TEHRAN, Sept. 19--Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the Islamic system in Iran can never be defeated due to the religious culture of the nation.
Addressing the 16th nationwide gathering of IRGC commanders and officers in the northwestern city of Zanjan Saturday, Ayatollah Khamenei felicitated the nation on the birth anniversary of Imam Husein (AS) which is dubbed "Revolutionary Guards Day," IRNA reported.
He described the love of IRGC forces for Imam Husein (AS) as a blessing and stressed that safeguarding the true identity of the Islamic Revolution's Guards Corps is the responsibility of its staff and commanders.
Commenting on anti-Iran plots, he said, "Cultural transformation, continuous economic pressures, infiltration into the country's political and cultural structures and paralyzing active members of the society are some of the methods employed by the enemies to weaken the Islamic system in Iran."
Ayatollah Khamenei elaborated on the sensitive role of the Iranian nation as well as IRGC forces in shaping the future of Iran, the region and the Muslim world, and defusing the plots of big powers in the Middle East region.
Also speaking at the same gathering, IRGC commander Major General Seyyed Yahya Rahim-Safavi reiterated the readiness of IRGC forces in safeguarding the Islamic Revolution and the sacred system of the Islamic Republic.
He described the Ashura-5 war games as very successful and hailed the cooperation of the people of Hamedan, Zanjan and Khuzestan provinces where the maneuvers were organized by IRGC forces.

TEHRAN, Sept. 19--President Mohammad Khatami has commissioned two people to follow up the harassment of cinema officials, weblog writer and technical staff of Internet sites, an official announced Sunday.
Seyyed Mohammad Abtahi, vice president for legal and parliamentary affairs, lambasted the recent summons issued for officials of Iran's Cinema House on charges of undermining Islamic tenets at a recent ceremony, IRNA reported.
He noted that when a ceremony is held in the presence of a minister, it is considered official and Cinema House is no longer responsible.
The vice president added that such an attitude toward artists and cinematographers can have a negative influence on the cinema industry.
"While the society needs calm, such an unacceptable attitude can disturb the same," he said.
Commenting on the brutal murders of 26 children and 3 adults which came to light recently, Abtahi said the police should be held accountable for the tragic incident.
"People are not satisfied with the comments made by officials regarding the serial murders," he said, stressing that officials who have not done their job properly should be punished.
On the likely impeachment of Roads and Transportation Minister Ahmad Khorram, he noted that those who claim impeachment will make Khorram lose his job are insulting the Majlis.
"Majlis will decide to impeach after Khorram delivers his speech in the parliament," he said.
Abtahi expressed hope Khorram's speech would clarify issues for the lawmakers.

TEHRAN, Sept. 19--Iran is concerned about misinterpretations of religious guidelines and traditions regarding women, said presidential advisor and head of the Center for Women's Participation Affairs, Zahra Shojaie.
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting of senior officials from Asia-Pacific countries held in Beijing, Shojaie told ISNA on Saturday the Iranian delegation was also critical of discriminatory policies related to employment opportunities for women as well as widespread exploitation of women in their workplace.
Attended by 300 officials involved in issues concerning
women as well as related agencies and non-governmental organizations from 41 Asian and Pacific countries, the meeting was chaired by Afghan minister for social and women's affairs, Sima Samar.
Addressing the meeting, head of the Foreign Ministry's Office for Human Rights and Women's Affairs, Mostafa Alaie, said globalization within economic and cultural spheres, rampant gender discriminations as well as exploitation and rights violation are major challenges facing women.
"Muslim countries in general and Iran in particular are worried about the prevalent materialistic approach toward women and their issues in western societies. They have constantly protested to exaggeration of violent behaviors against women in Muslim nations, while such incidents are common in many western countries," he said.

A general view of the 12th Experts Assembly meeting in Tehran, Sept. 19 (IRNA Photo)

TEHRAN, Sept. 19--Head of Experts Assembly Ayatollah Ali Meshkini here Sunday condemned efforts opposing Iran's peaceful nuclear activities.
Addressing the inaugural session of the 12th Experts Assembly meeting, he underlined the need for removing discrimination in dealings with different countries.
Denouncing the misuse of natural resources, Ayatollah Meshkini said the Experts Assembly condemns production of weapons of mass destruction.
Elsewhere in his speech, Ayatollah Meshkini denounced US attacks on Iraq and said the US and Britain are responsible for the ruthless massacre of the Iraqi people and should be punished in an authoritative court.
He urged Iraqi leaders to unite in order to expel the occupying forces and establish an Islamic government.
Ayatollah Meshkini also called for the expulsion of agents of the terrorist Mujahideen Khalq Organization from Iraq and said these terrorists should be handed over to their respective governments.
He also called for an open trial of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
Briefing the audience on the agenda of talks and programs of the two-day meeting, Ayatollah Meshkini said participants have scheduled meetings with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, President Mohammad Khatami and State Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. "They will also visit the mausoleum of the late Founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini and will issue a resolution at the end of their meeting," he said.

TEHRAN, Sept. 19--New Iraqi ambassador to Iran here Saturday said the interim Iraqi government is following up the case of Iranian diplomat Fereidoun Jahani who was kidnapped in August.
Jahani was abducted by a group calling itself Islamic Army in Iraq on August 4 on the way to Karbala from Baghdad, where he was to assume his consular post, IRNA said.
Iraq's new ambassador to Iran, Mohammad Majid Al-Sheikh, expressed concern over the continued capture of Jahani, saying "the Iraqi Foreign Ministry is following up the issue".
The group, which is said to have slain Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni, had threatened to kill Jahani within 48 hours after his arrest if Iran did not release 500 prisoners it alleges were captured during the 1980-88 war.
Al-Sheikh also regretted the martyrdom of Labib Mohammadi, an employee of the Baghdad office of Iran's Haj and Pilgrimage Organization, near Karbala.
Iran has demanded that "the Iraqi interim government work seriously to identify and punish those behind" the assassination.
Earlier this month, the Foreign Ministry summoned Iraqi charge d'affaires Khalil Salman Al-Sabihi to "strongly protest this terrorist action".
Kharrazi regretted the martyrdom of Mohammadi as well as assassination in April of the Iranian Embassy's first secretary in Baghdad, Khalil Naimi.
The minister expressed concern over the disappearance of Iranians in Iraq and called on the Iraqi authorities to resolve the matter as soon as possible.
Four Iranian businessmen working to improve trade ties with Iraq have been arrested by US troops who reportedly handed them over to the Iraqi police.
Officials have said Iran holds the interim Iraqi government responsible for the safety of its nationals.

TEHRAN, Sept. 19--Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi here Saturday welcomed Japanese investment in Iranian industries.
In a meeting with Japan's Ambassador to Tehran Hideaki Domichi, Kharrazi expressed hope more opportunities can be utilized by exchanging mutual delegations. He underlined the need to promote bilateral relations to remove the obstacles to economic cooperation.
The Japanese diplomat conveyed warm greetings of the Japanese emperor to Iranian officials and said Iran is considered a great nation set to make economic progress.
"Japanese officials believe the presence of Japanese firms in Iran would provide a good opportunity for them," he said.
Domichi also submitted a copy of his credentials to Kharrazi.
Meanwhile, incoming Spanish Ambassador to Tehran Automo Perez Herrnandez here Saturday called on Kharrazi and submitted a copy of his credentials.
According to the Foreign Ministry's Information and Press Bureau, Kharrazi described relations between the two countries as very good and looked forward to witnessing further expansion of cooperation between the two countries.
Highlighting commercial and economic cooperation between Iran and Spain, the foreign minister said exchange of visits by officials of both countries will help identify and explore new opportunities.
Referring to the current level of cooperation in the international arena, Kharrazi hoped that during the current IAEA Board of Governors' meeting, Iran's righteous stance would be heeded.
The new Spanish ambassador, for his part, described political, economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries as very good and underlined the need to explore untapped business opportunities on both sides.

TEHRAN, Sept. 19--A visiting European Union delegation discussed human rights situation in Iran with senior members of the Association of Iranian Lawyers here Sunday.
According to IRNA, the delegation, headed by EU commissioner for Middle East and human rights affairs, Christian Manayaman, will meet with the judiciary's director for international affairs, Shariat Baqeri, and members of Human Rights Protection Center.
Manayaman called for greater cooperation between the Association of Iranian Lawyers and the EU Human Rights Commission in Iran.
"We have received reports on human rights situation in Iran," he said and called for further transparency in Iran's rights-related issues.
He also called on the association to offer proposals for improving the human rights situation in Iran.
Mohammad Ali Jandaqi, head of the Association of Iranian Lawyers, briefed the EU delegation on the association's activities and said it is pursuing betterment of the human rights situation in Iran in an unbiased manner.
The EU delegation, which also met with Foreign Ministry officials and Secretary of Islamic Human Rights Commission Mohammad Ziaei-Far, arrived in Tehran on September 16.