The following is the full text of the speech delivered on December 14, 2008 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with professors and students of the University of Science and Technology.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I am very glad to have the opportunity today to be present in this big and important university and to be among you dear ones. I thank God for this opportunity. Both you dear students and you honorable professors and officials of this university are present in this meeting. Thankfully, the University of Science and Technology is one of the universities which enjoys both scientific and revolutionary achievements. If we consider one of the important responsibilities of universities to be building competent, outstanding and valuable forces for managing different sectors of the country and showing influential presence in the events of the country - without a doubt, one of the responsibilities of universities is this - then your university is one of the most advanced and leading universities in this regard.
We can prepare a long list of those graduates of this university who have played important roles in different sectors of the country during the recent years. Because the friends in this meeting mentioned the names of martyrs and because they revived their memories, I would like to refer to the outstanding and immortal commander, Mr. Hajj Ahmad Motavaselian, as an example of outstanding graduates of this university. I knew this great man up closeand I saw his diligence, high morale and efforts. He was one of the outstanding personalities during the Sacred Defense Era.
In my opinion, you dear youth should read the biographies of these outstanding personalities who have taught us many lessons. You should read the biography of this great personality, particularly the part which is related to this dear commander's operations including his operation in the western area of the country, in FathulMubin and in BaytulMuqaddas. Another example is Shahid Mahmud Shahbazi who always cooperated with this great man.
These people are among the great glories and the great graduates of this university. Today too, our revolutionary, committed, competent, active and courageous President has thankfullybeen one of the students and professors of this university. These are very good and outstanding credentials for this university.
Today, although the dear professors are present, my statements are mainly addressed to students. Of course, I will make certain statements about a number of general issues which are related to professors as well. I would like to divide my time. First, I will have a short discussion about the issue of students and their role which, in my opinion, is one of the important issues of the country. Then in another discussion, I will carry out a short review of the Revolution - whether in terms of history or content - at the end of the third decade. After that, I will raise certain points about the issue of progress and justice - as we said, the fourth decade is the decade of progress and justice.
The meetings that I hold with academics and students are very sweet meetings for me because on the one hand, there is an atmosphere of honesty and purity in these meetings and on the other hand, students play a fundamental role in shaping the present and the future. In my opinion, this is something that students should never forget. Students play a determining role, both in the present time and in the future of the country.
A student is an element which has a great and increasing value. This is because of the efforts that students make and because of the guidance and assistance that their professors provide. Without a doubt, if we adopt such an outlook, universities are the most important infrastructure for the progress and development of the country. None of the infrastructures of the country in different areas are as significant as universities and none of them play the role that universities do. This is because universities build manpower and manpower is the most important resource of the country.
Universities are always expected to be places for developing two vital movements in the country. One is the movement of knowledge and research and the other is the movement of idealism and political and social orientation. We can find few environments - perhaps no environment - like universities in which these two movements always blossom in a parallel way.
In universities, there is the movement of knowledge and research which is a source of life and dignity for society. Scientific dignity brings about economic, political and international dignity. Moreover, there is the movement of idealism in universities which is seemingly unrelated to the issue of knowledge. However, because of the presence of students, universities throughout the world are expected to be active in areas related to illustrating and achieving ideals.
This task depends on students, their youth, their age and their psychological preparedness. It is because of these characteristics of students that universities have such a responsibility. So, this is what universities are expected to do. Of course, in some countries, this expectation is fulfilled and in some other countries, it is not.
As for the first movement - which is the movement of knowledge and research - we should say that this movement existed in our country in the past as well. We cannot totally deny the academic movement that existed before the Revolution. There are certain criticisms of this movement, but it existed after all. There were a few sympathetic, enthusiastic and knowledgeable elements who played certain roles in universities. However, the movement of knowledge in universities accelerated after the Revolution. Of course, there are certain reasons why this happened.
In the recent years during which the issue of knowledge production movement, the software movement, reliance on the domestic and attention to research in universities has been brought up, this movement has made a leap. You can see examples of this leap in a number of scientific and technological issues. Important feats have been accomplished in our universities in the area of medical sciences, new sciences, the nuclear issue, nanotechnology and other such areas.
In the past, no one would have thought that we would be able to do this. No one would have thought that our researchers, professors, students and youth would be able to achieve these positions and make this leap.But today, this has been done.What is important is that this leap should continue to be made. We suffer from a serious backwardness in the area of scientific issues. What is important is the issue of continuing this fast movement. Later on, I will expand on this issue. We should continue, for many years, this fast rate of progress and the acceleration which exists in our movement.
It is not at all acceptable for us to slow down this movement even for a short while. This is because the gap which exists between us and the advanced world in scientific areas is a great and noticeable gap. We know and understand this and we suffer from it. The reason why we suffer is that the level of the intelligence of our people is not below average. So, they cannot say to themselves that they deserve this backwardness.
Our people are a people whose intelligenceis above the global average. This is a claim which has been proven and everyone speaks about it. Many people point this issue out and the results of it are being witnessed. Our scientific background and history substantiates this claim. It is intolerable for these people in this sensitive area of the earth to suffer from this scientific backwardness and poverty which has been imposed on them.
We thank God for opening our eyes to this backwardness. We have to understand that we suffer from this scientific poverty. Thank God this determination, enthusiasm and hope emerged in our country with which we can make up for this backwardness. Therefore, this acceleration and leap should continue for many years.
As I said, the country should achieve scientific dignity. We have said many times that the goal should be to make the country become a scientific reference point in the world. That is to say, as today you have to refer to the books which belong to other countries in order to acquire their knowledge and have access to the scientific products of other scientists, you should reach the point where other seekers of knowledge have to refer to you and your books. You should do something to make them learn your language so that they can benefit from your knowledge. The goal should be this. This is not a mere desire. This is something that can be done. One day, the point that we have reached today in scientific and technological areas was considered to be an unachievable desire.
Without a doubt, before the Revolution - before the emergence of such dynamism and enthusiasm among the people and before the emergence of a feeling of courage in the face of obstacles - if it was said that our country would be able to reach such a glorious point in different fields of knowledge, no one would have believed it.
Before the Revolution, people had to go to other countries, spend a lot of money and endure great humiliation in order to get over a minor illness. This does not date back to a long time ago. This used to happen before the Revolution. But today, such illnesses are easily cured in fairly humble hospitals in remote cities. One day, many people thought that it is impossible for us to make such achievements in different fields of knowledge and in different areas. However, our people and our youth made these achievements such as the nuclear issue and many other achievements in different scientific areas.
Therefore, it is possible that one day our country and our people manage to lead the caravan of knowledge in such a way that they can become a scientific reference point in the world. Of course, this needs certain requirements which should be met. But they have begun to be met. One of these requirements is our self-awareness. We should feel that "we must" and that "we can".
Another requirement is preparing the comprehensive scientific plan so that the country will not be confused in acquiring different fields of knowledge. Fortunately, this has been done. The friends, researchers and outstanding personalities in all universities - including this one - have managed to prepare the comprehensive scientific plan. It is about to be finished and this is a giant step on the path of the progress of the country. Of course, after preparing the comprehensive scientific plan, certain other tasks should be carried out including creating an engineering system for this plan, turning it into hundreds of scientific projects and entrusting these projects to trustworthy contractors such as universities, professors and research centers inside universities.
Other tasks include establishing a network for supervising this scientific progress and for ensuring success, and helping professors, students and researchers to get involved in this process. The students in this meeting asked, "What is our responsibility in the area of scientific progress?" These things should certainly be seen in engineering this comprehensive scientific plan.
Each and every student can play a role on this issue. Each research center and each educational workshop can play a role. Professors can play a role as well.It takes many years to carry out this task. This time-consuming task should be pursued with seriousness, determination, careful follow up and hope. By Allah's favor, it will produce results. Without a doubt, there will be one day when you see that it is not unlikely and far-fetched for Iranian universities and scientists to become a scientific reference point for people from throughout the world. You are very close to achieving this goal. You youth will certainly witness this day and I have no doubt about it.
This was related to the first movement which is related to universities, students and expectations of them. Of course, the role of professors in this first movement is a very determining, important and sensitive role as well.
The second movement which is related to the issue of idealism in universities and which is commonly referred to as the student movement has a very interesting history in our country. I am stressing this issue because it should continue and it is not a movement that can be stopped. The country is in such conditions andthe Islamic Republic has such a make-up, characteristics and traits that they need this movement to be by their side.
In the recorded and well-known history of our country, this student movement has always been against arrogance, domination, dictatorship and oppression and it has always sought justice. These have been the distinctive characteristics of our student movement from the first day until today. If someone claims to support this student movement, but lacks these characteristics, then they are not honest. The student movement cannot be in the hands of those individuals who cooperate with the perpetrators of massacres in Palestine, with criminals in Iraq and with murderers in Afghanistan. This is not the student movement.
The nature and characteristic of student movements - at least in our country - is that they are against arrogance, domination anddictatorship and that they are advocates of justice. Perhaps in many other countries too, student movements are like this.
The beginning of this movement or the known date for its beginning is the 16th of Azar. It is noteworthy to say that the 16th of Azar of the year 1332 - when three students were murdered in a bloody event - happened almost four months after the 28th of Mordad. That is to say, after the coup d'état of the 28th of Mordad and after that intense suppression of all forces, this led to an explosion of the students in the University of Tehran. Why did this happen? It was because Nixon, who was the vice-president of America at the time, had come to Iran. Therefore, these students held a strike and demonstration in the environment of the university as a protest to America and Nixon who were the agents of the coup d'état of the 28th of Mordad.
Of course, they were suppressed and three of them were killed. So, every year, the 16th of Azar is known for such characteristics. The 16th of Azar belongs to those students who are against Nixon, America and domination.
After this event, the student movement engaged in certain activities until the year 1342 which was the beginning of the seminarian, religious and Islamic movement in our country. I remember that students did certain activities during the years 1338, 1339 and 1340. But they were suppressed in a severe way and the regime did not allow these activities to show themselves.
This continued until the movement of the clergy began in the year 1341. Of course, it reached its peak in the year 1342. In this event too, you can see the sign of the student movement. You can see the student movement during the 15 years between the year 1342 when the movement of the clergy began and the year 1357 when the Revolution achieved victory. During these years, you can see that the student movement always worked side by side with the clergy. During this time, the universities and academic environments in the country were centers of dynamism and activity. Students were one of the main arms of the revolutionary movement over the course of all these years. We ourselves witnessed this up close. Both the friends who were involved in revolutionary activities and all the people experienced and witnessed this. So, universities were an inseparable part of the seminarian movement.
Of course, there were some secular, anti-religion, Marxist and other such orientations in universities. But the dominant movement was comprised of Muslim students. Therefore, students were present in the politicalgroups which were formed at the time and they participated in the tasks which were carried out in prisons - the different prisons which we ourselves experienced during many years. This means that the clergy and students formed the majority of prisoners. When we the clergy and ulama of Mashhad and a large number of the people of Mashhad wanted to hold a demonstration in the year 1357 - before the victory of the Revolution - we held it in the medical department of Imam Ridha (a.s.) university. This signifies the centrality of universities. In Tehran too, the demonstration of ulama, the clergy, revolutionary personalities and activists for Imam's (r.a.) arrival - his arrival was delayed - was held in the University of Tehran. These events show the role of universities and students. They continued to play roles until the Revolution became victorious.
After the victory of the Revolution, the scene of the student movement and presence was an astonishing scene. In the first months after the victory of the Revolution, the issue of forming the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and the active presence of students in it was brought up. And after a few months, there were efforts by students themselves to form Construction Jihad. It was students who formed Construction Jihad and it was they who expanded and developed it. Construction Jihad was one of the blessings and glories of the Islamic Republic.
A few months after this, we witnessed the second wave of the presence of students in opposing and confronting the armed elements who had turned universities into their den. What is noteworthy is that many of them were not students. As a result of this, the University of Tehran had been turned into a center of ammunitions, weapons and grenades. They had collected these weapons in order to fight against the Revolution. The people who managed to throw them out of the University of Tehran were students themselves. This was the great movement of students which showed itself in this arena as well.
With the beginning of the Sacred Defense Era in the year 1359, students showed their presence in the front lines. There are many examples of the presence of students in the war. One of these examples is Hajj Ahmad Motavaselian and other such personalities who set out to go to the western area of Kurdistan while they were completely alone. I myself saw Kurdistan up close in the first months of the war - five, six months after the beginning of the war. The dust of loneliness had covered everyone. Despite this loneliness, lack of weapons, the active presence of the enemy and his constant bombardment, these purest forces accomplished great feats in this arena.
Before Operation FathulMubin - it was an operation that this great commander and his friends carried out - they carried out Operation Muhammad Rasul-Allah (God's greetings be upon him and his household). This was an example of the presence of students. Another example is the students who showed their presence in the event of Howeyzeh. I met these students by chance on the same day that that they were going to the battlefield - that is to say, the 14th of Dey. These students were Shahid Alam ul-Hoda, Shahid Qoddusi and other such personalities. This happened in 1360 and 1361. Of course, it continued until the end of the war.
This means that universities were really one of the organizations which provided active forces for us during the eight-year Sacred Defense Era. Then in the beginning of the 1360s, University Jihad was formed after the reopening of universities. University Jihad was a sensitive organization and a source of honor. Before these events, students captured the Den of Espionage in the year 1358.
All students are members of the student movement because they are students. It is possible that a person who was active in capturing the Den of Espionage regrets his actions. We have had such students. The difficulties of life and different motivations took away stability and steadfastness from many of those individuals who were present in the student movement. However, the great movement belongs to students in general and the effort to capture the Den of Espionage is one of the most important aspects of this movement.
This is the history of the student movement and it continues until today. During all different eras - during the post-revolutionary era, during sensitive and critical moments and in the course of different events - the presence of religious, committed, justice-seeking and self-sacrificing students has managed to lead the environment of the country towards the right direction.
This is my judgment and viewpoint about academic movements: they are against arrogance, corruption, aristocracy, materialistic and oppressive regimes and deviant orientations. These are the characteristics of academic movements. During all the years after the Revolution, students have been present in different arenas in an active and efficient way. During these years, students have stimulated different discourses, they have created intellectual environments and they have helped the political and revolutionary discourse to dominate society. This has been witnessed in many cases.
Of course, this is my judgment about students in general. It is possible that certain individuals and academic groups behave in a different way. I neither express surprise at this nor deny it. Definitely, there are such individuals and groups. But the general structure of students and the nature of academic work and spirit is what I said. In general, students are against oppression, arrogance and foreign domination. They love lofty ideals and they hope to achieve them. In fact, the presence of youth - particularly students - is the engine for the movement of a society. Students should always pay attention to this point and they should take this into account for the future of the country.
I would like to say a few things about student groups as well. By student groups, I mean the political and social groups which are formed by students. Scientific groups require another discussion. Without a doubt, student groups play important roles. However, we should pay attention that student groups do not mean political groups in the common sense of the word in today's world. Student groups are different from political parties.
In the current conditions, parties and political organizations are groups which have been formed with the purpose of coming to power. Parties are like this all over the world. That is to say, certain groups are formed in order to gain political power in society. This is the characteristic of parties. But student groups are not at all formed for this purpose. They do not want to gain power. Rather, they are formed to reach ideals and this is an issue which is beyond the issue of gaining political power and holding office.
For student groups, political power is not an issue. Of course, parties do not dislike the idea of using student groups for coming to power. In my opinion, this is not appropriate and students themselves should pay attention to this. Parties want to gain an advantage and hold power. But students offer their lives, their capabilities and their enthusiasm with their activities. They always offer something and as you have witnessed, they lay down their lives when necessary.
Besides, student groups provide an opportunity for students to do collaborative work. And I believe in collaborative work and consider it to be a need for students. Through collaborative work, they can develop different kinds of expertise such as political and social expertise.
You dear youth - whether brothers or sisters - know that students are exposed to different deceptions and whirlwinds. They are exposed to different dangers. In our country at least, students are exposed to such dangers. Without a doubt, one of the goals of arrogant plots in our country is students and it is clear what the reason is. In our country, the number of youth is large. The same is true of the number of students and students play a great role both in scientific and political areas.
Those who have hatched certain plots for this country and its people have to invest in students. These plots range from instinctive attractions and political deceptions to seemingly spiritual markets - fake mystic sects. There are various plots like this. Student groups can provide immunity. They can save and preserve students from getting caught in different whirlwinds and quagmires. This is the role that student groups can play. The officials of student groups - which carry various names - should consider themselves to be part of this goal which is helping students.
Another task is that student groups should take care not to lose their goals. The main goals of student groups are what have been written on the top of the lofty structure of the student movement: showing opposition to arrogance, helping the progress of the country, national unity and the progress of knowledge and participating in the general battle of the people of Iran against plots and enmities. These are the main goals and student groups should not forget them. Of course, student groups should not separate themselves from other students. That is to say, it should not be the case that student groups cause division among students. Rather, they should get close to students. The discussion about student issues became long. So, I conclude this part.
In my opinion, the issue of re-reading the Revolution is an important issue. I do not have a lot of time to speak at length about this issue. Besides, my cold and the problem with my chest do not allow me to do this. It is several days that I have caught a cold, but I did not want to delay the meeting that we had organized with you. This was the reason I came despite this problem. After all, this creates some problems in my discussion with you.
One point about knowing this eventful history of our Revolution is that for our country - which had suffered from monarchic dictatorship for many years - the Constitutional movement was an opportunity to breathe. That is to say, it was expected that the event of the Constitutional Movement would provide an opportunity for our people to breathe. This movement was expected to offer freedom to the people, but this did not happen. From the beginning, the Constitutional movement was seized by foreigners and by the dominant power or one of the dominant powers in the world which was the English government.
A few years after the uproar which was created in the beginning of the Constitutional Movement, the same imperial foreign power - that is to say, England - brought to power a violent and cruel dictator who was much more dangerous than pre-constitutional kings such as Mozaffar ad-Din Shah and Nasser al-Din Shah. This dictator was Reza Khan.
For the country and the people, the dictatorship of Reza Khan was much worse and much more violent than the dictatorship of Nasser al-Din Shah and Mozaffar Ad-Din Shah. It was the English who brought him to power. In fact, we did not enter from an era of dictatorship into an era of freedom. Rather, we entered into an era of new dictatorship which was accompanied by dependence.
This means that the people did not taste freedom. As a result of this, when the Islamic movement started in Iran and when Imam (r.a.) announced that the goal of this movement is to uproot the dictatorial and imperial regime and to cut out the influence of foreigners, many of the old political activists and those who were active in the arena of revolutionary activities could not believe this. They could not think that such a thing was possible. They used to say, "How is such a thing possible? Can anyone destroy monarchy in this country?"
During the last years of revolutionary activities, Imam (r.a.) had already discussed the main issues about government and these discussions had spread among the people. Imam (r.a.) had announced that the Shah is a traitor and that he should go. I remember that during these years, a number of revolutionary, active and good elements - who were, later on, very active in revolutionary events - used to say, "Is such a thing possible? How has Imam (r.a.) dared to bring up the issue of destroying monarchy? Can one confront monarchy?" They could not believe this. The reason was that the long era of suppression and dictatorship in this country had been accompanied by the influence and domination of foreigners and their support of the monarchic system. However, this happened.
The great Islamic movement, the determination of the people and the leadership of a peerless personality like Imam (r.a.) - he was really a peerless personality - did their job. This also shows the significance of endurance and foresight. I have quoted this saying from the Commander of the Faithful (peace and greetings be upon him) many times: "And this banner will be borne only by him who is a man of foresightand of endurance" [Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 172]. Foresight means wisdom and awareness, and endurance means resistance, steadfastness and tirelessness. These two characteristics emerged in the people of Iran and they made the Revolution achieve victory.
In fact, the formation of the Islamic Republic was a response to the long-term and historical need of the people of Iran. The people of Iran formed and created the Islamic Republic from the heart of their historical desires. Well, it is evident that when a system is rooted in the historical desires of a people, it will survive. Such a system has the capability to survive and grow roots. Therefore, enmity towards this system is not easy. And this was what happened.
Undoubtedly, no political orientation except for this Islamic and religious orientation could destroy the monarchic system in our country. Dear youth, you should know and be sure that this is true. No other orientation and no other political group could topple this dictatorial regime in the country, which was dependent on the power of America, as all old political groups in our country - whether leftist, rightist or armed groups - had been suppressed.
In the years 1354 and 1355, all these groups were suppressed and destroyed by this regime. The only thing which could uproot that fake regime was the great national wave and the massive presence of the people. And this was not possible except with religious motivations and with the leadership of a seminarian activist and marja taqlid like our magnanimous Imam (r.a.). And after the overthrow of that corrupt regime, if any system - whether leftist or rightist - other than the Islamic Republic would have come to power, it would not have been able to resist the influence and different interferences of the enemy.
We have seen how the revolutions - whether leftist or conservative - which were conducted in the world remained in power for a few years, but the influence, the political and military interference and the economic siege of America destroyed them. Take a look at today's Eastern Europe - which was once the main center of socialist and leftist governments - and see that they have ended up in allowing the military bases and missiles of America to be established in their countries. In the present time, the Americans are present in these previously leftist countries of Eastern Europe. Therefore, no system could resist the influence and pressure of America except for the Islamic Republic.
I would like to add that the reason for the deep and irreconcilable enmity of arrogance, headed by America and the Zionist network, towards the Islamic Republic is not what is said here and there - whether the slogans that they chant or the notions that some people inside the country have. The reason for their enmity is that the Islamic Republic rejects certain things and proves certain things.
Arrogance, submission to domination, humiliation of the people by political powers in the world, political dependence, the influence and interference of dominant powers in the country, moral secularism and decadence are the things that the Islamic Republic rejects in a decisive way.
The Islamic Republic also proves certain things. National and Iranian identity, Islamic values, defense of the oppressed in the world, effort to reach and conquer the peaks of knowledge - not the effort to merely copy others on the issue of knowledge - are among the things which the Islamic Republic proves and persists in.
This rejecting and proving is the reason for the enmity of America and the global Zionist network towards the Islamic Republic. If we accept America's influence, then enmities will decrease. If we give in to the humiliation of our people - in different ways - by foreigners and if we forget about defending national identity and Islamic values, then enmities will certainly decrease as much.
The reason why they say that the Islamic Republic should change its behavior is this. As you have heard, when the political officials of arrogant countries like America speak about Iran, they say, "We are not saying that the Islamic Republic should be destroyed. Rather, we are saying that it should change its behavior". This is the meaning of "it should change its behavior". It means that it should forget about this rejecting and this proving. They want this.
By sticking to this rejecting and proving, the Islamic Republic has managed to confront and resist this great camp which is equipped with all kinds of resources. This is the same condition that existed during the Sacred Defense Era when the east, the west, Europe, NATO and a number of Arab countries joined hands against the Islamic Republic. But finally the Islamic Republic made all of them retreat. This was while the Islamic Republic itself did not retreat. The same thing has happened in political arenas and during the years after the war as well. That is to say, the Islamic Republic has managed to stand up against the great camp which has been formed against it. Not only has it not retreated, but it has also managed to move forward and deliver blows to the enemy.
Take a look at America's conditions in today's Middle East and compare it with the conditions that it had in the region 15 years ago. Notice in what situation America is in the region. It is becoming more hated, more humiliated and more frustrated on a daily basis. This can be witnessed in different ways on the issue of Palestine, on the issue of Lebanon and on the issue of Iraq and Afghanistan.
America has been frustrated in its plots in the Middle East and it has received a blow. And the Islamic Republic has been the target of these plots more than any other country in the Middle East. But the Islamic Republic has managed to stand firm and resist. Of course, these plots have been many. There have been different plots during the first, second and third decades of the Revolution.
I do not have the time to speak at length about these plots. But the main point that students, the dear academics and all the people of Iran - particularly outstanding and broad-minded personalities - should pay attention to is that the Islamic Republic has this capability and this inborn power, as it has managed to resist during the past 30 years. They focused all their efforts on destroying and annihilating the Islamic Republic. But not only was it not destroyed, but it also became strongerin different areas on a daily basis.
This capability to persist and this power and capacity to survive should be preserved. It is not the case that no matter how we act - even if we act in an indifferent way and even if we do not pay attention to sensitive and important responsibilities - this capacity will be preserved. This is not the case. The Islamic Republic should be preserved in the real sense of the word so that we can help the people benefit from their interests and the interests of the country and so that we can help them reach the peak of their desires and ideals.
What is important is that the Islamic Republic has a legal and formal structure which is comprised of the Constitution, the Majlis, the administration and elections. These are the things which can clearly be seen. Preserving this legal and formal structure is necessary and obligatory, but it is not enough.
There is always a real structure and identity in the heart of this legal structure. This real structure should be preserved. The legal and formal structure is the body and the mold, and the real structure is the soul and content. If the content changes, then it has no value and it will not survive, even if the formal and legal structure is preserved. It will be like a decayed tooth which is seemingly healthy, but which is broken with the first contact with a solid object. Therefore, this real, true and intrinsic structure is important because it plays the role of the soul of this body.
What is this real and intrinsic structure? It is the ideals of the Islamic Republic such as justice, people's dignity, preservation of values, the effort to promote brotherhood and equality, morality, and resistance against the influence of the enemy. These are the components of the real and intrinsic structure of the Islamic Republic.
If we drift away from Islamic morality, if we forget about justice, if we isolate the slogan of justice, if we play down the significance of officials adopting a populist outlook, if - like many officials in other countries - the officials of the country look at responsibility as a means and a center for gathering wealth and gaining power, if the issue of rendering services and making sacrifices for the people is erased from the minds and the actions of officials, if populism, simple living and presence among the masses of the people are sidelined and erased in the minds of officials, if resistance against the transgressions of the enemy is forgotten, if certain considerations and personal weaknesses dominate the political and international relations of the officials of the country and if the outstanding personalities and the main parts of the true identity of the Islamic Republic are destroyed or weakened, then the formal structure of the Islamic Republic will not be very helpful and influential.
If these things are ignored, then the prefix "Islamic" before the words "Islamic Majlis" and "the government of the Islamic Republic" cannot do anything on its own. The essence of the issue is that we should take care not to lose and forget about the soul and the spirit. We should not be satisfied with preserving the form and the mold. You should pay attention to the soul, content and spirit. This is the basis of the issue.
And I would tell you that changing the soul and the real identity takes place gradually and over time. Some people do not pay careful attention to this issue and some people do not pay any attention to it at all. It is possible that people pay attention to it when the damage is already done. We should be very careful. The vigilant eyes of the broad-minded and intellectual class of society - that is to say, the academic class - and the vigilant eyes of students should always consider this to be a responsibility.
The Islamic government is an Islamic government in words and in action, not just in words. It is not enough that certain conditions have been specified in the Constitution for the president, the Leadership, the head of the judiciary branch, the Guardian Council and such and such an organization although this is necessary. We should take care not to let any deviations occur in our goals, ideals and orientations. And this is what we have been heavily involved with over the course of these long years - particularly after the war and Imam's (r.a.) demise.
This has been one of the main issues that we have been involved with during the past two decades. There have been many efforts to make the Islamic Republic drift away from its soul and content. They have made many efforts in different ways whether in political, moral or social areas. They have said many things about this.
We have witnessed a time when our newspapers spoke about the separation of religion from politics in an outspoken and official way. They questioned the issue of the unity between religion and politics which is the basis of the Islamic Republic and the general movement of the people. Is there a more serious offense? At some point in time, it was witnessed that our press defended the oppressive, dictatorial and savage Pahlavi regime in an outspoken and open way.
In order to prevent this from happening again and confront this deviation, we can highlight ideological, intellectual and political borders. It should be clear what the standards of the Islamic identity are. These standards include the standard of seeking justice, the standard of leading a simple lifestyle by officials, the standard of sincere work and effort, the standard of constant pursuance and dynamism of knowledge, the standard of determined resistance against the greed and domination of foreigners and the standard of defending national rights.
Defending the rights of the people in a courageous way is a standard. The same is true of the nuclear right and the nuclear issue. This is one of the several needs that our country has. The nuclear issue is not only about us. When the enemy focused on this area, the people showed resistance as well. If the people and officials retreat from this area on which the enemy has focused and if they give up this definite and clear right, then the path will undoubtedly be open for the enemy to usurp the national rights of the people.
Avoiding an aristocratic lifestyle means turning this lifestyle into an anti-value. This existed in our Revolution, but some people tried to undermine it gradually. This affects our economic and psychological issues. Aristocracy and leading an aristocratic lifestyle was an anti-value in the revolutionary era. That is to say, there were certain individuals at different levels who seriously took care not be associated with aristocracy and not to behave in an aristocratic way. Primarily, the officials of the country are and should be committed to this issue.
However, this avoidance of aristocratic lifestyle was weakened gradually. Fortunately, the same wave of turning aristocracy into an anti-value exists today. The administration and government officials live a simple and popular life and this is a very great opportunity and blessing. This is one of the standards.
The issue of jihad and martyrdom is another standard. The issue of jihad and the lofty position of martyrdom was one of the issues which was questioned by some elements and individuals. They questioned jihad and martyrdom. This is one of the standards and therefore, it should be highlighted. Respecting martyrs, jihad and mujahids should be among the outstanding parts of the flag of the Islamic Republic. The Islamic Republic is known for jihad and martyrdom.
Another standard is trust and genuine belief in the participation of the people. Some individuals speak about the people, but they do not really believe in their participation. Some individuals speak about the people, but they do not trust them. The Islamic Republic is based on trusting the people and believing in their participation.
Courage in the face of the enemy's power is also one of the standards. If the officials of the country feel fear in the face of the enemy, then great disasters will befall the people. The reason why a number of peoples were humiliated and defeated by the enemy was that the officials and leaders of these peoples did not have enough courage and self-confidence.
Sometimes, a number of religious, active and self-sacrificing elements among a people are ready to lay down their lives, but when the officials and leaders do not enjoy this preparedness, then their forces and their capacities will be destroyed. The day when the city of Isfahan was looted, the people were massacred and the great Safavid dynasty was destroyed during the time ofShah Sultan Hussein, there were many courageous individuals who were ready to fight and resist, but Shah Sultan Hussein himself was weak.
If the Islamic Republic is afflicted with Sultan Husseins and with the managers and officials who do not have courage and valor, who do not find power in themselves and who do not consider their people to have power and capability, then the Islamic Republic will be done for.
Another standard is establishing a close relation with Muslim peoples. Muslim Peoples are the strategic depth of the Islamic Republic. Why does the intense propaganda of the Americans and the English try to separate Muslim peoples from the people of Iran? Why do they do this through the issue of nationality and the issue of Sunni and Shia? It is because they know that Muslim peoples are considered to be the strategic depth of the Islamic Republic.
A people are dependent on their strategic depth. They do not want the people of Iran and the Islamic Republic to benefit from the unique support which is offered to them in different countries. You do not find any country in which the people - not political personalities - respect the leaders of another country, carry their photos and shout their names in an exciting way except for the leaders of the Islamic Republic. The people in any Islamic country where there is a trace of the Islamic Republic show such feelings towards it. The enemy does not want this. The enemy does not want this close relationship to exist. Therefore, the Islamic Republic should consider this to be one of its responsibilities. This is one of the main standards.
Now take a look at the writings of simple-minded or treacherous individuals. If we want to adopt an optimistic outlook, we should say that they are simple-minded and if we want to adopt a pessimistic outlook, we should say that they are treacherous and that they have ulterior motives. These individuals have repeatedly and outspokenly criticized and continue to criticize the relations of the Islamic Republic with the people of Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. As you have witnessed, these things are unfortunately reflected in our press and in a number of political networks.
This is hostility towards one of the main standards of the Islamic Republic. The Islamic Republic considers the interests of Muslim nations to be its own interests. Therefore, it interacts with and defends them. The Islamic Republic defends the oppressed. It defends the people of Palestine.
So, these are our standards and they should be highlighted. Academic personalities - particularly students - can play a role in this arena which is the arena of preserving and highlighting the standards and the real coordinates of the Islamic Republic. These are different from the formal coordinates which are the formal and legal positions of personalities and other such things. You can play a part and take action in this regard. And of course and fortunately, our people are a vigilant people.
The main part of the issue that I wanted to discuss with you today was about the issue of progress and justice. As we said, the fourth decade is the decade of progress and justice. However, our time is up. Besides, I do not want to trouble you more than this considering the problem with my throat. I will only say a few things. By Allah's favor, I will leave that discussion for another meeting with you students.
I only want to tell you dear youth that despite everything which has been done in the past three decades including the different plots, schemes and coup d'états that were staged during the first years of the Revolution, during the Sacred Defense Era and during the so-called soft wars which have been waged from the end of the first decade and the end of the war until the present time, the people of Iran and the Islamic Republic have proved that they deserve to survive and thrive. They stood with complete power.
From now on too, different events in the world will not be able to shake this strong tree. The day when it was a sapling, they could not uproot it, let alone today that it has turned into a strong and rooted tree. They cannot shake the Islamic Republic. We ourselves should take care not to decay from the inside. We do not at all fear the enemy which exists in the outside world as long as we preserve our spiritual health, as long as we move forward on the path that Islam and the Islamic Republic have shown to us and as long as we do not deviate from this path. This enemy will not and cannot harm us.
The policies of arrogance, America and the global Zionist network - whose first target for enmity is the Islamic Republic because of clear reasons - cannot bring the Islamic Republic to its knees. Not only can they not bring the Islamic Republic to its knees, but they cannot also slow it down. We can launch our movement with a fast rate.
Of course, we will be anticipating the enemy's plots. These plots will continue until we reach a certain point. This point is the comprehensive power of the country. And this is what you students and youth should do. The day when you manage to help the country achieve scientific and economic power and the day when you manage to achieve scientific dignity for the country, the enemy's plots will decrease and he will be frustrated. As long we do not reach that point, we should wait and be prepared for these plots. By Allah's favor, you will be stronger and the enemy will be weaker on a daily basis. By Allah's favor, it will not take long for us to witness the day when the people achieve the final victory.
Dear God, make what we said and heard serve Your cause and Your Path. Dear God, accept from us what we said and heard. Dear God, bestow Your blessings upon the Islamic Republic, upon those who sacrifice their lives for this system, upon the martyrs of the ideals of this system and upon the magnanimous Imam (r.a.) of this system. Bestow Your mercy and blessings upon these dear youth and upon all the dear students and youth of the country. Make us be among the permanent soldiers and followers of this path and make us die on this path. Dear God, raise the positions of our dear martyrs on a daily basis.
Greetings be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings