Today, what we witness in the statements of arrogant powers and the opponents of the Islamic government - particularly, the opponents of the Islamic Republic - is their insistence on a change in our behavior. They sometimes say, "We do not want to change the Islamic Republic. Rather, we want a change in its behavior". A change in behavior is not different from changing the system. It is exactly the same. A change in the inner aspect of Islam is the meaning of this change in behavior. When they say that we should change our behavior, it means that we should abandon and forget about the main elements of our movement and that we should make no effort to preserve them. This is the meaning of a change in our behavior. This is what is referred to - in some writings and speeches - as the religion of minimums. It means decreasing one's ideals and this means the destruction of the inner aspect of Islam. This religion of minimums means the complete elimination of religion.
Now, under such circumstances, our goal and main guideline should be to pursue Islam in its entirety. We should really do our best - Allah the Exalted does not expect us to act beyond our power and capability - to pursue this. Our effort and goal should be to establish Islam - in its entirety and with all its parts and constituents - in society. When this becomes our goal, they immediately bring up a certain issue, namely Islamophobia which is common in today's world. In my opinion, we should not at all adopt a passive outlook towards the phenomenon of Islamophobia. Islamophobia exists.
The enemy front is after reviving its domination over our country
The event and the truth of the Revolution should be alive in our minds and hearts in a constant manner. As it happens, the enemy’s front has placed great emphasis on this point. When you see in foreign news that such and such an American politician has said that they do not want to overthrow the Islamic Republic, but that they want to make it change its behavior – as you have heard, they have said this – a change in behavior means this. It means that the behavior of the Islamic Republic has been revolutionary until now and that it has been at the service of the Revolution and therefore, they want to change it.
A few months ago, I said to those of our diplomats who had gathered here that they are not afraid of the Islamic Republic’s name. They are not even afraid that a turban-wearing individual is at the top of the political system. If the Islamic Republic loses its content and its Islamic and revolutionary behavior, then they will get along with it. What defines their enmity is the content of the Islamic Republic. The enemy front is like this. They have focused all their efforts on destroying the Islamic Republic’s movement towards divine, Islamic, dignifying and power-inspiring goals. The enemy front is after reviving its domination over our country.
We used to be under the domination of the enemy for many years. In every era, this domination took a specific form. We were under his domination during the time of the Qajar dynasty in one way and during the time of the Pahlavi dynasty in a different way. During the time of the Qajar dynasty, we were under the domination of two rivals: England and Russia of those days. At that time, the Soviet Union had not been formed yet. When one of them obtained a concession, the other would say, “You have given him a concession and therefore, you should give one to me as well” and this was how they obtained a concession. A competition to win concessions had taken place between these two powers in our country. And those incompetent individuals who were ruling over our country had sacrificed both the people and the people’s goals for the sake of them.
In those days, Iran’s population was no more than 15, 20 million people. They sacrificed everything that the people had for the sake of them. During the Qajar era, this happened in a specific manner and during the Pahlavi era, this took a different form which was, of course, worse. In the case of the latter, they dedicated themselves to the goals of those powers and they opened up the country for them. The Iranian-Islamic culture could help the people resist. However, they changed this culture. During the Pahlavi era, they tried to destroy the spirit that had managed to strike that foreign company in the mouth on the issue of tobacco. They tried to destroy the motive that had managed to bring the people to the arena on the issue of the Constitutional Movement. They were trying to do this. And Reza Khan and Mohammad Reza were at their service and they did whatever they wanted. Of course, they themselves did not believe in them, but they followed all the orders that they issued. This was the condition of the country over the course of many years.
Thanks to its Islamic essence and its Iranian talent, thanks to the advantages and characteristics that Iranian society enjoys – this is while many societies in the world do not have these advantages and characteristics – and thanks to the emergence of an extraordinary and exceptional leader like our magnanimous Imam (r.a.), our country managed to liberate itself from the heavy burden of all these pressures, to stand on its own feet, to do what it is supposed to do and to make its own moves. They want to destroy this. Today, the enemy front is after this.
Arrogant powers can only topple those governments that are not reliant on people
One of the things which American politicians say in their speeches to our officials is that they do not intend to change the regime of Iran. First of all, they are lying. If they could, they would not hesitate even for a moment to destroy the foundation of the Islamic Republic. Second, they cannot. Arrogant regimes can only topple those governments which are not reliant on the masses of the people.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is reliant on the faith, kindness and willpower of the people. Which country do you know that holds commemoration ceremonies for its revolution with the presence of the people on the streets and with powerful slogans even after the passage of tens of years? By Allah's favor, you will witness that on the 22nd of Bahman, the people of Iran will once more show their presence, their great strength and national power in all cities.
What is important is that the people of Iran know the secret to their success is resistance, and thankfully, they know this. What is important is that they know the way to achieve security is showing national power and national strength. National power is manifested by certain things and the people will show this power in their great demonstrations, their orientations and their rallies such as the 22nd of Bahman rallies and other such rallies in different elections. They will show this presence through scientific achievements and through their support of the Islamic Republic. This is the important point. What preserves the security of the country is showing national power. When the people show off their national power to the enemy, he cannot do anything.
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