Iran Press/ Middle East: Bashar al-Assad said, "In each national entitlement, whether this entitlement was a defense by weapon, opinion, work of a constitutional entitlement, you have always made your special definition of the meaning of patriotism, and in every stage that we have passed through, your definition has carried special messages, whether for the friend or the enemy, which come from the conditions of that stage and suits its challenges, and despite that your several messages didn’t lack, at any time of the war, the wisdom, eloquence, and clearness in their terms, and the deep meaning carried among the lines."
"The enemies and opponents have insisted to avoid and deny them, as part of their policies based on denying the reality, denying the failure and defeat of their policies, and not recognizing the deterioration of their principles and ethics, and they seemed during the latest years that they were infected with insanity… as they see through their eyes, but they don’t see through their minds," he said.
Assad added, “In this entitlement, your definition of the patriotism did not differ with its context but it has differed in the way and manner, and it will inevitably differ in results and repercussions, your messages will penetrate all barriers and shields they have put around their minds.. and their minds will shift from the willful lethargy state to which they have lived for years to the coercive thinking state of what is happening on the ground."
The President went on to say ” What have you done during the past weeks was not a mere celebration in an occasion, nor it was an expression of patriotic emotion or enthusiasm or adherence to a national duty which is participation in the presidential election; rather what happened exceeds all that, what you have done was a phenomenon of unprecedented challenge to enemies of the homeland with all their nationalities, faiths and dependences. It has broken their false arrogance and pride and was a slap on the faces of their agents, this challenge was on the highest level of expressing true and deep loyalty to the homeland. It was sending messages in the strongest terms to persons who were sitting in the dark rooms outlining schemes and intrigues, dreaming of success at the expense of our blood, money, dignity, and honor, those who will mourn their misfortune again with their tools for their miscalculations, short-sightedness, and lack of understanding the reality and essence of this people”.
“You have turned the scales and broken the game rules and undoubtedly affirmed that those rules can be set and determined only here, and by our own hands and that there is no place for partners except for the brothers and friends,” he stated.
Assad added, “you have turned back the definition of patriotism, and this willingly means turning back the definition of treason… and the difference between them is like the difference between the so-called the revolution of a rebel and what we have witnessed the agitation of bulls… it is like the difference between a rebel that absorbs honor and a bull that feeds fodder… between a rebel whose way is honor and pride and a rebel that is fond of disgrace and shame… you have defined the revolution and gave back to it its brilliance after part of mercenaries, who lack honor and bear passport of Syria, have defamed its name.. so, what has happened was not celebrations, but a revolution with all its meaning… a revolution against terrorism, treason and moral deterioration… a revolution of the tongue, pen, work, and a weapon.”
He went on to say, “electing me by the people to serve them during the next constitutional duration is a great honor to which anyone wouldn’t promote, except the honor of belonging to this people… not only in the identity card, but in the opinions, aspirations, values, and habits, and what increases my enthusiasm and confidence in future is the spirit of challenge that you have, and without it, the bearer of responsibility can’t face the greatest national challenges and without it, a home can’t rise after 10 years of war.”
“I am confident that with this combatant spirit, we will be able to defeat all our enemies whatever the troubles have been tightened… this spirit is what we need for the next stage which is a stage of continuous work, resistance, and steadfastness in order to prove to our enemies once again that fighting our people through their basic needs and livelihood would not affect, but increase their commitment to the homeland,” President al-Assad said.
The President concluded by saying “I greet every Syrian citizen who has expressed, through his/her own way, his love to Homeland in every city, town, and village, whether through marches, popular gatherings or other ways… I greet and salute every individual, family, and tribe who have shown their utmost belonging to their country and raised its flag and withstood in the war, and challenged in the entitlement… I salute our citizen abroad who have integrated through their messages from outside with their brothers inside where the far distance and obstacles have not prevented them from participating enthusiastically in the election… and to those who have not been able to cast vote under pressures… we say that your votes have reached, with doubled force, not through the ballot box, but through stance, so the message has been sent to the enemies and the patriotic mission has been fulfilled.”
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