In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
All praise is due to God, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and our Prophet, Abul Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and his untainted, pure, chosen Progeny, particularly the Remnant of God on earth.
All praise is due to God who has put us among those who adhere to the wilayat [Guardianship] of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Commander of the Faithful, and the Infallible Imams (pbut).
I extend my congratulations to all of you respected people who are here today, the entire Iranian nation, and all Muslims worldwide on this blessed Eid al-Ghadir. Because Eid al-Ghadir according to its true, outstanding meaning, belongs to all Muslims. The entire Islamic world should honor Eid al-Ghadir. It truly is Eid Allah al-Akbar [the greatest Eid determined by God].
I am sincerely grateful to our dear people for celebrating this auspicious Eid in a manner that involves the public by holding celebrations for Eid al-Ghadir on the streets spanning long distances. It is a wonderful initiative that has been taken by the people. On the one hand, it is about 40 days since the passing of the Martyrs of Service, which naturally rekindles the memory of these beloved individuals for the Iranian nation. On the other hand, there is a great enthusiasm regarding the [upcoming] elections among the people. These are sensitive days that have coincided with this blessed Eid al-Ghadir, and we must all ask Almighty God to grant us the ability to carry out our duty properly.
During my talk today, I would like to briefly discuss the event of Ghadir. I will then share a few words about the Master of the Pious, the Commander of the Faithful [Imam Ali (pbuh)] — just to express my devotion to him — and then I will say a few words about the elections. This is the list of the topics that I would like to discuss with you, my dear brothers and sisters who have gathered here today.
Regarding Eid al-Ghadir, which is the day of the announcement of the caliphate of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (pbuh), there is a particular expression in the Quran that especially stands out and is significant on this day. In the beginning of Surah Al-Ma’idah, [God] states, “Today the faithless have despaired of your religion” (Quran 5:3). This refers to the 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah in the year 10 AH, the day of the declaration of Ghadir and the appointment of the Commander of the Faithful [Imam Ali (pbuh)] as the successor of the Prophet (pbuh). It is the day when the unbelievers despaired of being able to eradicate the religion of Islam with its clear message. Up until that day, they still had hope that they could achieve such a thing. But on that day, they lost all the hope they had, “Today the faithless have despaired of your religion. So do not fear them, but fear Me” (Quran 5:3).
[The Quran is saying] do not fear the apparent formidability of the unbelievers anymore. Do not attach importance to the appearances and displays of the unbelievers. Be vigilant about your behavior before the Lord of the Worlds. This is what the verse is saying. Why did the unbelievers lose hope? It was because of the continuation of “Islam's political governance.”
There may be times when there is belief in Islam, people practice Islam, but Islamic politics and Islamic governance don’t exist. The spirit of Islam, which I will explain, will truly materialize when Islamic governance is established. The spirit of Islam is Imamate.
Imamate is one of the important aspects pertaining to the affairs of the divine prophets. This means that each prophet was an Imam and held the position of Imamate. The position of Imamate is higher than the position of prophethood for prophets. The prophethood of a prophet means that he conveys the divine message to the people. However, the Imamate of a prophet means that he brings this message to fruition in the hearts of the people, in their thoughts, and in their actions and deeds. This is the meaning of Imamate.
This is why you see that after all the difficult tests that Prophet Abraham (pbuh) had encountered, Almighty God said at the end of his life, “When his Lord tested Abraham with certain words and he fulfilled them, He said, ‘I am making you the Imam of humankind’” (Quran 2:123). At the end of his life, after all these events and after all these difficult tests, Almighty God told Abraham, “I am making you the Imam of humankind.” You have now attained the rank of Imamate.
Why do we say it was at the end of his life? Because afterwards, Abraham asked, “And from among my descendants?” (Quran 2:124). [Abraham was asking,] “Will this Imamate continue in my descendants as well?” And Almighty God answered him. Well, the discussion of Abraham’s descendants is about when he was at an old age. Prophet Abraham (pbuh) was blessed with two sons when he was at an old age, perhaps 90 years old or more, “All praise belongs to Allah, who gave me Ishmael and Isaac despite [my] old age” (Quran 14:39). This is the meaning of Imamate.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ensured the continuation of Imamate in accordance with divine instructions. However, the continuity of Imamate must be accompanied by political governance. Therefore, he made an announcement regarding the caliphate and announced wilayat [Guardianship] by stating, “For whomsoever I am his master, Ali is also his master” (Al-Amali. 122). Additionally, it is essential to know that the Hadith of al-Ghadir has not been just narrated by Shia scholars. Rather, it is consistently narrated by both Shia and Sunni scholars. This hadith in which the Prophet announced, “For whomsoever I am his master, Ali is also his master,” has been narrated by all or most Shia and Sunni scholars of hadith.
The continuity of Imamate ensures the continuation of the Islamic way of life. When Imamate governs a society, the very fabric of life in society takes on an Islamic form, and Islamic ideals are realized in society. [Conversely,] the loss of the political governance of Islam brings grave consequences, which are the elimination of the Islamic way of life and the Islamic social way of life. This is the greatest loss.
The efforts of our Imams (pbut) throughout their lives, which spanned 250 years [collectively], for the establishment of Islamic governance, their battles, the work that some of the prominent Shia later did, the work that Imam Khomeini and the Iranian nation did during that period of time to establish the Islamic Revolution, all of these were for the goal of Imamate being able to rely on political governance and for this to culminate in the spread of "Islamic way of life" in society.
What does "Islamic way of life" mean and how is Islamic life in society defined? This can be found in the Quran, the Nahj al-Balaghah, and the hadith. This model emphasizes justice, “… so that humankind may maintain justice” (Quran 57:25). This model emphasizes being “stern against the unbelievers” (Quran 48:29), which means setting boundaries with the enemy. This model emphasizes being “merciful among themselves [the believers]” (Quran 48:29), which shows the importance of the believers being kind to each other and to people in general. These are the main concepts. If we have neglected, continue to neglect, or ignore any of these matters, a flaw will arise in the model of the Islamic way of life.
This model emphasizes that “grievous to him is your distress” (Quran 9:128). This means that the ruler of the society understands and feels the suffering of the people with all his being. The Quran states, “… grievous to him is your distress.” If you suffer, the Prophet suffers. This is regarding the ruler with respect to the people. And as for the people, it says, “Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those vested with authority among you” (Quran 4:59). So the people cooperate, obey, help, and follow. There are a thousand or perhaps thousands of such clear statements in the Quran, Nahj al-Balaghah, Sahifah al-Sajjadiyah, and numerous narrations explaining the Islamic way of life. This is the meaning of Ghadir. In fact, Ghadir presents the gift of the Islamic way of life for the continuation of Islamic history. Now, what took place after the event of Ghadir is another matter.
This is the essence of Ghadir. The essence of Ghadir is the continuation of divine, Islamic governance so that this governance can perpetuate the distinguished, advanced model of the Islamic way of life through Imamate. This is the meaning of Ghadir. There is no difference in this between the Shia and the Sunni. All Islamic sects benefit from this event. Let us view Ghadir as a source of unity. Let’s not make Ghadir a pretext for disputes between the Shia and the Sunni. This was about Ghadir.
And as for the Commander of the Faithful (pbuh), what can we say about Ali ibn Abi Talib? Can an ordinary human mind and the eye of an ordinary, common person see that sun, look at it, and fix their eyes on it? Is it possible? No, the spiritual beauty of the Commander of the Faithful is incomprehensible. We cannot comprehend this. We don’t understand the spiritual rank of Imam Ali (pbuh). Some words may be spoken, an image may come to our mind, but we cannot truly understand the clear truth that Imam Ali (pbuh) embodies. An ordinary human being cannot comprehend this. The Imams understand this, and so does the Prophet.
So how can we learn from the Commander of the Faithful? We can learn from his words in the Nahj al-Balaghah, which, praise God, have been compiled and are available. One of the great, divine blessings for Islamic societies is the Nahj al-Balaghah. It is not exclusive to the Shia either. The greatest commentary on the Nahj al-Balaghah was written by the Sunni scholar Ibn Abi al-Hadid. In this recent century, the renowned Egyptian scholar Muhammad Abduh wrote a commentary on the Nahj al-Balaghah. So the Nahj al-Balaghah is not just for the Shia. It is for all Muslims. It is a lesson, it is a way, it is a presentation of the way, it states the criteria, and it states the foundations. It is a great thing.
When we look at the Nahj al-Balaghah and the verses of the Quran, we can gain insight into the dimensions of the personality of Imam Ali (pbuh) for our edification. I will share a few brief points with you. That is, it could truly take years for someone to sit down and speak about the virtues of the Commander of the Faithful. You cannot cover this topic in just half an hour, an hour, or even ten hours. Yet, I will share a few words with you.
The virtues of that great man are such that according to Khalil ibn Ahmad, a renowned scholar of the second century, both his enemies and his friends concealed the virtues of Ali ibn Abi Talib. His enemies concealed them out of enmity, while his friends hid them because they were suppressed, because of taqiyyah [concealing one’s belief when threatened with death or serious harm], and due to their fear. They concealed them and did not speak of his virtues. Despite the fact that both his enemies and his friends did not speak of his virtues, [descriptions of] the virtues of the Commander of the Faithful have spread throughout the entire world. What he [Khalil ibn Ahmad] has said in this regard is this, "They [his virtues] have filled the East and the West."
Which notable figure is so highly regarded that even those who do not believe in his religion have written multiple volumes of books about him? This is unique to the Commander of the Faithful. This is only specific to Ali ibn Abi Talib. Christians talk about him, Hindus talk about him, and Buddhists talk about him. Sunni, Muslim brothers who are not Shia but who admire the Commander of the Faithful write books about him and speak of him. These are a testament to the virtues of this remarkable individual.
Now I will mention a few words about some of the features of the life of Imam Ali (pbuh) and his personality. In all of these, he is at the peak. The first feature is his certainty. What keeps a person, a seeker of a path, a pursuer of a goal, on the path? It is "certainty." They must be certain, not despair or be discouraged, and be free of doubts. Imam Ali was at the peak of certainty.
Imam Ali (pbuh) himself said, “Truly, I have insight about myself and certainty about my Lord” (Nahj al-Balaghah, letter 62). There is also a well-known quote from him in which he states, “If the veils were lifted, my certainty would not be more than this” (Ghurar al-Hikam, 566). I did not find this saying in the Nahj al-Balaghah, but nonetheless it is attributed to him. This is the certainty of the Commander of the Faithful which is at the highest level.
Regarding his sentiments for human beings, not for just Muslims and his followers but for all human beings, again his feelings are at a peak. There are several examples [of this] in the Nahj al-Balaghah, one of which I will mention here. The Imam was informed that the evildoers and bandits from the Levant were going with weapons to [the Iraqi town of] Anbar, raiding people's homes, pulling gold [jewelry] from the hands and feet of the women, and tormenting and harassing them.
When Imam Ali (pbuh) heard of this, he said, “I have been informed that some of these men enter the homes of Muslim women and women who are under protection of Islam and snatch their ornaments from their legs.” See! He says that he has been informed that these men enter the homes where there is a woman, either a Muslim woman or a non-Muslim woman. And then he says, “If a Muslim man were to die of grief after this event, [after hearing this news,] he wouldn’t be blamed.” You see the sentiment? [Rather than being] indifferent about the individuals in society, [Imam Ali expresses] this kind of concern for every individual in the society, even a non-Muslim woman.
He says that if a Muslim man were to die due to his indignation and grief at the thought of evildoers and bandits from the Levant entering the homes of Muslim [and non-Muslim] women and harassing them, he should not be blamed. Rather, he says, "It would be understandable and appropriate for him to die of grief" (Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon 27). You see the peak of emotion and the feeling of compassion for the individuals in society at such a peak. This is another aspect of the personality of the Commander of the Faithful.
With regard to justice, it is impossible to speak about Imam Ali’s justice. It is indescribable. Now, I am going to quote a sentence from him. He said, “By God, I would prefer to sleep on al-Sa’dan thorns [a plant having sharp prickles] all night or be dragged in chains,” that is, even if I were to be tortured in the most severe way, these are all better for me “than to meet God and His Messenger on the Day of Judgment as one who has wronged one of His servants” (Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon 224). [So Imam Ali said,] “I would rather be tortured in the worst way in this world than to wrong even one person.”
Who was saying such a thing? Someone who was leading a government the expanse of which from its east side to its west side was several times larger than modern-day Iran. In other words, the country over which Imam Ali ruled and was the Commander of the Faithful stretched from the Jihun River to the Nile River and encompassed Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Egypt. The only region separate from this was the Levant, which Muawiyah had separated from the rest. But all the other regions were under the rule of Imam Ali (pbuh). He said that if an injustice was done to even one person from that vast population living in that great country, it would be more unbearable for him than enduring a lifetime of torture! This was the justice upheld by the Commander of the Faithful. I mentioned that it is impossible to talk about the justice of the Commander of the Faithful because it was so profound and there are so many extraordinary signs of the justice exhibited by this great man. This too was at a peak.
Imam Ali’s (pbuh) vigilance when facing the enemy is also at its peak. I would like to share another quote from the Nahj al-Balaghah with you. Imam Ali said, “By God, I will not be like a badger, which feigns sleep when hearing [the sound of] stones striking the earth” (sermon 6). The meaning of this can be summarized in this way, “I am not one that can be lulled to sleep by the enemy.” Many people feel reassured by the enemy’s smile and think that danger has passed. They fall asleep with the lullaby of their enemy. The Commander of the Faithful (pbuh) said, “[A fighter should be wakeful.] Because if he sleeps, the enemy does not sleep” (Nahj al-Balaghah, letter 62). If you fall asleep, you cannot be certain that the enemy is sleeping as well. The enemy is awake. [Imam Ali said] the caresses and lullabies of the enemy do not put him to sleep. This shows his vigilance when facing the enemy is at the peak.
Regarding the government being centered around the people, mutual rights between the people and the ruler [are emphasized by Imam Ali (pbuh)], "And you have rights over me like mine over you" (Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon 216). Now see what great rights the Commander of the Faithful has over the people. [He is] the manifestation of God's power, mercy, and knowledge. See how great his rights over humanity are. He said that people have the same number of rights over him that he has over others. This is what it means for the Islamic system to be centered around the people. Now some people claim that Iran, the Islamic Republic, has learned about elections and democracy from the West. Does the Nahj al-Balaghah belong to the West? Imam Ali (pbuh) speaks of the government being centered around the people. Now, there are also many verses in the Quran from which this meaning can be understood. [And], these are the words of the Commander of the Faithful [about this].
There is another sentence, which also shows the highest level of respect for the opinions of the people, “Do not refrain from speaking the truth or giving just counsel” (Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon 216). The Commander of the Faithful was a mine of wisdom and mine of knowledge and his knowledge was connected to God’s knowledge. His knowledge had not been attained through natural means. Such a person with that immense knowledge said, “Do not refrain from speaking the truth.” [Imam Ali was saying,] “If some words seem true to you, and if you believe I should be aware of a certain fact, tell me. Do not remain quiet.” [He told people,] “Do not refrain from giving just counsel.” “If you want to tell me a recommendation, tell me,” [was what Imam Ali meant]. He is at the peak in all things, in all aspects.
Another important point is also about the issue of the participation of the people and their impact on the country's destiny. He said, “No man—however small he may be regarded by others, and however humble he may appear to their eyes—is too small to co-operate and to be given the opportunity to cooperate in this matter” (Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon 216). Every person, no matter how small they may seem to you and no matter how much you may wish to or can ignore them, still has some impact on the destiny of the country. Thus, even the smallest, poorest, most helpless members of society can also play an influential role in shaping the fate of the country.
These are just a few of the dimensions of Imam Ali’s personality. To put it simply, we can say that the Commander of the Faithful's personality has, for example, 100 dimensions, and we have only touched upon a few of these by examining his own words. We see that Imam Ali is at the peak in all of these aspects. Not only does he possess these characteristics, he is at the peak in each of them.
There are also his [characteristics of] asceticism, worshiping, sincerity, generosity, and magnanimity which, as I mentioned, if someone wants to talk about them, it cannot be done in just one hour or several hours. They would need to sit down and talk about these for days, months, or years. So even in his own words, there are other dimensions that can be pointed out and discovered.
Familiarize yourselves with the Nahj al-Balaghah. I especially emphasize this for the youth. Learn the Nahj al-Balaghah. Fortunately, there are some good translations of the Nahj al-Balaghah available to everyone. Read the Nahj al-Balaghah. Read and see what Imam Ali (pbuh) teaches us. Read the lessons he gives us and what he tells us about himself. The Commander of the Faithful is the ultimate embodiment of the values he spoke of, and the same applies to the words of the other Imams (pbut).
On this very day of Eid al-Ghadir, a well-known, detailed ziyarah [a form of supplication] attributed to Imam Hadi (pbuh) has been narrated that has a valid chain of transmission. It can be found in Mafatih al-Jinan. Now I have an analysis as to why Imam Hadi (pbuh) spoke at such length about the Commander of the Faithful, but I will not discuss this in detail. Imam Hadi (pbuh) cited dozens of verses from the Quran in this ziyarah and said they pertain to Imam Ali (pbuh).
After he stated all these things about the Commander of the Faithful — a discussion of about 10 to 12 pages in Mafatih [al-Jinan] — Imam Hadi (pbuh) said the following about his ancestor, Imam Ali (pbuh), “The one who praises you cannot possibly truly describe you.” It’s impossible. After Imam Hadi (pbuh), who himself was a great, infallible Imam, said all these things — which is about ten pages about Imam Ali (pbuh) — he said, “The one who praises you cannot possibly truly describe you, and the one who is against you and is your enemy cannot possibly hide or conceal your incredible qualities.” These are descriptions of the Commander of the Faithful (pbuh).
Let’s learn. We need to learn. The Commander of the Faithful (pbuh), his blessed name, and the eulogies about him are accessible to all of us and we repeat these, but this is not enough. The Commander of the Faithful (pbuh) is a teacher, so we must kneel before him and learn. All of us need to learn. Bosses should learn, those who work under them should learn, high-ranking managers should learn, people like me should learn, and seminary students should learn. All groups of people should strive to learn [from him]. We need to learn [from him].
I mentioned that the Commander of the Faithful (pbuh) is the ultimate manifestation of Imamate, and Imamate is responsible for explaining and emphasizing the Islamic way of life in society. We need to learn this way of life. Of course, the Revolution helped and brought about a significant change. The Iranian nation was completely oblivious before, and so were we all.
May God's mercy be upon the magnanimous Imam [Khomeini], and may God's mercy be upon the pioneers of this Revolution, many of whom have been martyred. They endured hardships, worked hard, and put in effort, and the Revolution was successful. Praise God, they were able [to familiarize us with it] to some extent. May God's mercy be upon the Iranian nation. This is important. However, we are still taking the first steps. There is a long way for us to go, and we must put in much effort. Well, this was regarding Ghadir and the Commander of the Faithful.
Now, a few words regarding the elections. Dear brothers and sisters! The elections are very important. In three days, the Iranian nation will face a test. The elections are always a test, and it is even more important now than ever before. About 40 days have passed since the loss of a good president — a popular, admired, devoted, hardworking president whom people loved and whose funeral procession was attended by millions of people nationwide. These are all positive points. Now, approximately 40 days after his passing, the people are holding an election. This is very important. Such an event is rare in the world. The Iranian nation is blessed with this kind of determination.
Well, I hope that God will make the Iranian nation victorious in this election. What does victory entail? It entails two things. First and foremost is “maximum participation,” and second is “choosing the most qualified candidate.” Both of these are important.
The reason we insist so much on maximum participation in the elections is because the most important impact of a high turnout is that it brings honor to the Islamic Republic. Since its establishment, the Islamic Republic has faced strong opposition from its enemies. They have done everything they could in opposition to the Islamic Republic. They are still busy and are plotting against it. I have talked about their schemes in numerous talks.
Praise God, we have been able to expose some of their schemes so that people can see what they have been trying to do. They are busy now as well. The Islamic Republic has enemies. One of the causes of the Islamic Republic overcoming its enemies is the elections. If a high level of participation of the people is seen in this election, it will bring honor to the Islamic Republic.
People's participation is a part of the essence of the Islamic Republic. [When we look at the term] “Islamic Republic,” “Republic” means the people. [It means] that the general public should enter the field with an Islamic attitude and using an Islamic method. This has numerous manifestations, the most important of which is the elections and the selection of the country's officials.
The participation of the people shows that the Islamic Republic is truly a republic. As a result, the enemies are silenced. Whenever there was a low voter turnout in any election, the enemies of the Islamic Republic and its envious detractors were quick to raise their voices in condemnation. However, when voter turnout is high, their voices are silenced. They cannot criticize, they cannot gloat, and we do not allow them to rejoice. This is the reason why I emphasize the importance of a high voter turnout.
Hence, the primary factor is the participation of the general public. They should not be lazy, indifferent, or underestimate this. They should participate wherever they are throughout the country. Participation is not confined to cities or metropolises. People from all areas with whatever population, from villages, and from districts should participate in the elections so that the Islamic Republic can stand with honor in the world.
And now the second point is choosing the most qualified candidate. What does “choosing the most qualified” mean? Who is the most qualified candidate? The most qualified candidate is someone who first of all sincerely, genuinely believes in the principles of this Revolution and this system. This must be "with insight" and "with certainty," as we quoted from the words of Imam Ali (pbuh). They must believe in this path. That is one point. Our late president, the Martyr of Service, our dear Raisi, believed in this in the truest sense.
Well, I knew him from before, and during his three-year term as president we met regularly. It was very clear that he was working with his heart and soul, and with faith. One point is having faith. The second point is being efficient. They must work day and night, be eager to work, and have the ability to work. They must make use of good people and good colleagues, which I will say a few words about at the end. The ability and enthusiasm to work, along with a strong belief in the principles of the Revolution, are what make a person qualified. When this competence exists, a person with these characteristics can make use of all the capacities in the country.
I have compiled a list of the country's capacities, which would take too long to fully explain. Our nation has a significant amount of potential, including natural resources as well as those that were gradually created and produced in the years after the Revolution. Making use of these capacities has varied in different administrations. Some administrations truly did not use them, but others did use them, and some made good use of them.
The 13th administration was one of the administrations that made good use of these capacities. If this administration had continued, I believe many of the country's problems, especially economic problems, would have been solved. I will briefly list some of these capacities.
Our most valuable resource is our young, educated population. Now I don’t have much current news about all places in the world, but in the countries of the region, no other country has this large a population of young, educated people that we do. So, Iranians' inherent intelligence and talent is one of these resources.
Consider our vast mineral resources, not just oil and gas. I have mentioned before that our population is about one-hundredth of the world's population, while our essential, important minerals are four or five-hundredths of the world's minerals. This is several times larger than our population. This is another capacity that we must make use of.
Consider our geographical location. We can be a means for connecting the north and south, and the east and west of the world. The late President Raisi had laid the groundwork for this, and some of that work is still ongoing. I hope the next administration will be able to continue this work correctly. This is very important for the country.
There is a long coastline with open seas, the southern and northern seas; a number of neighboring countries; the large regional market; the country's own market of 80 million people; the country's climatic diversity; the network of railways and roads throughout the country, which is one of the great advantages of our country, and thankfully it has been built by various administrations over time by the grace of God; the technical skills of our people and youth in housing, roads, dams, and various centers; the country's industrial capabilities in manufacturing various equipment. These are all foundations. These are all important resources. These are foundations for the country's progress.
Free trade zones can serve as a great opportunity if used properly, not the way they have been misused over time. If used correctly, these free zones or special economic zones are one of the country's opportunities. The country’s cultural and civilizational heritage are also a part of our important resources. And there are opportunities to expand tourism.
The religious faith of almost all the people of the country [is another opportunity.] This is very important. Our people are truly faithful people, which may be rare even in Islamic countries. Some individuals may not always exhibit proper adherence to religious practices and Islamic principles in their actions, appearance, and so on, but the vast majority of people in the country have strong religious and Islamic beliefs. These are all opportunities that can be used for the country’s progress. A person who can do this is the most qualified choice. Hopefully our administrations can make use of these opportunities. The person who has the ability to make use of these opportunities and resources is the most qualified. This is how one can determine the most qualified candidate.
Now, some politicians in our country think they need to hang on to this or that power and think the country cannot move forward without hanging on to a specific, well-known, powerful country. Some think this way. Or they imagine that all paths to progress pass through the United States. No, these people can’t [use the opportunities]. Those who are pinning their hopes on those outside the borders of the country do not see these capacities [within our borders]. When they do not see or understand the value of these capacities, they will naturally fail to make plans to use them.
The reason we say that you should not pin your hopes on foreigners is because when we are not focused on outside the country, we can see, understand, and recognize our own capacities. The Islamic Republic, by the grace of God and with His assistance, has proven so far that it can and has advanced without dependence on foreigners, even despite the foreigners’ hostilities and the challenges they create. The Islamic Republic has demonstrated this. In the future too, with the help of God’s power and strength, the Iranian nation will not permit others to determine its fate.
Whenever we mention these things in our speeches and talks at times, some people either delude themselves or write that this means putting a fence around the country and severing ties with the world. No, not at all. [I never disagreed with having relations] from the beginning. I have been involved in politics and in the affairs of the Revolution and the country as long as the lives of some of these gentlemen. I have always believed in maintaining relations with the entire world, with one or two exceptions.
South Africa was once a country ruled by apartheid. After the Revolution, we severed our ties with South Africa. Then apartheid was abolished, and we restored relations. We now have good relations. The factor that causes us to sever relations must be eliminated. Otherwise, we believe in having relations with the entire world, and praise God, we do have relations. In some governments that were strongly committed to principles, such as the government of Martyr Raisi, our relations with the world were strengthened too. Our international relations were strengthened too.
Therefore, when we say we mustn’t rely on foreigners, it doesn’t mean cutting relations. It means having national courage and independence. If there is national courage and independence, and if the Iranian nation shows its character, abilities, independence, and power for progress to the world, it will be respected much more in the world. And, praise God, it has happened like this. People will also be more successful in this way.
Well, my talk is finished. I have two recommendations. One is for the people and one is for the honorable presidential candidates. My recommendation to our dear people is what I said previously, "A strong, proud Iran." This is a motto. A strong Iran has many supporters. Iran's strength is not just about having all sorts of missiles. By the grace of God, we have them and we have all kinds of them. And they are effective and practical. However, it is not limited to just that.
Becoming strong has various dimensions including scientific, cultural, and economic dimensions. One dimension is the presence of the people in the field of politics and their participation in the elections. This is also an indication of strength. Therefore, whoever wants a strong Iran must participate in these elections. Whoever believes in the necessity of supporting the Islamic Republic must pay extra attention to this. This is my recommendation to the people.
I would like to say a few words and offer a recommendation to the election candidates. I urge these honorable gentlemen to make a covenant with God that if they are successful and are entrusted with a responsibility, they will refrain from appointing their associates and agents from among those who have even the slightest deviation from the Revolution. Anyone who deviates even slightly from the Revolution, from the late Imam [Khomeini], and from the Islamic system is unsuitable. They will not be a good colleague to work with you.
Someone who is enamored with the US and believes that nothing can be done in the country without the US’s favor will not be a good associate to work with you. They will not use the country's capacities, and they will not be able to manage well. Anyone who disregards the path of religion and religious law will not be a good associate to work with you. Choose someone who is committed to religion, committed to religious law, supports the Revolution, and has complete faith in the governing system.
If you honorable candidates make such a covenant with God, know that all the work you do for the election are good deeds, provided those deeds are done with a good intention. If you make such a covenant with God, the effort you put in for the election will be considered to be good deeds and you will be rewarded by Almighty God.
I hope Almighty God will bestow His blessings upon all of them and all of us. May Almighty God protect all of you, God willing.
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