All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and Prophet, Ab-il-Qassem al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his immaculate and infallible household, especially what remains with Allah on earth.
I am grateful to Almighty Allah for granting me the opportunity to once again meet you, the faithful, sincere and loyal residents of Kerman, and visit your city, which reminds me of many dear and valuable memories.
Our trips to different provinces are first of all aimed at expressing devotion to the people who have helped the country move toward its lofty objectives through their great endeavors, dedication, patience and perseverance over many years of difficult trials. Thus, my present trip is also intended first of all to show my sincerity and devotion to the faithful and revolutionary inhabitants of this city and this province.
In particular, considering the bitter incidents that have occurred in this province over the past few years, incidents such as the devastating earthquakes in Bam and Zarand, the crash of an IRGC airplane and the loss of lives of some of our dear servicemen and the severe drought in this province which lasted for several years, I decided to travel to this province to express my sympathy to its patient and loyal residents. I am grateful to Almighty Allah for giving me this opportunity to be among you in this province.
I have been deeply affected ever since the very first moment of my arrival in this city by the enthusiastic feelings and warm emotions displayed by this city's residents on the streets and at this large gathering. However, I have been familiar with this deep affection, this warmth of feelings and this dedication for the past many years.
I am going to use this occasion to talk to you, the dear residents of Kerman and those who have come here from some other provincial cities, about the important issues of this province and of our country.
This city and this province enjoy great historical glories. Many luminaries in the fields of science, art and architecture have emerged from this province in the course of the Iranian history. The science and art in this province date back to more than a thousand years ago, when the renowned scholar Muhammad-inb-Isa Mahani lived in this province. He was followed by other well-known scientific, artistic and literary personalities, including famous mathematicians, astronomers, Islamic jurisprudents, poets and artists, who all contributed to the glorious history of this city and this province.
This province and its noble inhabitants also have bitter memories of the past. The despotic kings belonging to Qajar dynasty and also the ones before Qajar dynasty treated this city and its residents in an inhuman manner. Under dictatorships that were devoid of any spirituality, the spiritual values of this city were disregarded. Under the bloody rule of Pahlavi regime, the great talents of this city and province and their outstanding and attractive realities were ignored and fell into oblivion.
In 1979, when the residents of this province, who were fed up with the oppressions and atrocities of the former regime, staged a rally in protest against those oppressions, the agents of the former regime set fire to the city's congregational mosque and killed the people. There are many bitter and sweet memories still alive in the minds of the residents of this city and province.
You are experienced people. Different generations in this province have handed down their knowledge and experience to later generations. The residents of Kerman Province are characterized by politeness, endurance deep faith, experience and ability to properly understand and analyze political issues. In the course of the Islamic Revolution and, later, during the imposed Iraqi war, the residents of this province manifested their distinguished character in various arenas. The valorous commanders, the devotees of Islam and the exalted and honorable martyrs reflected glory on this province. They were the youngsters who rose from the ground and shone in the heavens, and their names will never be forgotten by the Iranian people.
The potentials, resources, needs and deficiencies of this province are a different matter, which I will later talk about. However, what I would like to tell you, the faithful, vigilant and erudite people, in the first place is that our nation and country are presently at a sensitive and very important juncture of their history. It should not be wrongly assumed that the sensitivity of the present juncture is related to the challenges facing our foreign policy or the threats posed by the world's bullies and arrogant powers. Such threats and intimidation have always existed, and the Iranian nation has always stood up to the bullying, hegemony, interference and threats of aliens and outside powers with determination, wisdom, prudence and an iron fist, forcing the enemies to back off. The same will also be true in the future. Therefore, when we stress that our nation and country are at a sensitive stage of their history, we do not mean to refer to the challenges facing our foreign policy, since these challenges bear no importance to our country and nation.
The fact is that over the past 26 years since the foundation of the Islamic Republic, especially since the end of the Iraqi imposed war, our nation has by divine favor attained great achievements and performed very significant tasks in this country. The Iranian nation and government have over the past years managed to greatly improve the condition of the country, which was a legacy bequeathed by a corrupt and dependent regime, build many infrastructures and help the country achieve a high status in scientific and technological fields.
Under the former regime, our country was intentionally held backward and underdeveloped, and talents were suppressed and chained. The arrogant powers viewed our country as their milking cow. This is the attitude that they always hold toward other countries. As a result of this attitude, they did not want our country to make progress, as they intended to exploit our oil and other mineral resources. What they wanted in our country was a market for their products, not a developed nation that would compete with them in scientific progress and production. The former regime was also dependent on the arrogant powers and enforced their plans and policies in this country.
The Islamic Revolution put an end to our country's dependence on aliens and outside powers, removed the barriers and hurdles and paved the way for the Iranian nation's progress and development. Today, the achievements made by the Iranian people in various fields of industry, science and technology and in building the necessary infrastructures for the future of our country can by no means be compared with those of the pre-revolution era.
What is important for our country today is that the important achievements made since our victory in the imposed war should show their positive effect on the everyday lives of the Iranian people. Through efforts that have already been made, the Iranian people and officials should be able to build a future based on welfare combined with social justice and further progress in various areas.
The country's infrastructures have been built in an appropriate manner, but the accomplishments should eliminate poverty and deprivation from the people's lives. It is not fair to disregard the efforts of the various governments that took office in the post-war era. However, more efforts are needed so that the people in different parts of the country may benefit from the achievements that have already been made. This is what makes the present juncture sensitive and significant. What our country mostly needs today is making appropriate plans to eliminate poverty, uproot corruption and enable the people in various parts of the country to benefit from the progress already made. This objective should be the focus of all plans and policies.
The country's 20-Year Perspective Document, which will be carried into effect as of this year, is a significant document because it delineates the future of our country. This document should be fully implemented through several five-year development programs. This year, the Fourth Development Program will also be initiated. It is expected to fulfill the objectives of the document that have been envisioned for the next five years. These are some of the factors that attach special significance to the coming years.
I told the Iranian people on the New Year's Day to call the current year "the Year of National Solidarity and Public Participation". The reason for this denomination was to prepare the groundwork for the materialization of public participation so that the united Iranian nation and the prudent, faithful and revolutionary government officials may take great strides toward the accomplishment of the noble objectives of the Islamic system.
Concrete measures, not mere words, are needed to administer social justice, bring about social reforms and deepen religious belief, revolutionary faith and national aspirations in society. Our country, with its dedicated people and with its considerable progress in various fields of science and technology, should become a model of different capabilities, power and progress in order to encourage and inspire other Muslim nations in the world and bring glory to Islam. The Iranian nation truly deserves such a high status. This is another reason why the present juncture is sensitive and important to us.
Later this year, the 9th presidential election will be held in our country. This election is also very significant to our nation. All elections can be compared to a pleasant breeze which changes the environment and makes it fragrant and revitalized. They give rise to a new atmosphere in the country and inspire new hopes in the hearts of the public. Presidential elections, in particular, are among the most attractive, enthusiastic and serious scenes of public participation.
The upcoming presidential election is very important to our nation. It is also important to our enemies. The propaganda apparatus of our enemies has been focused on our June-17 presidential election since a few months ago. What the enemies want about this election is exactly opposite to what is in the interests of our nation and country. What they want is a low voter turnout in the election. This is why they are trying through their propaganda machinery to undermine the confidence of our people, make them dejected and discourage them from going to the polls in the upcoming election. They are seeking an objective that is contrary to what is in the interests of our nation and country.
Elections are a sign of power and a cause of immunity for our nation and country, as they make our nation and our government more powerful in the face of various challenges in the world. Enthusiastic public participation in the upcoming election will turn a new page in the history of our nation.
The enemies are opposed to the holding of elections in our country. They would prevent the holding of elections in Iran if they could influence certain political groups to do so. They formerly tried to prevent the holding of the election to the 7th Majlis, but failed in their attempts.
The fact that our Islamic system, a system that has hoisted the banner of religion and monotheism, has been able to introduce democracy in a real sense and in a clear form to the world proves the falsity of the propaganda disseminated by the world's liberal democracy. The liberal democratic governments are claiming that they hold a monopoly on democracy. Thus, they cannot take the fact that an Islamic system with its noble religious values has managed to institutionalize democracy.
Over the past 25 years, at least 25 elections have been held in our country. By going to the polls, the Iranian people have elected their favorite high-ranking officials and played a major role in achieving the ideals of the Islamic system. Therefore, elections in our country, including presidential elections, bear great significance.
The next presidential election is approaching. The people are expected to go to the polls with complete awareness and knowledge about the candidates. As I stated earlier, elections are a very attractive manifestation of public participation, which is the most effective way for any individual to contribute to the fulfillment of his or her ideals and objectives. If you vote for a presidential candidate based on your own aims and aspirations, there are great chances that those aims and aspirations will be realized.
Contrary to the false propaganda disseminated by the enemies, the president of the Islamic Republic plays a very important role in the country. He is the Executive's most influential figure and plays a pivotal role in solving the problems facing the public. The Constitution of the Islamic Republic has invested no other official with so much power and wide scope of authority as the president. Besides, the country's budget is at the president's disposal, and he holds sway over all high-ranking officials of the Executive.
The president has the ability to make the country prosperous and promote its scientific and technological progress. It is the competence and efficiency of the president that makes the people enjoy their lives. What our nation and country need is a competent and efficient president. The head of the Executive shoulders heavy and sensitive responsibilities. He is also vested by the Constitution with great power and authority to perform his duties.
A president who is efficient and capable and who believes in the ideals, objectives and independence of the nation and the need for the country to make progress is able to perform great tasks, as did the previous governments over the past years. The results of the efforts made by each government were handed down to the next government, so that it might follow through on the measures taken by its predecessor to serve the public.
It is worthy of mention that the Leader of the Islamic Republic will fully support anyone who is elected president by the people, as it has been the case in the past and will continue to be so in the future.
What is of the utmost importance at the present juncture is that the people should make sure that they will vote for a presidential candidate who is capable of solving the problems existing in various areas, a candidate who is well aware of the necessities and duties of our time and who will try to fulfill them with strength and determination.
Any period is characterized by certain qualities. Today, our nation needs efforts to be made to promote scientific and technological progress, administer social justice and counter corruption. The next president should attach great significance to such requirements and try to serve the nation in the best possible manner.
Our country needs an energetic, determined, competent and perseverant president, a president who will recognize the worth and merit of the people and make every effort to solve their problems, who will try to promote development in large cities and small towns and remote villages alike, and who will seek to remove discrimination and fill the gap between the poor and the rich. In short, our country needs a president who is brave, wise and loyal to the ideals and objectives of the revolution and of the Islamic system.
The Leader of the Islamic Republic does not support a certain presidential candidate. He sets some criteria for the people to observe when voting for presidential candidates. What is important is that whoever is elected president meets these criteria.
I personally would like someone to be elected chief of the Executive whose main goal is to serve the public, who is competent and efficient enough to hold this office, who is faithful to the ideals of our revolution and Islamic system and who really aims to administer justice and combat corruption. I pray to Almighty Allah to guide our people so that they may vote for a presidential candidate characterized by these features.
I assure you that if a dynamic and competent candidate who is devoted to the people and whose priorities are to administer social justice and to remove discrimination and corruption from society is elected president, many of the problems currently facing our nation both on the domestic and international fronts will be resolved.
What the arrogant powers consider a threat is the inclination of Muslim nations to take their own identity and independence seriously. As was stated earlier, the arrogant powers want the Islamic countries that have lagged behind in science and technology for certain reasons to remain underdeveloped forever. They are opposed to any kind of progress in any underdeveloped nation. When they notice that our country, which was held backward under the former regime, has now turned into a country that is attaining great achievements in the fields of science and technology and making considerable progress, they feel alarmed and threatened.
What annoys and aggravates the United States and other arrogant powers is the will and intention on the part of other nations to decide for their own. U.S. officials expect other nations, including our nation, to entrust their decision-making and also the exploitation of their natural resources to the United States and submit to U.S. hegemony and domination. Otherwise, U.S. officials would accuse other nations of supporting terrorism, violating human rights and similar charges.
The Iranian people have shown that they would not yield to bullying and intimidation; our people have indicated to brazen U.S. officials that they will bravely and strongly confront whoever threatens their independence, identity, dignity and national interests.
U.S. officials are so shameless and impudent as to say that Iran does not need nuclear energy! This matter is none of their business! They have no right to say that the Iranian nation should not make use of nuclear energy.
The officials of the United States are among the most infamous figures in the world. They have shed the blood of innocent people in different countries, and they are the officials of an aggressive and expansionist power that has oppressed different nations across the world and lying and hypocrisy is its common practice. But they are now accusing the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation of lying. This is extreme shamelessness.
U.S. officials are saying why the Iranian people should use nuclear energy. Why shouldn't they use it? The Iranian people neither asked the United States for nuclear technology nor obtained it from that country. Our young talented scientists developed this advanced technology themselves. It is a national accomplishment.
The spokesmen of the arrogant powers are saying that they are waiting for the upcoming presidential election to be held in Iran, and that they will decide on Iran's peaceful use of nuclear energy after the election! Elections in Iran are not their business! Elections in this country only concern our nation. Anyone who is elected president of the Islamic Republic in the upcoming election neither wants nor will be allowed by the Iranian people to take any steps contrary to their interests.
The Islamic Revolution and our Islamic system awakened the Iranian people and made them familiar with their rights, prepared the groundwork for the fulfillment of talent and potential of Iranian youngsters and paved the way for their progress. Today, youngsters from some remote towns in your province are top students at Iranian universities.
In the despotic atmosphere that prevailed in this country under the former regime, it was not possible for young people from remote towns in this province to enter universities, shine in scientific arenas and make remarkable progress. But today our youngsters enjoy this opportunity and, by the favor of Allah, they will make further progress as time goes by.
I would also like to make a few remarks about Kerman Province. This province possesses great natural and human resources. It has made considerable progress in the industrial area. There are unique mineral and agricultural potentials in this province. It also has unique possibilities for animal husbandry.
There are many archeological sites and tourist attractions in Kerman Province. It also has a considerable share of our country's non-oil exports. It is also possible to build a solar power plant in this province. Above all, the young talented workforce is considered a valuable asset to this province.
Despite all the abundant resources, valuable potentials and great wealth, the economic and social conditions of Kerman Province are not satisfactory, as some parts of the province are really deprived and underprivileged.
I had also visited this province and its deprived regions before the revolution. I had been exiled to the provincial city of Jiroft, and I had visited the city of Kahnouj. Some of my friends had been exiled to other provincial cities like Baft and Shahr-e-Babak. Therefore, we knew how the living conditions were in the deprived regions of this province. I was familiar with the condition of this province and its inhabitants in the days before the revolution.
It is true that since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, many positive measures have been taken in the deprived regions of this province, the measures which were once considered to be only a dream. However, what has been done is still far from what should be done for this province.
Today, Kerman Province is in dire need of more job opportunities, especially for young people, who need jobs in order to make a living, get married and start families. Therefore, creating jobs is the top priority of this province.
Government officials should not engage in useless political disputes. Instead, they should find out what people need in their everyday lives and try to fulfill public requirements. Different political groups and factions should also avoid wasting their time as well as the people's time with futile political slogans.
The reports presented by provincial officials all indicate the progress made in various fields such as agriculture, industry, mines and the like, and indeed these reports are true. The progress has really been made. However, when one studies the reports presented by the people's representatives and trustees, one notices that the reports emphasize the people's problems and privations. These reports also indicate existing realities.
The fact is that considerable progress has been made in this province, but the progress made has not been enough to fulfill all the requirements of the local people in different parts of the province. Therefore, it is necessary that more serious and earnest efforts be made to dispense justice, bridge the gap between the poor and the rich and raise the living standard of the underprivileged people, the people who at the time of difficult trials have been in the forefront of defending their country against the enemy's aggression, and who will do the same also in the future.
During this visit, we are going to conduct a broad and comprehensive study of the condition of this province. Government officials will also help us become informed of the realities. They will also extend the government's assistance aimed at solving the problems facing the residents of this province.
Still, what worries me is the fact that the present government is approaching the end of its term of office. The officials of the present government will soon leave office, and the officials of the next government may disregard the issue of this province.
Before I started off my visit to Kerman Province, I told our president - and now I would like to tell other government officials dealing with the affairs of this province as well as the local officials - to make sure that the decisions which will be made in the course of this visit will be turned into executive directives over the next two or three months remaining of the present government's tenure, so that the next government may know what it is expected to do and what measures it should take with regard to Kerman Province.
Here, I would also like to tell the next president of the Islamic Republic, who is not elected yet, and the members of his Cabinet, who are not appointed yet, to follow up the measures of the present government and carry out the decisions that will be made about Kerman Province in the course of this visit.
The today's meeting with you, the honorable, kind-hearted, faithful and loyal residents of Kerman, will be one of my memorable meetings. I hope we will able to respond to your warm emotions and perform the duties that we shoulder toward you and your province. I hope our government officials will recognize the worth and merit of our honorable people and try to serve them in the best possible manner.
I pray to Almighty Allah to bestow His grace and favor on our dear people, especially the honorable residents of Kerman Province and their revered martyrs, war-disabled veterans and ex-POWs and also their faithful and devoted families, and to grant us success in performing our duties toward our nation. I also pray to the Almighty to make His Holiness Imam of the Age - may our souls be sacrificed for his sake - pleased and contented with us.
Greetings be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings