The following is the full text of the speech delivered on July 9, 2004 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with the officials and outstanding personalities of Hamedan province.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
If in such meetings, the problems of different classes of people are supposed to be addressed, the best way is to do it in short and meaningful sentences so that I benefit from them and the high-ranking officials of the country hear them and use them for planning. Many of the statements that the gentlemen in this meeting made about the issues of Hamedan province - including industrial, agricultural and tourist issues, particularly issues related to handicraft - were issues whose reports we had read in detail before we went on this trip. And when we came to this city, we saw it up close. In yesterday's exhibition too, I witnessed with my own eyes many of the things that I had heard. Nonetheless, there were some points which were new to me. In the area of agriculture - for the attention of Mr. Governor and others - the issue of silos and stores are important. In our last night's discussion with the honorable ministers, this matter was not brought up.
The issue of establishing agricultural training high schools is a very interesting point. Of course, there is an agriculture faculty in this city, but educating students who have an understanding of and interest in agriculture is very important. This is because one of the main pivots - which is as important as or even more important than the other two, three pivots - of developing this province is agriculture. The issue of building sports centers in this province - which has many youth - is completely correct. I had read about this in reports, but we had not addressed this issue in the discussions that we had with the ministers in Hamedan. We had not included it in the decisions that we had made or in the suggestions that I had added.
Mr. Governor and officials in charge should definitely pursue this matter. There are other matters that should certainly receive attention. As a number of gentlemen pointed out, the development plan for every province has been prepared in the Management and Planning Organization and it is clear what the pivots for the development of Hamedan province and other provinces are. Planning is done on the basis of these pivots. Of course, plans may be correct, wrong, complete or incomplete, but the development plan has been prepared anyway. It is good if Mr. Governor and the friends in the meeting discuss this with officials so that they are informed of it and so that the information that will be published is correct.
As for this meeting, today's meeting is, in fact, a combination of two meetings. I have always separated these two meetings from each other, but on two, three trips, these two meetings have been merged and this has caused some problems. One is the meeting with officials - of different ranks - of provinces. When I go on a trip, they gather together and I discuss with them those matters which I deem necessary. I offer them advice, I stress certain matters and my duty is to act according to the requirements. The second meeting is with the outstanding personalities of different provinces. Every province has a group of outstanding and prominent personalities and it is worth meeting with, listening to, benefitting from and paying attention to them. I do not do so only because of courtesy, rather I am completely willing to meet with such personalities whenever I visit a province.
Hamedan province is really a province that cultivates outstanding personalities. In the recent days, I have met with outstanding personalities in different meetings - including with ulama, with academic personalities and other such meetings. However, we usually organize a specific meeting with outstanding personalities. Of course, we have never managed the meetings with outstanding personalities like this. I always deemed it necessary to stand up to welcome and speak to each and every outstanding personality in that particular province. I used to speak and listen to them, but since two, three years ago, this meeting has taken this form as I have found it hard to stand up and physicians have asked me not to stand up because of my back condition. The friends and the dear brothers and sisters who are present in the meeting should know that I am not at all willing to just sit among outstanding personalities and talk. I would rather listen to them. But naturally this could not be done in such a meeting because we have, in fact, two meetings. I will discuss certain matters for the participants of both meetings.
As for the responsibility of the officials of this province, a number of you are officials, of different ranks, who are active in this province. You - from the highest to the middle and lowest levels - should pay attention that you are the representatives of a system in the eyes of the people who refer to you. More importantly, you are the representatives of Islam. Any outstanding and beautiful task that you carry out dignifies Islam and the Islamic government and makes people happy to live in the shade of this system. I have seen people say that they feel proud of living in a system whose official has said or done such and such a thing. They said this because an official had carried out a good task. The person who said this was an outstanding personality himself. You Islamic Republic's agents - including governors, managers in different organizations, heads of offices and employees - enjoy such a condition whether you are active in executive or judiciary branches or in the Armed Forces. If, God forbid, you commit a wrongdoing, shirk your duties and do something that does not befit the status of an official, then you should know that the people will find out. We should not make the mistake of thinking that if we cover it up, the people will not find out. The people will finally find out although they may decide not to show it for the sake of affairs or because they might find it useless to point it out. However, they feel it and this feeling is not related to you, rather it is then related to the system, Islam and many of those servants who are working in this system in an honest and sincere way - and one should be grateful to such servants. But, God forbid, the mistake that we make in executive, judiciary or any other area ruins all those good efforts.
In my opinion, this is the most important point that every official should pay attention to. The people consider officials - of all ranks - as the representatives of the system and as part of the leadership, the government and Islam. Any good task that each official carries out will be recorded in the performance sheets of all officials and it will be a source of pride and honor for them. Of course, the opposite is possible as well.
The second point is that since two, three years ago, I have been stressing the necessity of combating economic corruption in governmental and executive organizations. I want you dear brother and sisters - who are officials - to pay attention that if economic corruption and financial wrongdoings are not confronted in governmental organizations, then all the issues that the friends raised will be of no use even if we resolve each and every one of them. Besides, many tasks cannot be carried out at all when there is corruption.
I do not expect all the officials of the Islamic Republic to be angels or like angels. After all, all of us know ourselves. We are people who are weak. We are individuals who are vulnerable and we should seek refuge in God. But you should pay attention to the point that wherever corruption emerges, it acts like a contagious wound. You - who are managers and officials and who have been entrusted with the task of handling an organization - should confront corruption in your affiliate organizations in a serious way and you should show sensitivity towards it. Without this, tasks will not be carried out and there will be a chaotic situation. Once, I gave an example to the high-ranking officials of the country. I said that you should take the case of a pool which is watered by several deep wells with long pipes. You constantly pour water into the pool, but it does not become full. When you pay careful attention, you see that there are several deep cracks in the floor of the pool. Whenever you pour water into it, it gets out of these cracks. Corruption acts in the same way.
So many tasks are being carried out and so many efforts are being made - today, the amount of hard work that officials are doing is enormous - but at the same time, we see that there are serious problems in some organizations and divisions. We should see where this wound is. We should see where this crack in the floor of the pool is. So, corruption should be combated. Combating corruption is a very serious matter. Once, I complained - I still complain - to some organizations that when I brought up the issue of combating corruption a few years ago, they covered it up in a political and demagogic way instead of showing their preparedness, entering the arena and carrying the flag. They did not do what they should have.
Now, the members of the Majlis, governmental organizations and you officials in different organizations and executive managers should do so. The people cannot combat corruption. Combating corruption is the responsibility of governmental organizations. When we want to do so, our minds should not be switched to judiciary organizations. Judiciary organizations are the last option. Once, I said that some organizations should carry out deep research about corruption. They prepared and brought me some documents which contained research about the issue of corruption, its methods and the places where it can penetrate. When I looked at these documents, I found out that the most important organization that can combat corruption is the administration. The administration itself agrees with this and it has pursued it. To be fair, the administration has carried out important tasks in order to combat corruption in those places and organizations where it can penetrate.
The passageways of corruption should be blocked. When you see that those products and goods that should not be imported are imported and that the concessions that should not be granted are granted, the first thing that comes to your mind is the possibility of corruption and the motivation to do corrupt work. Therefore, the passageways of corruption should be blocked in executive organizations. If one case of corruption passes through the filter of executive officials, then it is time for the judiciary branch to enter the arena. Of course, both the judiciary branch and executive organizations should keep their hands completely clean. As I said the other day, the cloth should be clean so that it can clean the glass.
The third point is addressed to executive officials: you should appreciate the value of these people. These glorious scenes are being repeated everywhere. It is many years now that I go on trips in this country. I used to travel to different provinces and meet with the people during the time of my presidency and even before that. In the present time, I do the same. In Hamedan too, I held meetings with people from different social classes and I directly spoke to them and our meetings did not have any particular subject. Apart from these, we have many indirect contacts with them. Our people are a very good people. The people of Iran are really at the peak in terms of personality traits and values. They are broadminded, forgiving, religious, determined, courageous and prepared to sacrifice themselves.
Before the Revolution, no one understood the people of Iran as perfectly as Imam (r.a.) did. The first outstanding personality who identified these characteristics in our people and who placed great emphasis on them was our magnanimous Imam (r.a.). At that time, I used to call a number of personalities and discuss certain matters with them, but they always pinned the blame on the people. They used to say, "The people do not follow and carry out the tasks. Therefore, you should abandon them". Contrary to such people, Imam (r.a.) managed to know the people closely. He trusted them and spoke honestly to them. He did not wait for the people to move. He moved forward first. "Leader" means this. The difference between a leader of Imam's (r.a) caliber and an ordinary guide is that the latter gives a signal and says, "If you want to go there, take this direction, then take a right and then take a left". However, a leader takes the path himself. He himself moves towards the destination and says, "Anyone who wants to come can come with me". Imam (r.a.) was like this.
He was sure that the people would follow him and the people did so. First, he found these characteristics in the people and we stood watching the great movement of the people with complete surprise. We watched the scene like short-sighted - I am speaking about myself - and inexperienced people and like those who do not know the people at all. We became besotted with Imam (r.a.). For the first time, we experienced this during the time of the Revolution. In the beginning, we did not think that the people would take to the streets in such a large number, but they did so. They laid down their lives, they offered their youth and their wealth and they stood firm wherever it was necessary for the Revolution. The majority of the people were like this. Then, the war broke out and they entered the arena in a magnificent way. And today - after many years of different and heavy responsibilities - whenever I take a careful look, I see that the people were the same people who existed during the time of the Revolution.
Some people promote an idea which is not based on the truth. They blindly condemn a number of youth and the society of youth in general. Why do they do so? It is because such and such a young individual parts his hair, does it in a particular style or uses oil on his hair. They find these things enough to condemn our young generation. Take a look and see the people's presence on the scene in the recent days. I am no one. The people do not do such things for me, rather they are doing them for the Revolution, for the greatness of the country, for national dignity, and for the Islamic Republic.
Therefore, you should appreciate the value of our people. You should consider rendering services to these people as a divine blessing. You should work for the people. You should know that God is Omnipresent and that every step that you take is a good deed. Last night, I said to the ministers and vice presidents who had a meeting with me that every step that you take with the purpose of rendering services to the people is a good deed and a charitable act, one that gains God's approval.
As for the second meeting - the one with outstanding personalities - I have nothing to say to you dear outstanding personalities who are present in this meeting except that I respect and admire all those personalities who showed their talent in the area of knowledge, understanding, expertise, sports and art and who worked very hard in these areas. We appreciate the value of outstanding personalities. We may not be able to appreciate their value - the way they deserve it - in practice, but deep in our hearts, we appreciate the value of outstanding personalities.
Hamedan province is really a province that cultivates such personalities. On that day and in two, three speeches, I mentioned the names of the outstanding personalities of this province in different fields of knowledge and in art. Those outstanding Hamedani personalities - political, scientific and artistic personalities - who emerged in different eras and during our own time have carried out many brilliant tasks. Of course, I do not only mean personalities from the city of Hamedan, rather I mean personalities from the entire province of Hamedan which includes the city of Hamedan, Malayer, Nahavand, Tuyserkan, Asadabad, Bahar, Kabudarahang, Razan and many other cities. This province has really sent outstanding personalities to the whole country. I mentioned the names of these personalities in other meetings and I do not want to repeat it again.
Primarily, the capability of the province for cultivating outstanding personalities is a sign of natural talent. That this talent is based on geographical or historical factors is another issue and I do not want to draw on it. No matter what factors are behind this talent, this province is one that cultivates outstanding personalities and sends them to other areas of the country. Perhaps, the reason why Hamedan is one of the few cities in the world which has thrived with it is ancient history is the existence of these talents and geniuses. Rome, which is one of the most ancient cities in the world, has a 2,700-year history, but your Hamedan has a 3,100-year history. And it is probably more than what historians have said. Of course, there were some cities which were older, but there is no trace of them today.
The fact that a city has survived with such a historical background - today's Hamedan is stronger than a century or centuries ago - shows the existence of a natural talent. Of course, I do not feel proud that Hamedan was the Medes' capital or the Achaemenids' summer capital. There is room for debate about the historical eras and dates on which Mr. Governor presented a detailed explanation. They are not definite issues. It is not clear whether the Medes government was the only central government in Iran or not. There is disagreement between scholars and experts about these matters. Most probably, we had many powerful governments throughout Iran during the time of the Medes. Of course, foreigners insisted on highlighting the Achaemenids and considering Cyrus and Darius to be the beginning of Iran's history. They have even consigned the Medes to oblivion. European orientalists were not very honest in this regard, but excavations and other historical evidence show us that there were many ancient civilizations throughout our current Iran. Some of them are probably older than the Egyptian civilization. There are 6,000, 7,000-year civilizations in Hamedan, Sistan and other areas of the country. Therefore, we cannot say for sure that the first or the only central government existed in this city. These are just speculations. What is certain is that this city has been alive for 3,000 years and that it has been busy building civilizations and life in general. It has been producing knowledge for 3,000 years. This is very important.
What is the use of this historical past? If we put this past in our pocket merely as a pedigree and feel proud of it, we will be like those people who wear a green band around their waste [to show that they are the descendents of the Imams (r.a.)] or put a pedigree into their pocket and use it as a tool for making a living, but this is not appropriate. The significance of this pedigree lies in the fact that this province is one in which talents are cultivated for any reason - whether for natural, geographical or historical reasons. That is to say, today's youth in Hamedan, Malayer, Nahavand, Kabudarahang and other cities of this province can be hopeful that they can become Ibn Sina, Rashid-ul Din Fazlullah, Mir Sayyid Ali, Akhund Mulla Hussein Qoli and Akhund Mulla Ali Masoomi.
When we see that today, our young generation in the country are moving towards scientific movement and dynamism, this is because this hope has been engendered in our youth. Therefore, we should strengthen this hope on a daily basis. This is the responsibility of our outstanding personalities. If our outstanding personalities speak to youth and give them information, they should not do it in a way that youth become disappointed about the future. This is some people's policy and it is pre-planned. Of course, some of them do so out of ignorance and folly, but some do it in a careful way so that they disappoint youth about the future and paint a dark, dim and blurry picture of future horizons. What I want to say is that you dear outstanding personalities of this province - that has more youth than all the other provinces of the country - should do the opposite of this. You should give hope to youth with your statements, behavior and actions. Your artists should inspire hope. Your poets should inspire hope. Your writers should inspire hope. Your farmers and industrialists should inspire hope. And this hope is not a false hope, rather it is a sincere one. I do not advocate giving false hope. I see that this hope is a genuine one. You should allow your youth to use their inner power and to bring about a great transformation in themselves, one that builds an Ibn Sina out of an ordinary person. Today, this is our main issue and in my opinion, it should be the first issue for outstanding personalities as well.
The young generation should be spurred into action. You should do something to make them hopeful about moving forward. Despair is an awful pain. The most effective tool for destroying a people is to make them disappointed. If you make a people hopeless and disappointed, they become ruined. Where there is no hope, there will be no movement and enthusiasm either. When there is no hope and enthusiasm, there will be no future either. We have no reason to be hopeless, rather we have hundreds of reasons to be hopeful.
Today, thanks to Islam, the Holy Quran and the revelation that came to our Holy Prophet (s.w.a.), our country is moving towards a great transformation. The Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) was the peak of human knowledge. He was told in a revelation, "And say, ‘Oh my Lord, advance me in knowledge'" [The Holy Quran, 20: 114]. He was asked to seek knowledge, through God, more than before. Therefore, why should we be disappointed about the future? Should we be disappointed just because others play down the value of our products? Well, it is clear that the enemy plays down the value of our goods and products. The best way to manipulate and enslave a person is to suggest to them that they have no refuge. The best way to achieve this purpose is to say to them that they have no refuge, that they are useless and that they do not have any option so that they are forced to place themselves under the umbrella of this power.
They have done the same to us during the past 150 years. They humiliated Islam, our past, our cultural legacies, our religious and national values, our nationality and everything that we had. The westerners who wanted to dominate the world humiliated all civilizations and destroyed many of them. During the time of my presidency, the president of Peru said to me that they had recently found the signs of a very old civilization in their country. This was while they used to think for many centuries that they had no history at all. Since the time the Americans began ruling over the United States - in different forms - they decided to turn South America into their backyard and to prevent everyone from interfering in the affairs of South America. They have said and are saying this openly.
A large country like Brazil or other South American countries are only allowed to move under America's umbrella. If they want to adopt a different course of action in terms of political orientations, they become like today's Venezuela. You can see what disasters the Americans are creating for Chavez because his orientations are a bit different from those of the Americans. From the beginning, the Americans considered South America as their backyard and they confronted any movement whatsoever. One of the ways to achieve their goal was to instill the idea into the minds of South American countries that they have no past and no history and that they have been a bunch of savages from the beginning. Are the measures that the Americans have adopted not oppressive? The Americans are very cruel. The ruling system of America is the manifestation of oppression. Cruel acts like what they have done in Abu Ghraib prison and the massacres in Fallujah, Kufa and many other places are the manifestation of very deep and vast oppression. They are like boils that erupt on a body, showing that it is suffering from a serious disease.
Of course, their main oppression is something else. They have humiliated humanity. Many of the people who migrated from Europe to America were either convicts in European courts, vicious individuals or beggars who could not make a living in their country and who were forced to sail along the Atlantic Ocean. As you know, the most turbulent ocean in the world is the Atlantic Ocean. There is no ocean in the world which is as turbulent and stormy as the Atlantic Ocean. And the situation was worse considering the equipment that existed in those times for a sea voyage. They had to risk their lives to go and live in America. About 300 years have passed from their migration. Because of the boldness and courage that they had and because of the knowledge that they acquired, they managed to reach this point.
Notice that knowledge is a very efficient tool for gaining power. With the help of the knowledge that they acquired, they managed to bring the whole world under their control. Today, they speak about the Greater Middle East, but this is only part of the story. They want the entire world. They are not even willing to tolerate Europe. A few years ago, a well-known American essayist wrote an essay in an American journal. The gist of what he wrote was that today, they have the right to rule over the world and he had presented some reason for his claim. At that time, I said in a Friday prayer sermon that when the Americans speak about the global village, they want to consider the world as a village over which they can rule and that they want to bring everyone under their influence. This is their main oppression: they have humiliated humanity. Of course, the humiliation of humanity takes place in different forms. Supporting the Zionist regime is one form and occupying Iraq, their behavior towards European Muslims and their support of the dictatorial Pahlavi and other dictatorial regimes are other forms.
Our youth have found the path and the hope to move forward thanks to the Revolution and Islam. Therefore, this hope should be strengthened in them. Contrary to the policy of global arrogance - which sows the seeds of despair among peoples - we should plant and water the seeds of hope. In my opinion, this is one of the main responsibilities of outstanding personalities. Of course, this is not the way to hold a discussion with outstanding and brilliant personalities. One of the reasons why I am against the idea of the global village is this. Even if you take a look at a small village, you will see that there are as many great systems as the number of individuals in the village. Any individual is a world. If an individual is outstanding and knowledgeable and if they have artistic talent and lofty values, their world will naturally be bigger, sweeter and more attractive. It is necessary for one to sit beside such personalities and to benefit from them. This is why we do not find this limited meeting with the outstanding personalities of Hamedan province to be enough, but it was not possible for us to hold other meetings with them. I hope that Allah the Exalted will help our entire society to benefit from the blessings of outstanding personalities.
Dear God, help us succeed in taking the path that satisfies You and bestow resistance, steadfastness, wisdom and hope on all of us.
Greetings be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings