The following is the full text of the speech delivered on September 16, 2015 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with the commanders and officials of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps. The meeting was held on the occasion of the 21th Congress of Officials and Commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and Prophet, Ab-al-Qassem al-Mustafa Muhammad and upon his immaculate, pure and chosen household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth.
Welcome you dear brothers and sisters. One of the sweetest meetings for this humble person is the meeting with you, whether those of you who are the reminders of the Sacred Defense Era and who revive the most valuable memories in our minds, or those dear youth who have joined this auspicious organization during the past decades.
I hope that all of you will benefit from divine blessings so that you can pursue, during all times, the straight path of holy jihad because this is the secret to happiness and to the liberation of human beings in this world and in the hereafter.
Humility before God
Our hearts sometimes become dusty and tarnished. Supplication, humility, dhikr and reliance on God clear away this dust and rust. Certain days are excellent opportunities for clearing away this dust and rust- one of the best of which is the Day of Arafah.
First, the auspicious month of Dhul-Hijjah is an important month and therefore, we should appreciate its value. Apart from the blessed Eid al-Ghadir and the auspicious Eid al-Adha, there is an important occasion in this month which is the occasion of Arafah. You should appreciate the Day of Arafah. On this day, we should prepare ourselves for entering the gate of humility before God. The Day of Arafah is a great day. Our hearts sometimes become dusty and tarnished. Supplication, humility, dhikr and reliance on God clear away this dust and rust. Certain days are excellent opportunities for clearing away this dust and rust- one of the best of which is the Day of Arafah. You should appreciate the value of the Day of Arafah. The hours from noon to the evening of Arafah Day are important hours. Each and every moment of these hours- like an elixir or remedy- are important. Therefore, we should not let these moments pass with ignorance.
One of the prayers that we should read on this day is the astonishing Dua of Imam Hussein (greetings be upon him) which is the manifestation of humility, dhikr and supplication before God. Another prayer is Imam Sajjad's (God's greetings be upon him) Dua in Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah. You should read these prayers in a deep and deliberate manner because this is your provision for the path to the hereafter.
The path that is ahead of you is a long, difficult and invaluable path. Well, the paths of life are many. Everyone is living a particular life. Everyone is earning a living and working - including mustahab and haraam work - but the path that you have chosen is a unique path. It is a jewel amid a clump of earth and gravel. So, it is an important path. It is one of the paths in life that builds history, dignifies a nation, liberates countries, builds futures and more important than all, brings you divine paradise - the one in this world and in the hereafter. This path is such a path. Naturally, there are exhaustions and there are many difficulties and thorns on this path because of its significance. It requires energy and enthusiasm. These actions and these prayers engender such enthusiasm in you. So, you should not show negligence towards spirituality, reliance on God and humility before Him. Every minute of supplication before God provides a valuable provision in our hearts. This is the first issue that I wanted to discuss with you.
Islamic Revolution Guards Corps
Apart from the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, we have no organization in the country that has defined an organizational responsibility for itself with the purpose of guarding the dearest historical and contemporary event of the country.
As for the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, it is formed by four words each of which enjoys depth and a core idea and each of which requires an explanation. You are busy pursuing your activities in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps. Perhaps, you do not have as much time as future generations, spectators and researchers do to deliberate on these words, but they require deliberation and deep thinking: "Corps", "Guards", "Revolution" and "Islamic". These are four words that form your name and your positions.
As for "Corps", you are a corps. Well, guarding the Revolution is not particular to the Guards Corps. Everyone - every human being and every religious individual - is responsible in this regard, but the characteristic of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is that it is an organization and a well-organized system. It is a corps. Being a corps means insisting on order, discipline, management and productivity of each piece of work. If it is dispersed and diffuse, it will create confusion and wastefulness, but if it is a well-organized system, if there is order and discipline in it, then it will be like drawing a template beneath a dam which is full of water. If this is done in the correct way, no drop of water will be wasted and all drops will reach their destination. This is the characteristic of being a corps.
Apart from the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, we have no organization in the country that has defined an organizational responsibility for itself with the purpose of guarding the dearest historical and contemporary event of the country - later on, I will enlarge on this. Therefore, "corps" means organization and discipline. It means defined and specific missions.
Another dimension of being a corps and being well-organized is not ageing. An organization does not age. The emergence of new generations and passing on information and experience to others do not allow an organization to age because it constantly revitalizes itself. Not only does an organization pass on information to new generations, but it also achieves growth. Today, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has gained valuable information in different areas. This is while it did not have these 30 years ago with such clarity. The achievements of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps in the area of information will continue to grow and develop on a daily basis. This is another characteristic of being an organization and enjoying discipline.
Educating new elements
Another characteristic is educating new elements, both internal and external elements. When there is an organization that enjoys discipline, individuals are trained inside it and competent and knowledgeable individuals begin to emerge. But when it is disorganized and anarchic, this quality does not exist. Besides, an organization trains external elements as well. Today, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps influences public opinion and the development of youth and people. The many elements that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps exports to different organizations influence such organizations. In recent years, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has exported many such elements to different organizations with the purpose of managing them. Therefore, educating individuals and cultivating talented elements is another characteristic of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is able to revitalize itself, that it does not age, individuals become old, but the organization itself does not - means that all those elements that can help this revitalization should be benefitted from.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is the manifestation of "power on the ground". This is the characteristic of being a corps. Power in the arena of politics and promotion is one thing, but power on the ground is quite another. Power on the ground helps one achieve political power. When you are powerful on the ground, you can conquer, work, repel and attract. When a nation or a group of people from that nation have such a characteristic, this will bring about political and identity power, dignity and the like. So, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps is the manifestation of "power on the ground".
Of course, power on the ground is significant in the area of the economy as well. If there is a powerful, active and influential group in the area of the economy, this is a kind of power on the ground as well. This requires another discussion. Therefore, the guardianship that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps - as a corps, organization and system - offers to Islamic Revolution has a certain meaning without which it would be quite a different thing. If it did not enjoy discipline and order, if it were disorderly and if it were formed of people who did not enjoy this organizational discipline although all of them were religious and although all of them advocated the Islamic Revolution and wanted to protect it, then it would be a completely different thing. This organizational discipline and the existence of such an organization is a great blessing which is particular to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.
Well, the characteristics that we mentioned - we said that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is able to revitalize itself, that it does not age, individuals become old, but the organization itself does not - means that all those elements that can help this revitalization should be benefitted from. Youth orientation - fortunately, this issue has received attention in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps which is a positive course of action - should be accompanied by the employment of veterans and experienced individuals.
No generational dissolution in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps
Generational dissolution should not exist in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, particularly because our veterans have accomplished many feats and because they emerged victorious out of great tests.
Those veterans and experienced individuals who have emerged victorious out of diverse tests and who have carried out many tasks should be benefited from in this revitalization process because without them, this will be difficult or impossible. Generational dissolution should not exist in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, particularly because our veterans have accomplished many feats and because they emerged victorious out of great tests.
Although in those days, I used to receive news about different matters and although I read many books about the war later on, whenever a new book is introduced to me and whenever I find the opportunity to read it, a new door opens to me and I hear new ideas and words. What an astonishing and deep ocean the eight-year Sacred Defense Era presented to the people of Iran! This ocean is one that does not come to an end so soon and so easily. Therefore, those who were active and influential in those days should be benefitted from. Of course, I do not want to say that we should judge anyone who was active in those days on the basis of what they did back then. I have said many times that all of us - including me at nearly 80 years old, and you youth and the elderly in different ways - are subject to tests and to mistakes. At every moment, one can slip up:
"Whether ones verdict will be "moral" or "immoral" depends on the final results.
No one knows in what state we will leave this world" [from a poem by Hafiz].
Sometimes, one has lived a good life, but one difficult test turns the tables. We do not want to claim that we should create a security zone around anyone who was present there in those days so that no one dares to get close to them, but we should appreciate the value of past events and those individuals who have managed to preserve this provision over the course of these years and to preserve their moral health. Such things are very precious. This is the meaning of being a corps: it means an organization, a well-organized system and it is the first part of your name [in Farsi]. Of course, if we want to speak about this issue, there are many more things to say, but this much is enough for today.
Sometimes, coup d'états are referred to as revolutions in the world, but "revolution" has a deeper meaning and this is what happened in our country.
As for the word "guards" - "guards corps" - you are guardians. Guarding the Revolution is, in fact, the manifestation of the revolutionary determination of the country: revolutionary determination, presence and identity. When you say that the responsibility of your organization is guarding the Revolution, this means that revolutionary determination continues to be solid and that the Revolution is present in the arena and on the scene in a determined and decisive way. This is a very important meaning. The Revolution should not be confined to revolutionary events such as the ones in the beginning of the Revolution when it achieved victory because such events are only part of the Revolution. Perhaps, if someone pays careful attention to the meaning of the Revolution, they see that the revolutionary movement was only a small part of the entirety of the Revolution. Revolution means an all-out transformation among a group of people - either among a nation or beyond a nation: in a generation or in a civilization. This is the meaning of "revolution".
Sometimes, coup d'états are referred to as revolutions in the world, but "revolution" has a deeper meaning and this is what happened in our country. What happened in our country was a revolution in the real sense of the word. It is still a revolution and it will continue to be one in the future. Later on, I will refer to different analyses about "revolution", but now, I would like to speak about the "guards" part of your organization.
The Revolution's guards
When you say that you are the Revolution's guards, it means that the Revolution is alive, present and existing. If the Revolution were dead - this is the claim or the desire that some people put forward - it would not need any guards because a dead thing does not need any guards. This means that the Revolution is present. So, guarding the Revolution guarantees the presence of the Revolution. You want to say that the Revolution exists. Later on, I will speak about the existence of the Revolution. The Revolution exists and its existence is very powerful and strong.
When you say that you are the Revolution's guards, one of the meanings and implications of guarding is that the Revolution is under threat. If there are no threats, then no guarding is necessary. One guards when there are some threats. So, you are both confirming - with your name - the existence of the Revolution, and informing people of the threats that the Revolution is faced with. If we are the Revolution's guards, we should know these threats.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is not a withdrawn and isolated entity that is merely busy doing its office work. On the contrary, it is a wise and vigilant entity that is aware of its surrounding environment - both the surrounding environment in the country and the surrounding environment in the region and in the world.
One of the major tasks of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is to monitor international issues if only for the sake of identifying threats. Monitoring international issues, events and news helps us know what threats exist. Of course, it should also monitor domestic issues as well. Therefore, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is not a withdrawn and isolated entity that is merely busy doing its office work. On the contrary, it is a wise and vigilant entity that is aware of its surrounding environment - both the surrounding environment in the country and the surrounding environment in the region and in the world. It is an entity that looks around like a living and conscious entity so that it sees where threats come from and who and what is behind them.
In this case, threats are not leveled at a person, rather they are leveled at the Revolution. Therefore, you should engage in permanent monitoring.
The intelligence divisions of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and every organization that is somehow related to intelligence matters in this organization are responsible in this regard. Of course, individuals at all levels and with all positions in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps should be informed of such matters. They should be informed of threats so that everyone knows what they are doing and what they should do in the future. If all the levels that exist in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps do not know what things are under threat so that they should protect it, then it is not clear whether they will be able to carry out their duties correctly. When one knows what threats exist and where they come from, one becomes motivated.
Therefore, one of the dimensions and implications of the word "guarding" is being constantly prepared, vigilant and awake for the Revolution. This is referred to in the Commander of the Faithful's (a.s.) letter as well: "The brother of war is awake" [Nahjul Balaghah, Letter 62]. This war does not need to be an ongoing one. A person who has prepared himself for a war should be awake. War with whom? We have never begun and will never begin a war. We do not fight in a war against neutral and innocent individuals, nations and governments. Our war is against intruders, oppressors and those who issue threats. "Areq" means wakeful [in Arabic], constant wakefulness. So, one dimension of the word "guarding" is constant wakefulness and preparedness.
one of the dimensions and implications of the word "guarding" is being constantly prepared, vigilant and awake for the Revolution.
Naturally, when you know threats, you will be duly prepared to confront them. There was a day when there were no electronic threats. On that day, it was not necessary for anyone to pursue electronic matters, but today, it is. Today, it is necessary to pursue them as was pointed out by Mr. Commander and our dear Sardar. In this Hussainiyah, the people in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps presented their outstanding and very good achievements to experts and then it became clear that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has done many things in this area. The same is true of all other areas. When you identify threats, you can find and pursue the means to neutralize them. If you have such means, you preserve them and if you do not, you will find them.
In fact, this "guarding" has two meanings. One is guarding in the sense of protection and another is guarding in the sense of commemoration: commemoration of someone or something. It means that we commemorate and respect something or someone. This is part of the word "guarding" as well. "Guarding the Revolution" does not only mean protecting the Revolution - the things that we said were related to protecting the Revolution. It also means commemorating and attaching significance to the Revolution. If we are guarding someone, it means that we are respecting them and appreciating their value. This requires that we gain a correct understanding of the Revolution. So, you should understand the Revolution. At all levels in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, understanding the Revolution should exist in a wise, clear and comprehensive manner. We should gain a correct understanding of the Revolution. If there are certain shortcomings in the area of cultural tasks - for gaining such understanding - they should definitely be eliminated. You should take a look and find such shortcomings.
The solid logic of the Revolution
The brothers and sisters - from the highest to the lowest levels - should be equipped with the solid logic of the Revolution because today, the anti-revolutionary force exerts influence in different ways. One of their ways to exert influence - later on, I will say a few things about influence as well because we constantly speak about and stress the enemy's influence and penetration - is to create obstacles on the way of revolutionary and religious beliefs. They are creating obstacles on the way of revolutionary and religious beliefs and they try to influence them. They use all these ways and they have different agents for them. They have university professors, student activists and intellectual and scientific personalities. They have all sorts of individuals for achieving such influence.
Brothers at different levels of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps should have such preparedness and logical capability. In the pre-revolutionary era, we used this capability in many cases. In the discussions that we used to hold in those days - I used to hold Quranic discussions and I taught Nahjul Balaghah, the Holy Quran and the like - young individuals used to say to me that they were no longer incapable in the face of Marxists in universities. They said to me, "Previously, we were incapable of defeating them, but now, we have ideas. We have logic and we argue with them. Not only can we repudiate them, but we can also prove certain things." The youth who are present today in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps should have such a power of convincing, reasoning and articulation because this is a fundamental task. This is guarding and commemorating the Revolution - that is to say, respecting the Revolution, asserting its rights and appreciating its value.
Knowing the enemy
The enemies of the Islamic Revolution are the same people who entered the region 10, 15 years ago with the slogan of providing security. Take a look today and see where in the region security exists! Insecurity has engulfed the entire region.
Another dimension of commemorating and guarding the Revolution is to know the enemy. We should know the enemy. Of course, you know the enemy. The enemy is global arrogance whose complete embodiment is America and whose agents are reactionary regimes, and dependent and weak individuals. So, you know who the enemy is and you should benefit from such knowledge. The enemy's weak points - his ideological and practical weak points - should be identified and presented to those individuals who require such presentation. The enemies of the Islamic Revolution are the same people who entered the region 10, 15 years ago with the slogan of providing security. Take a look today and see where in the region security exists! Insecurity has engulfed the entire region. West Asia and North Africa are filled with insecurity.
When they attacked Afghanistan, their slogan was fighting against terrorism, but today, terrorism has engulfed the entire region- and what terrorism it is! It is a kind of savage and violent terrorism, one in which individuals burn people - their enemies - alive and in front of everyone. And then they use different technical means to display this directly to the people throughout the world. It is this kind of terrorism. Today, takfiri elements are like this. They kill a child in front of its mother and they kill parents in front of their children. They had come to eliminate terrorism from the region with this slogan and claim. I am not saying that this was their real goal, rather this was their slogan- but where in the region does terrorism not exist in the present time?
They had come - as they claimed - to establish democracy. Today, the most reactionary, dictatorial and tyrannical regimes are standing upright and continuing their crimes with the help of America and its allies. This is really one of the major problems of America. Today, this problem has entangled American politicians as well. They have really gotten stuck in it. They are supporting such regimes. Over the course of many years, their anti-dictatorship slogans and claims to support human rights have been repudiated because of the existence of such regimes. In the present time, this issue has posed serious questions among American intellectuals, political personalities and thinkers and they have no answers for them.
This enemy is such a creature! This is how the issue of human rights, democracy, terrorism, security and peace has worked out for the enemy who is in front of us. They used to say that they were fighting for peace, but which peace? They have polluted the whole region with war. Where in the region does war not exist? This is the enemy. He whom the Revolution is confronting and he whom you are standing up against is this! It is this creature with all these contradictions, all these weak points and all these ideological and practical shortcomings. One of the characteristics of guarding the Revolution is to open our eyes and to see these things. We should know the enemy. We should both know the Revolution and the enemy. This was related to guarding the Revolution. Of course, if someone wants to speak more about guarding, its meaning and its depth, they can write volumes of books.
Revolution
what does a revolution do? What a revolution does in the beginning is to lay out ideals. It lays out ideals. Of course, lofty ideals are not changeable. Tools and instruments are changeable.
As for the "revolution" part, as I said, such guarding is for the Revolution. The Revolution is a permanent process, not a temporary one so much so that we say an incident occurred at such and such a time during which a group of people poured to the streets and it lasted 10, 20 days or two or six months and it led to the overthrow of the regime. We cannot say that the Revolution is this. This is only part of the Revolution. The Revolution is an eternal and permanent reality. "Revolution" means a transformation. Deep transformations do not occur in the course of six months or one, five years. Besides, transformation and big changes do not have an expiration date. They never come to an end. This is what "revolution" means. Revolution is a constant process. Some people make certain statements. As they themselves say, such statements originate from foreign think tanks. Inside the country, some people spice up and reflect these statements in newspapers, magazines and different speeches and they express them in Persian, but they originate from the outside. They say that the Revolution has expired. Now, some stupid person might openly say that the Revolution is a museum piece. But some people are not as stupid and they do not say this so explicitly, rather they say it implicitly. They use words which mean that the Revolution has expired and that it has turned into the Islamic Republic. But these are not convertible. The Islamic Republic should be the manifestation of the Revolution. This is the same revitalization and constant change that I spoke about. The Islamic Republic should have such a characteristic, otherwise it is not the Islamic Republic and it is not an Islamic government. So, the Revolution is a constant process.
Well, what does a revolution do? What a revolution does in the beginning is to lay out ideals. It lays out ideals. Of course, lofty ideals are not changeable. Tools and instruments are changeable. Daily developments are changeable, but those principles that form the main ideals are not changeable. From the beginning of creation until today, justice has been an ideal. There has never been a time when justice stopped being an ideal. The freedom of human beings is an ideal. So, ideals are such things. The Revolution lays out and portrays ideals and after that, it moves towards them. Now, if we want to say what "the ideal" is in one word and if we want to find a Quranic phrase for that, we should say that it is "the pure life": "Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily, to him will We give a new life, a life that is good and pure" [The Holy Quran, 16: 97] and "Give your response to Allah and His Messenger, when He calls you to that which will give you life" [The Holy Quran, 8: 24]. The Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) and all other prophets have invited to life. What kind of life? Naturally, it is "the pure life".
"The pure life"
What does "the pure life" mean? It means all the things that humanity needs for its survival and happiness. For example, national dignity is part of the pure life. A humiliated and servile people cannot live a pure life. Independence - freedom from dependence on foreigners and on others - is part of the pure life.
Well, what does "the pure life" mean? It means all the things that humanity needs for its survival and happiness. For example, national dignity is part of the pure life. A humiliated and servile people cannot live a pure life. Independence - freedom from dependence on foreigners and on others - is part of the pure life. The pure life should not only be sought in prayers and prayer books, they are the realities of life. The pure life of a people means that they live a dignified, honorable and independent life and that they refuse to be dependent on others.
Nowadays, some people write books rejecting independence! One is really shocked to see that some people are so shameless that they make such statements. A thief shows up at a narrow pass and stops the caravan and asks for everything they have. Under such circumstances, someone might say, "It is in the interest of the caravan to obey him and do as he says." Such statements in rejecting independence are like this. As I said before, independence is freedom on a national level, but they defend freedom in name, but reject independence. Independence means freedom, but it does not mean the freedom of a person, rather it means the freedom of a people from impositions, bullying and exploitation and from being kept backward and lashed by others. When a people become free of such things, they become independent.
One of the things that ensures the pure life is playing a leading role in knowledge and global civilization. If a people can play a leading role in global knowledge and civilization and if they can show a new ladder to human beings with the purpose of helping them to improve, they have achieved a constituent of the pure life. Westerners are not like this. Although they made many material achievements and put forward many new ideas and continue to do so, they have accompanied it by something with which one is certain to fall from this ladder. They showed the ladder to human beings, but they did something to make sure that they would certainly fall from it.
They are corrupting morality. If you take a look at the western culture in the present time, you will see that the most indecent and inappropriate acts are becoming normal, legal and ordinary. If someone makes objections, they will be condemned.
They are corrupting morality. If you take a look at the western culture in the present time, you will see that the most indecent and inappropriate acts are becoming normal, legal and ordinary. If someone makes objections, they will be condemned. They advocate such things just because people like them. Well, one might like many things. What will the fate of such decadence be in the west? They have no cure for that. Without a doubt, they have no way out of it. The path that they are taking and the manner they are wallowing in moral decadence will ruin the west. How poor their people are! One really feels pity for the people of such countries. They are poor people. Their outstanding and influential personalities and their decision-makers are doing certain things because of their malevolent and vicious goals. Therefore, playing a leading role in knowledge and human civilization should be accompanied by spirituality.
In a meeting - I think it was broadcast on television [Leader's speech in meeting with the members of the Assembly of Experts] - I said, "Imagine the Islamic Republic of Iran with a 150, 180, 200 million population, with astonishing material, scientific and industrial achievements and with the establishment of spirituality and justice in it." Notice what happens if this is achieved and how it attracts all people throughout the world - whether Muslims or non-Muslims. They want to prevent this! The pure life means this. It means moving towards such a condition for the life of the country.
The Revolution wants to help us reach this point. Welfare, justice, enthusiasm - the enthusiasm to work - science and technology are all part of the pure life. This movement towards the pure life is an endless movement. "Behold how all affairs tend towards Allah!" [The Holy Quran, 42: 53]. This means "sirurat" towards God. "Sirurat" means moving from state to state, changing something essential from the inside. It means that something changes and improves on a daily basis. This is what "sirurat" means. Humanity is changing towards God. An ideal Islamic society is one that enjoys this transformation. And this transformation is endless and continuous. This is a revolution.
One of the characteristics of the pure life and the revolution that the Holy Quran has referred to is having faith in God and rejecting taghut: "Whoever rejects taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks" [The Holy Quran, 2: 256]. "Urwat al-Wuthqa" means a rope and a hand-hold to grasp so that you do not fall from a dangerous place or precipice. This is referred to as an urwat al-wuthqa. If you have faith in Allah and reject taghut, this is an urwat al-wuthqa. These two things should exist together: having faith in Allah and rejecting taghut. They should not be separated from each other. I would like to point out again that faith in Allah cannot be taken away from people easily. The enemies' propaganda has focused on rejecting taghut. They want to weaken the rejection of taghut in people gradually. They want to eliminate this part of the matter in people. They say, "Well, you can both have faith in Allah and in taghut." But this is not possible. Having faith in God and rejecting taghut are interconnected.
"Elimination of ideology"
"Elimination of ideology" is one of the ideas that they have put forward recently. It existed for a few years and later on, it was cancelled for a few years, but now they have begun it again. They say, "We should eliminate ideology from diplomacy and domestic policy." But this is the exact opposite of the truth. This means that we should not involve the principles of the Revolution and Islam in domestic and foreign policy. How should we not involve them? These policies should be formulated on the basis of these principles. The same is true of other areas.
Notice that there is a subtle point behind this. Knowledge means moving towards, discovering and understanding a reality. Of course, here ideology does not play a part, but when we want to know which reality we should pursue and which we should not, thinking, belief and - as westerners say - ideology play a role. We do not pursue some fields of knowledge because they are harmful and we choose some fields because they are beneficial. We have both beneficial and harmful knowledge. So, thinking, belief and - in western terminology - ideology are influential even on the issue of knowledge.
Two contradictory premises
When they say, "Now that you are influential and powerful, you should abandon the Revolution so that we can live together"- this means that we should abandon the Revolution. And when we do so, we will become weak and they will be able to swallow us.
One of the things that we hear a lot is that our opponents and enemies speak about two premises and some people inside the country repeat them. These two premises are contradictory to each other, but this contradiction is ignored. One premise that they repeatedly point out is that our country is a strong and influential country. Today, we hear this a lot in the world. Now some people - some weak and narrow-minded people inside the country - are not even willing to accept this. But those who pursue matters outside the country - whether our friends or our enemies - repeatedly mention and acknowledge that today, the Islamic Republic is a powerful country in the region, one that influences regional events. This is one premise.
The second premise is that they say that we should not keep speaking about the Revolution and the revolutionary spirit. Well, these two premises contradict each other because this power and influence originate from the Revolution. If it were not for the Revolution, the revolutionary spirit and revolutionary actions, this influence would not exist.
When they say, "Now that you are influential and powerful, you should abandon the Revolution so that we can live together"- this means that we should abandon the Revolution. And when we do so, we will become weak and they will be able to swallow us. They say this openly to some of the officials of the Islamic Republic, but there is no attention to its real meaning and significance.
They say, "Until when do you want to remain revolutionaries and speak about the Revolution? Instead of this, you should join the global community." This means that we should abandon the influence, power, and strategic depth that we have in the region and among regional nations so much so that we become weak and they can swallow us. They say that we should join the global community. Well, by the global community, they mean a few arrogant, bullying and oppressive powers. They mean that we should get dissolved in their plans. This is what they mean. So, the Revolution enjoys such dimensions. There are many things to say about guarding the Revolution, but I do not want to speak more about it.
As for the "Islamic" part, the Revolution is an Islamic revolution. Some people insist on saying "the revolution of the year 1357". They do not want to mention the name of Islam because they are afraid of the name of Islam and the Islamic Revolution. Islam is the basis, the substance and the main content of our Revolution. Of course, our Islam is the original Islam. It is not the kind of Islam that is dependent on deviant, wrong, vulgar and stupid thoughts like those of takfiris.
Our Islam is based on reason and narration. It is based on the Holy Quran and the teachings of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) and his household (greetings be upon them) with clear thoughts and with sound and logical reasoning. Our Islam is like this. Islam is this and such Islam is defensible in all contemporary meetings and gatherings in the world.
They do not want to mention the name of Islam because they are afraid of the name of Islam and the Islamic Revolution. Islam is the basis, the substance and the main content of our Revolution. Of course, our Islam is the original Islam. It is not the kind of Islam that is dependent on deviant, wrong, vulgar and stupid thoughts like those of takfiris.
Thankfully, all the dimensions of our Revolution have been unsealed in Islamic societies. Despite all the money and all the petrodollars, that they have spent in order to prevent this movement - this is while we did not carry out our responsibilities in this regard, we have not fulfilled our responsibilities in the area of promotion and illustration - this powerful and solid thought has thankfully moved forward.
Thankfully today, this thought exists throughout the world of Islam and there is ample evidence for it. Muslim nations love the Islamic Republic and its officials in the real sense of the word. Over the course of these years, whenever our presidents went to a country in which the people were free to express their feelings, they showed their feelings in a very enthusiastic way. This has happened in Pakistan, Lebanon, Sudan and many other countries. Of course, if the officials of these countries prevent the people from doing so, this is another issue, but wherever the Muslim people of a country know that they can express their feelings, they do so.
This has been achieved thanks to Islam and reliance on the Holy Quran. The kind of Islam that is purely based on individual actions, secular Islam, the kind of Islam "part of which is believed in and part of which is rejected" [quoting the Holy Quran in Arabic] and the kind of Islam that has crossed-out jihad, crossed-out forbidding of evil and has martyrdom in the way of God removed from it- is not the Islam of the Revolution.
The Islam of the Revolution is one that we see in the Holy Quran - in many ayahs in the Holy Quran - and in our own discourse as well: in Imam's (r.a.) testament and his verbal and written notices. This is our Islam. We should guard a revolution with these elements - that is to say, Islamic elements. The Revolution was not a purely heroic movement. Rather, it was an Islamic movement that fortunately influenced the world. Therefore, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps has such significance.
You should make great efforts, be very vigilant and appreciate the value of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps. Everyone should appreciate its value. The irrelevant statements that are sometimes made against the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps with the purpose of weakening it are things that make the enemy happy. We are not saying that all those people who speak like this are the enemy's soldiers. Some of them do so out of ignorance and they do not understand what they are doing. And some of them are probably their agents and their mission is to make such statements.
The respectful Islamic Revolution Guards Corps
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps should be respected because it is a great blessing for the country. And I will tell you that you yourselves are the first people who should respect it. You should strengthen the spiritual, intellectual, ideological and practical structure of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps as much as you can. You should seriously stay away from the unreasonable criticisms that others might make. You should pursue the straight and correct line of the Revolution in different economic, financial, political and other areas and you should not at all pursue those things that can damage the dignity of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps. The first people who should preserve this real dignity and reputation are you yourselves. And this dignity and reputation is genuine, not one that is imposed on you were other people cannot tell you how to think. This is the truth of the matter. And because you are the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, you should be aware of threats.
As I said, today, the enemy's influence is one of the greatest threats for the country. They are after exerting influence. What does influence mean? Influence might be economic which is, of course, the least important kind. Security influence might be among the least important kinds of influence as well. Security influence is not a minor thing, but it is less significant than intellectual, cultural and political influence. Security influence has its own factors, and by Allah's favor, different officials - including the officials in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps - will prevent the security influence of the enemy with complete power.
In economic areas, the vigilant eyes of the officials of economic affairs should be open and they should take care not to allow the enemy to exert economic influence because it weakens the bases of a strong economy. Whenever they exerted economic influence and whenever they managed to ride on the economy of countries and nations, like a "bakhtak" [in Persian, a nightmare that makes you feel as though you are suffocating] such countries were ruined.
Political and cultural influence
Ten, fifteen years ago, the president of a country that was among the advanced countries in the region came to Tehran. He said to me, "We turned into beggars overnight because of their economic influence." He was right. All of a sudden, such and such a capitalist wishes to bring that country to its knees because of a certain reason. For example, he pulls his capital out of that country or he carries out some transactions that bring the economy of that country to its knees. So, economic influence is very important, but it is less important than cultural and political economy, and political and cultural influence. The most important one is political and cultural influence.
political influence means that they are trying to penetrate decision-making - and if not possible, decision-building - centers.
The enemy is trying to change the beliefs of society in cultural areas. He is trying to change, undermine and crack those beliefs that have managed to make society thrive. They spend a lot of money - billions of dollars - for this purpose. This is cultural rift and influence.
And political influence means that they are trying to penetrate decision-making - and if not possible, decision-building - centers. When the political and managerial organizations of a country are influenced by arrogant enemies, then all decisions will be made on the basis of their wishes, desires and willpower. That is to say, these organizations are forced into complying with them. When a country comes under the political influence of such powers, the movement and orientation of that country in managerial organizations will be shaped on the basis of their wishes. This is what they want.
They do not like to install someone of their own to rule over a country, like what they did in late 19th and early 20th centuries during which someone of their own ruled over India. An Englishman was the head of India! Today, this is not possible for them. It is better for them to have a domestic ruler who thinks and acts like them and who makes decisions on the basis of their interests. This is political influence. Their goal is to penetrate decision-making - and if not possible- decision-building centers because there are some centers who help build decisions. These are the things that the enemy does.
If we are vigilant, they will become disappointed. They are waiting to see a day when the people of Iran and the Islamic Republic of Iran will fall asleep. They are waiting for this to happen. They promise that in 10 years' time, Iran will no longer be Iran and at that time, others cannot do anything either. This is the notion that they have. We should not allow this satanic thought and hope to be hatched in the enemy's heart. The bases of the Revolution and revolutionary thinking should be so strong that the death and life of such and such a person will not influence the revolutionary movement of our country. This is the major responsibility of outstanding personalities in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and all other revolutionary personalities of the country.
Dear God, shower Your blessings and guidance on all of us. Make what we said and heard serve You and Your cause and accept it from us by the blessedness of Your grace.
Greetings be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings
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