Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks while addressing a group of professors of Persian poetry and literature, cultural figures, as well as young and veteran poets on the eve of the birth anniversary of the second Imam of Shia Muslims, Hazrat Hassan Mojtaba (AS).
A number of poets from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan were also among the visitors.
Ayatollah Khamenei underlined that in the conflict of good and evil, dignified poetry has to defend the good.
'Today any kind of poem which opposes oppression and is in line with the goals of the Muslim Ummah, including, those in Yemen, Bahrain, Lebanon, Gaza, Palestine and Syria, is an example of intelligent poem,' the Supreme Leader said.
Ayatollah Khamenei added 'Inviting poets to remain indifferent in the fight of good and evil is meaningless.
'If a poet remains unconcerned in the struggle between good and evil, he/she has already destroyed the gift of talent that God had given to him/her' and if chooses to serve the interests of the evil, then becomes a traitor or even a criminal, the Leader stressed.
Ayatollah Khamenei urged the Iranian poets to serve the goals of aspirations of the Islamic Revolution including justice, humanity, national unity and all-out progress.
