TEHRAN (IRNA) — Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei slammed remarks by Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif as a “big mistake”, a week after a leaked tape emerged where the top diplomat disagreed with the strategies of a revered Iranian general.

According to the Iranian Supreme Leader’s official website, on the occasion of National Teachers’ Day and International Workers’ Day, Imam Khamenei spoke live. He introduced the IRGC Quds Force in his speech as being “the biggest, effective factor in preventing passive diplomacy in West Asia”. He stated:

The Quds Force has been able to put into action the independent policy of the Islamic Republic in the region, which is based on honour.

The following is an excerpt of the statements His Eminence made in this speech:

For years the Americans have been extremely dissatisfied by Iran’s spiritual influence in the region. They were angry at the Quds Force and Martyr Soleimani for this reason. For the same reason, they martyred Soleimani. We mustn’t make remarks that evoke the enemy’s words.

Some statements have been heard from certain officials of the country these days that astound and sadden one. Some of what has been said is a reiteration of the hostile remarks of our enemies. They’re a reiteration of the U.S.’s remarks.

Khamenei stressed that in no part of the world is foreign policy determined by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He emphasized:

Throughout the world, foreign policy is determined by governmental bodies at a higher level than the Foreign Ministry. In our country, this is done by the Supreme National Security Council. In these high-level bodies, the high-ranking officials of the country are present and they determine the country’s foreign policy. Of course, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs participates in decision-making in the area of foreign policy. But it is not such that decision-making is dependent on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. No, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs implements those decisions.