On Tuesday evening, Hojjatoleslam Mohseni Ejei spoke at the "Mujahideen in Exile" summit—held at the Quds Hall of the Razavi Holy Shrine under the theme "Anti-Arrogance in the Thought of the Martyred Imam." Pointing to the historical roots of *istikbar* (arrogance/hegemony) within religious teachings, he stated: "The issue of opposing arrogance is not something to be discussed merely once or a few times and then forgotten. The struggle against arrogance has existed since the very beginning of human creation."

The Head of the Judiciary continued: "The first arrogant being (*mustakbir*) was Satan. When God Almighty created man and taught him the 'knowledge of the names,' He commanded the angels to prostrate before this divine creation. All the angels obeyed God’s command, but Satan defied it."

Noting that the first confrontation with arrogance occurred during the creation of humanity, he explained: "Satan manifested his disobedience on two levels: first, by defying God’s command; and second, by requesting a respite from God to remain alive, swearing that he would—from every direction and using various methods and tools—divert human beings from the path of servitude and devotion to God."

Referring to God’s response to Satan’s request, Ejei stated: "God declared to Satan that he would have no dominion over His sincere servants—those who are rightly guided—but that those who choose to follow him and adopt his path would face divine punishment."

Highlighting the fate of Satan as history’s first arrogant being, the Head of the Judiciary remarked: "God expelled Satan from His presence and from Paradise, decreeing a painful torment for him." Since that time, Satan has been striving to lead human beings astray, attempting to divert them from the path of truth and the worship of God.

Emphasizing the necessity of struggling against global arrogance (*istikbar*), he stated: "Anyone who values ​​human dignity, the establishment of justice, and the cultivation of human virtues must—as dictated by reason—oppose arrogance and the arrogant. This is because the arrogant, through crimes, betrayal, deception, and the violation of their own commitments, seek to dominate nations and trample upon human rights."

Pointing to the atrocities committed by the arrogant across the globe—most notably the crimes of the Zionist regime in Gaza—Ejei added: "Today, we are confronted by a force that is slaughtering thousands of people in Gaza, while the world's major powers either remain silent or actively support these atrocities. Even if we were to assume that this force succeeds in achieving its objectives, would the matter end there?"

The Head of the Judiciary continued: "Experience has shown that the 'Great Satan' and other arrogant powers do not adhere to any of their promises or commitments; they cannot be trusted."

Stating that reason dictates we must stand firm against such malevolent and discriminatory forces, he asserted: "Anyone who truly values ​​human dignity cannot remain indifferent to arrogance and the crimes it perpetrates. The rejection of arrogance—a core tenet in the thought of the late Imam [Khomeini] and the tradition of Imam Reza (AS)—is rooted in these very principles. These great figures derived this approach from the school of Islam and divine teachings, which emphasize the preservation of human dignity and the opposition to domination." Pointing to the necessity of understanding the enemy’s plots and strategies, Ejei noted: "Arrogant powers possess plans, schemes, and strategies to achieve their objectives. Their primary goal is to establish dominance over nations, subsequently seeking to control their entire destiny and future. Therefore, in confronting this arrogance, we cannot proceed without a clear roadmap and strategy. Combating global arrogance requires meticulous planning and a comprehensive understanding of the various dimensions of this confrontation."

The Head of the Judiciary identified "self-improvement" as a fundamental prerequisite for the struggle against arrogance, stating: "One of the essential foundations for victory on this path is self-improvement. It is impossible to stand firm against global arrogance without first cultivating oneself and undergoing internal reform. Furthermore, this struggle is not confined to the military sphere; to counter arrogance, we must develop strategies across various domains, including the economy, culture, and society."

He continued: "If we wish to triumph over an arrogant adversary that leverages all its accumulated experience and tools, we must reform our economic structure, attain economic strength, and secure our independence. In the cultural arena, too, we must remain vigilant and discern the enemy's agenda. Generating strength and achieving authority are impossible without recognizing the enemy and planning countermeasures against their actions."

Emphasizing the importance of "recognizing the enemy" in the struggle against arrogance, Ejei remarked: "The late Imam repeatedly stressed the necessity of identifying the enemy. We must not be deceived by the enemy’s smiles or promises; rather, we must grasp the true nature of these arrogant powers and their objectives, and base our actions upon this understanding." Referring to the public’s participation and support in nightly gatherings, the Head of the Judiciary stated: "One of the crucial arenas in this struggle is the cultural and social sphere; what we witness today in these popular gatherings across the country is the fruit of the teachings of the late Imam [Khomeini] and Islamic principles. The fact that people throughout the nation participate in these gatherings every single night, without interruption, is a tremendous blessing."

Noting that these gatherings have continued throughout the week, he added: "This public presence has persisted for 247 consecutive nights—without a single night’s break. Even on occasions that coincided with other events, the people remained present. This social and faith-based capital is a great and rare blessing in the course of history, and we must truly cherish it."

Emphasizing that the enemy seeks to undermine this popular asset, Ejei stated: "The forces of evil and the global arrogance (hegemony) strive—wherever they can—to weaken this presence and extinguish this movement. When direct confrontation is not possible, they resort to other methods to strike a blow against it..."