Iran's armed forces to defend the country "with all their being and with deep religious and national motivations" as he called the Iranian nation a "flag-bearer of freedom and justice in the world."

He also warned the youth about "desperate efforts of the enemy to tempt and influence" them in the cyberspace and their public and private spaces.

"The attempts of the enemies in cyberspace and other arenas were desperate but in spite of it, the enemy is very active in various fields, which calls for vigilance, unity and reliance on God to withstand them."