In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
All praise is due to God, Lord of the Worlds, and may peace and greetings be upon our Master and our Prophet, Abul-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his untainted, pure, chosen, guiding, well-guided Progeny, particularly the Remnant of God on earth.
I offer my condolences on the martyrdom [anniversary] of the one who is a benefactor for all of existence — especially for us Iranians — the Gracious Imam, Ali ibn Musa al-Reza (pbuh). It is through the grace of that noble personage that we’ve been granted the opportunity to hold this gathering; this meeting; this warm, enthusiastic assembly. I will say a few words regarding the Gracious Imam, Abu al-Hassan al-Reza (pbuh), and a few words concerning current issues of the day.
During the life of Ali ibn Musa al-Reza (pbuh), there were repeatedly momentous events taking place. One of them was his journey from Medina to Tus and to Marv in Khorasan. Many other significant events also took place in his life. The result of this journey to Khorasan is a collection of benefits and advantages for the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (pbut). In other words, although this journey was forced upon him and he didn’t set out for Khorasan of his own free will, Almighty God blessed this journey. The events that unfolded along the way and after his martyrdom were of great importance. I will point out two of these events.
One thing is the extraordinary dissemination of the Ahl al-Bayt school of thought. The school of thought of the Ahl al-Bayt was isolated and oppressed. After the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (pbuh), the Shia in every corner of the Islamic world at that time faced numerous hardships in their lives — physical hardships, challenges in their livelihood, and spiritual tribulations. Gradually, during the time of Imam Baqir to some extent, more so during the time of Imam Sadiq, and even further during the time of Imam Musa ibn Ja'far, this state of isolation became less. However, it was during the time of Ali ibn Musa al-Reza (pbuh) that the Shia school of thought spread widely throughout the Islamic world. What one senses from historical events is that the morale of the Shia and the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt school of thought increased to such an extent from this journey and this event that this was able to preserve the Shia [school of thought].
Today, nearly 1,200 years have passed since that time. With each passing day, the followers of the school of the Ahl al-Bayt have increased in number — whether they be Shia or non-Shia who nonetheless believe in the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt. There are many such individuals who aren’t officially Shia but believe in the teachings and intellectual principles of the Ahl al-Bayt (pbut). This is one of the blessings of Ali ibn Musa al-Reza’s (pbuh) journey. This is the first point that one of the benefits and fruits of Imam al-Reza’s blessed journey from Medina to Khorasan was this. His presence, the events that unfolded, the negotiations that took place, the debates that were held, and the manner in which this noble personage conducted himself with Ma’mun, with the people, and with the officials of the country at that time — each of these had the impact of magnifying the Shia in the eyes of others and elevating the school of thought of the Ahl al-Bayt (pbut).
The second impact I would like to emphasize is that Ali ibn Musa al-Reza spread the issue of Ashura and the issue of Imam Hussain (pbuh) throughout the Islamic world. That is to say, the event of Ashura itself among the people who follow the school of the Ahl al-Bayt has caused the Shia [belief] to be known throughout history as the standard-bearer of fight against oppression. The tragedy in Karbala was an event that had to find a place in people's hearts. The one who was able to initiate this with a great leap forward was Ali ibn Musa al-Reza (pbuh).
The famous narration from Ibn Shabib — Rayyan ibn Shabib — in which the Imam said, “In kunta bākiyan li-shay'in fa-ibki lil-Hussain (pbuh),” which is the beginning of a longer narration, is a profoundly significant statement. [This means,] “If you’re to going to cry for something, cry for Hussain (pbuh).” This highlighted the importance of Karbala. He also gave tremendous promises for those who make a pilgrimage to visit Imam Hussain and for those who mourn and shed tears for him, “On the Day of Judgment you will be united with us, and you will be by our side.” And other similar promises were made. These are in that narration.
So when the issue of Karbala is brought up, when the tragedy of the martyrdom of Hussain ibn Ali (pbuh) is mentioned, this question naturally arises, “Why was this noble personage martyred?” This question is the key to many of Islam’s social teachings, “Why was he martyred?” What happened that after about only 50 years from the time of the passing of the Prophet (pbuh), such a great tragedy took place and the Prophet’s own grandson was martyred? What happened? This is a fundamental question. It can uncover [the relationship between] hearts and events throughout human history and the duties of Muslims.
Imam Hussain fought against oppression. Imam Hussain didn’t tolerate injustice. Imam Hussain wouldn’t accept the domination of corrupt, immoral individuals over Islamic society. He wouldn’t agree to that. These are extremely important matters that when the issue of Karbala is discussed, these matters naturally come up as well. So this was about Ali ibn Musa al-Reza (pbuh). It was due to the blessing of Imam Reza’s words that the tragic event of Karbala and Ashura became clarified. This is a very important matter.
With regard to the country’s current issues, there were confrontations and significant events were imposed upon the Iranian nation. A war was imposed upon us. The Iranian nation stood firmly against it with great strength, capturing the world’s attention. Due to these events, Iran gained a special magnificence and a new dignity in the eyes of the global community. In any case, this is related to that event.
A question that arises here is, "What’s the reason for the US’s hostility toward Iran?" This may seem like an easy question, but it's actually quite complicated. The answer to this question is important. It has a complicated answer. And this hostility isn't something new. For 45 years, various US administrations — with diverse people, figures, and parties in power — have demonstrated the same hostility, the same sanctions, and the same threats toward the Islamic Republic and the dear people of Iran. What’s the reason behind this?
In the past, they used to conceal the reason [for their hostility] using various pretexts, such as: terrorism, human rights, women's issues, or democracy. Or, if they did speak about the reason, they would do so in a more respectable way, saying, “We want Iran’s behavior to change.” This is how they used to talk in the past. The man who is now in office in the US has exposed the real reason. He’s revealed their true objective. He said, "Our confrontation with Iran and with the Iranian nation is because we want Iran to be obedient to the US." We, the Iranian people, must understand this correctly. This is an important matter. Of course, his exact words may have been slightly different from what I’ve said. For example, he may have said, “They should listen,” or “Iran should listen to us.”
In other words, a government or a power has emerged in the world that has this expectation that Iran — this country with such a history, such dignity, and such a people — that this country, this history, and this great nation with all its merits should be obedient to it. This is the reason for these hostilities.
Those who say, “Don’t chant slogans against the US, or they’ll get angry and become hostile toward you,” only see the surface of matters. Those who argue, “Why don’t you hold direct negotiations with the US and resolve issues?” only see the surface of matters in my opinion. That isn’t the crux of the matter. This isn’t a matter that can be resolved, [because] what they want is for Iran to be obedient to the US. The Iranian nation feels deeply offended by such a grave insult, and they will stand with all their might against anyone who has such an illegitimate expectation.
The recent war was for this very reason. They pushed the Zionist regime, incited it, showed their approval, and assisted it in attacking Iran. In their delusion, they were hoping to finish off Iran and bring an end to the Islamic Republic! They had no idea that in response to their move, Iran would strike such a powerful blow that it would make them regret. They never imagined such a thing.
They imagined that with this attack, Iran would be finished. You see, Iran was attacked on June 13, [2025]. One day later — that is, on June 14 — a group of US agents gathered in a European capital and began discussing replacing the Islamic Republic! I heard this was mentioned on television a few days ago too. They informed us about this at that time. That is how certain they were that their attack would shake the foundations of the Islamic Republic in the country. They were confident that it would turn the people against the Islamic Republic.
They were so sure about this that just one day after their attack began, they convened to discuss who, what government, and what form of government would rule in Iran after the Islamic Republic! They even chose a monarch. They chose a shah, saying so-and-so would become the king of Iran! This is what they thought about Iran. They imagined that this attack would create a rift between the system and the people, the system would be weakened, they would be able to focus on and achieve their vile, malicious objectives, and they could carry out their plans.
I insist on this — I have said this many times before and I insist on repeating it — by standing beside the Armed Forces, the government, and the system, the Iranian nation delivered a powerful blow to all of them.
Among that gathering of fools who convened to find a replacement for the Islamic Republic in Iran, there was also an Iranian. What a pathetic Iranian who acted to the [detriment] of his own country, in favor of the Jews, Zionism, and the US! Of course, this was before our Armed Forces had fully demonstrated their power. This was during the first and second days. Afterwards, praise God, our Armed Forces were able to accomplish great feats for which they deserve the gratitude of the entire Iranian nation, and we do thank them. And in the future, God willing, the strength and capability of the Iranian nation in its Armed Forces will continue to grow day by day.
Now, there is one more point that I would like to address here. The conclusion that our enemies have drawn from these events is that Iran cannot be brought to its knees by way of a war or military attack. The Islamic Republic cannot be pushed back using these harsh tools and methods. They’ve been doing similar things for the last 45 years, but the Islamic Republic has grown stronger every day. They thought that the next choice for them was to create division and to sow discord inside the country. Of course, they have agents inside the country. There are Zionist and US agents in different parts of the country. By way of these agents, or by way of those who are heedless of what they say and what they write, they seek to create divisions between the people and to create multiple, conflicting voices inside the country.
Praise God, our country is united today. Our people are united today. There are differences of opinion. Differences in political and social viewpoints exist. But when it comes to defending the system, defending the country, and standing against the enemy, our people are united today. This unity is to the detriment of our enemies. This unity prevents their invasions and attacks. This is what they want to eliminate. Be careful about this. Those who speak [publicly], those who write things, those who conduct research, and those who write tweets need to be mindful of what they’re doing.
This sacred unity, this widespread accord, this shield of steel forged from the very hearts and will of the people, must not be marred. Praise God, we have unity today. The people must preserve this unity. The officials of the country, especially the heads of the three branches of government, who are also working together in complete unity and harmony today, praise God, must preserve this. The people should support those serving the country. They should support the President. The President is hardworking, diligent, and following up on matters. People who are hardworking, diligent, and following up on matters like this must be appreciated. The unity between the nation and the government, between the various officials of the system, between the Armed Forces and the people, and between the people themselves is something that must be protected with our entire being. This is my definite recommendation.
Based on certain signs and indications, I feel that most of the enemy's effort today is aimed at disrupting this harmony, this unanimity, this solidarity, and this cooperation. Today, the enemy is attempting to do this using various methods. The people need to be aware of this.
Of course, some people may have differing opinions on various issues, and there is nothing wrong with that. [But] intellectuals should be mindful of the fact that presenting a new idea that complements the Iranian nation’s existing assets is different from damaging words and insults. The foundations of the Islamic Republic shouldn’t be damaged. It’s these very foundations that have nurtured the growth of this nation in this way, have elevated this country in this manner, and have brought this strength to this nation. It’s these very foundations. If people want to complete, enhance, or reform these foundations, that’s fine. But they mustn’t attempt to destroy them. The destruction [of these foundations] is what the enemy wants. And this cooperation between the three branches of government — the cooperation between the Majlis [Iranian Parliament], the administration, and the Judiciary — along with the Armed Forces and others must continue.
Today, our enemy that is standing against us — that is, the Zionist regime — is the most despised regime in the world. It is the most despised government in the world. Nations are disgusted by the Zionist regime. They loathe it, and even governments condemn it. Governments also condemn that regime, the Zionist regime. Look at how the heads of Western governments who always supported the Zionist regime are condemning it today. Of course, the condemnations are only verbal in nature. It's not enough. Verbal condemnation [alone] is useless. In my estimation, the crimes being committed today by the leaders of the Zionist regime are unprecedented in history. Killing children using starvation and thirst, murdering children by letting them die of thirst and hunger, opening fire on children who have come somewhere to receive food — such actions are unprecedented in history as far as I know. These actions have disgusted nations around the world. It’s necessary to stand up against this. And standing against it shouldn’t be merely in the form of words, where governments say, “We oppose this. We condemn it.” Even the governments of France, Britain, and others have condemned it, but this is useless. The ways for providing assistance to the Zionist regime must be blocked. The ways for helping them must be blocked.
What the brave people of Yemen are doing today is the right thing to do. It’s the right course of action. In the face of the crimes being committed by the leaders of the Zionist regime, there’s no alternative but to completely block all channels of support for them [the Zionists] from every direction.
Of course, we’re fully prepared to do whatever the Islamic Republic can do. We’re ready to do whatever can be done. And we hope, God willing, that Almighty God will bless the movement of the Iranian nation, the movements of justice-seekers around the world, and that He will uproot this deep, destructive cancer and affliction. God willing, may Almighty God awaken the Muslim nations and make them united.
May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
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