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, Muhammad, and his untainted, pure, chosen Progeny, particularly the Remnant of God on earth.
I would like to welcome all of you, my dear brothers, and I would like to convey my heartfelt greetings to all the hardworking and diligent members of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Air Force, wherever they may be in the country. I congratulate you in advance on Eid al-Mab’ath, the Fajr Decade, and the 22nd of Bahman. I hope that, God willing, the forthcoming years will bring a promising and forward-looking future for the Air Force, surpassing the progress achieved in the previous few decades.
Our meeting today, like every year, is on the occasion of commemorating the incredible incident which took place on the 19th of Bahman, 1357 AHS [February 8, 1979 AD]. It truly was a remarkable event. About that event, I myself have talked in detail with you all many times during various meetings and I have told you about the issues related to that incident. However, in my opinion, the wisdom and lessons from this event are endless. That is what happens when one works courageously and selflessly for the cause of God. It has many blessings as the Almighty God blesses all the work that is done for Him. What do we mean when we say that God "blesses" it? It means that the effects of the work and its benefits do not end. They continue. That is what is meant by "blessing."
That incident [that occurred on the 19th of Bahman, 1357] is the same. We have repeatedly reiterated the lessons learned from that incident. We have raised them, we have discussed them, and others besides me — including you, our friends, and officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army and others — have spoken about this. However, when one revisits this incident, it is evident that there is still room for people to gain insight and learn from it. Now, I would like to address and discuss one particular aspect that comes to mind today.
The Air Force took the lead in joining the Revolution. Of course, the Army, which was an upright, popular, Muslim, and faithful body, easily joined the Revolution, but the Air Force was the vanguard. They initially brought about that extraordinary incident by pledging allegiance [to Imam Khomeini] on the 19th of Bahman and then by resisting against the Shah's Imperial Guard who had launched an attack on their training facility. On the eve of the 21st [of Bahman], they [the Imperial Guard] launched an attack and those elements of the Air Force who were in the training facility — the current Martyr Khazraei training facility — fought back. They opened the door of the armory, handed weapons to the people, and resisted. The young people and other Revolutionary forces became also excited and they too entered the field. They went to the aid of the Air Force in that area, and they also took to the streets in the city of Tehran.
I remember it myself. It was perhaps twelve o'clock or one after midnight. We were gathered at a residence located on Iran street when we suddenly heard the sound of young individuals walking and shouting, “They are attacking the Air Force! Everyone, come out!” The people came out of their homes and went to help them. This was the big step that the Air Force took to join the Revolution.
Now the point I want to mention is this: this groundbreaking action became the catalyst for the Revolution. This is the point [that you need to note] today. This [the Air Force’s pledge of allegiance] was the 19th of Bahman, the events at that training facility occurred on the 20th and 21st of Bahman, and the Revolution achieved victory on the 22nd of Bahman when it was all over and the people emerged triumphant. The acceleration of this incident is evident. In every endeavor, the accelerating factor plays a decisive role. Now I will come back to this and talk about the accelerating element later. The Air Force was able to uplift people’s hopes with this measure. Well, the Revolutionaries were confronting the [Shah’s] guards and similar forces on the streets. [What the Air Force did] boosted people's hope and their courage while weakening the spirit of the opposition, the counter-revolutionaries, the Shah’s court and their followers. That is how this acceleration occurred.
It is also important to note that after this first step, I think after about 5 or 6 months, the Self-Sufficiency Jihad was established. The first branch in the military in which the Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization was formed was the Air Force. This is the same spirit of taking action. That is, the same spirit that leads an active member of the Shah’s army toward freeing themselves and joining the Revolutionaries — this state of courage, spiritual ability, and spiritual strength — this same spirit later extends into the field of construction, resulting in the formation of the Self-Sufficiency Jihad.
The first place in which the Self-Sufficiency Jihad was established was in the Air Force, and this marked a momentous event. It was a great step for the Air Force to think about making their own equipment and facilities, building their own parts, repairing damaged parts, unravelling the secrets behind the complex American technology here for themselves — which they were not previously allowed to do — and, in short, taking action. This was a big step.
Before this major step, in fact this movement, the Air Force belonged entirely to the Americans. There were many faithful members in the Air Force, and I personally knew some of them myself. Before the Revolution, I had some friends who were members of the Air Force, and we maintained communication and contact with one another. There were plenty of faithful members in the Air Force, but the leadership positions were held by the Americans. Their fighter aircraft and other military equipment in the Air Force belonged to the United States. It was the property of the United States, even though Iran had purchased them and paid for them. Even though an aircraft may have been housed in a specific Air Base, its ownership and authority to utilize and control it rested with the United States.
These things that I am saying are verified and backed with evidence, not just some mere claims. According to a diary entry by Mohammad Reza Shah’s mother, Mohammad Reza went to her one day and said “Damn this kingship!” She asked him what was wrong, to which he replied, “I am the king of this country, I am the commander-in-chief of this county, yet the Americans come and take our planes to Vietnam, without even informing me!” That’s how it is. That is the [US] “ownership.”
Now even if he had been informed, he would not have had the courage to oppose it. He would have allowed it, but they didn’t even bother asking for his permission. Even though they were certain that their request would not be rejected, they still did not care enough to ask the king of the country for his permission. They did not tell him that they were taking his country’s fighter airplanes to Vietnam to use them against the Vietnamese people. That used to be the state of the [Iranian] Air Force.
Well, the faithful elements of the Air Force changed it from being American to being Iranian. The Air Force was Iranianized. It became Iranian. Its commander became Iranian, its elements became Iranian, its decision-makers became Iranian, and its equipment became Iranian. Yes, it was made in America, but it belonged to Iran. They did not dare touch it anymore.
At some point, certain individuals wanted to return our F-14s out of negligence. That is, we hope it was out of negligence and not treason. They said, “We have no need for any F-14s!” This action was prevented. The Air Force became Iranian, belonging to Iranians. So, the Air Force had such a history. In other words, advancements and the power to make transformations within the Force and its functionality, show us such clear and obvious examples.
So, we said a catalyst is necessary. The Air Force was the catalyst of the Revolution. The Air Force, in a unique circumstance, became the catalyst of the Revolution’s victory and the catalyst for breaking the reliance of the Air Force and the army on others. This became the catalyst, but I now wish to discuss this matter in a broader context. In every situation, there is a need for a catalyst. Why? Because major, purposeful movements often suffer a slump. Even though they do not stop, they experience a state of sluggishness and lethargy. That is the nature of major movements.
When you look at the numerous revolutions that have taken place across the world, [you will see that] a revolution has initially taken place, something has been done with the intention of deep and fundamental transformation. However, after a few years, the same circumstances that existed prior to the revolution resurface once again. During my presidency, I visited a country in Africa (Mozambique) that was formerly ruled by the Portuguese, and a local revolutionary president (Samora Machel) had come to office there. The organizations that we saw there, which welcomed and served us, were exactly the same as those led by the Portuguese commanders. It was as though a Portuguese commander was sitting there instead of this black man who had become the president, in the exact form, without any changes!
This is how it is. In other words, social movements suffer from the following problems: the problem of slowing down, stopping, or regressing. If a movement is to continue, it requires a catalyst. So, who becomes the catalyst? I will tell you.
Of course, there is a fundamental difference in the Islamic Revolution that differentiate it from other revolutions. The Islamic Revolution has some things within itself that are appealing, and this in turn attracts cases of growth. Even if we have cases of decay, these cases of growth will compensate for those cases of decay. What is an example of this attraction? This extensive range of goals, strategies, and aspirations within the Islamic Republic is an example. In the Islamic Republic, even in the most challenging arenas, there is the battle against oppression; there is the fight against oppression and standing against the coercion of the world class bullies. [But on the other hand,] there are also mihrabs [the place in front of the mosque where the prayer leader leads the communal prayers] of worship, the Jamkaran Mosque, the Ehya [Vigil] nights, the Arbaeen Walk, and the I’tikaf during the month of Rajab.
See the extensive range of activities. There is both a battle against oppression and a battle against the carnal self; there is a focus on the future of the country, as well as attention toward God, spirituality, zikr [God’s remembrance], paradise, and the like. This itself causes the cases of growth to replace the cases of decay. It prevents or reduces any sluggishness. I am not implying that there will be absolutely no [deceleration], but this is the nature of the Islamic Revolution, both within itself and in its essence.
Therefore, a catalyst is needed. What is the purpose of this catalyst? It is to prevent the slowing down of actions, to counteract fear, to avoid experiencing incompetence and inferiority in the operational group when a great task is about to be undertaken. This is where the role of the catalyst comes into play. [So], who is this catalyst and what do they do? I already spoke about what the catalyst does. But who is the catalyst? In my understanding, the catalyst is who we refer to as "the elite," the elite within society.
Who are “the elite?” Are they well-known individuals, educated people, or scientists, for example? No. That is not the intended meaning of the term “elite.” The elite refers to a group of people who make decisions based on their own thinking and knowledge, rather than blindly following others. These people are regarded as “the elite.” These “elites” can be among various revolutionaries, businesspeople, workers, military personnel, clerics, and various other groups. They can be among those who work in the media, students, or politicians. I previously spoke about “the elite” in great detail many years ago. These individuals are the ones considered as “the elite.”
Fortunately, in our country and in our nation, the elite are not in the minority. Those who think, identify things, make decisions, and take action based on a plan are widespread in the country and this is due to the blessings of the Revolution. That is not the case in many countries around the world. Now, I have not been there myself, but there are reports from some of the big and famous countries in the world that the general public are not aware of what is going on in the world around them. All they are concerned about is to earn a bit of money or to add to their wealth a bit.
This is not the case in our country. In our country, people who act with discernment, understand what they are doing, recognize the fronts, recognize the enemy, know the methods, and recognize who their friends are, are not few in number. Rather, they are numerous. These people can play an active role. They can undertake tasks for the country in critical cases.
They have a heavy responsibility. What I would like to tell you and the entire nation is that these people whom we call “the elite” — that is, those who have ideas, their views are thoughtful and discerning, they understand and recognize different situations, they know what is going on and refrain from blindly following others — have heavy responsibilities. They need to maintain the general direction of the movement of the society and not allow this movement to deviate. If the elite members of the society neglect this duty, the repercussions that follow will strike historic blows to the nations. We have experienced many incidents like this throughout the history of Islam.
During the era of the Commander of the Faithful [Imam Ali], Imam Hasan, and Imam Hussain (pbut), there were people among the elite who correctly understood and identified the issues, but were not present when their involvement was needed. These individuals were doubtful, indecisive, lazy, and sometimes even treacherous. Their negative impact spread to others, including those who blindly followed the majority. We have had these kinds of cases.
During the Battle of Siffin, some people became doubtful when they saw the Qurans on the spears, and they created doubt in others as well. There are accounts suggesting that some of these individuals did this intentionally, rather than by mistake. While it cannot be stated with certainty, it is said that they did it to conspire with the enemy. Such a situation may occur.
Thus, I would like to bring to your attention that today, the enemy front has devised a special plan targeting the elite. They have plans for the elite in our country and in many other places. They seek to create doubts, hesitations, and indecisiveness in them. They seek to lure them with worldly pleasures, to attract them so that [these elites] do not take action at critical moments and where it is necessary, preventing the accelerating [element] that is expected of them.
The duty of the elite is to counteract the enemy’s attempts to sow doubt and to clarify matters when necessary. The “jihad of clarification” that I have mentioned before is based on this.
There were also some members of the Air Force, who were known for their logical thinking and discussing, reasoning abilities, and their ability to influence others. Some of them are the martyrs whose photos are displayed here on the walls, whom I knew personally. They carried out their duties at the appropriate moments. There is an example in the Quran that emphasizes this point which I believe is very important.
It is regarding a faithful man who is mentioned in Surah Yaseen. “There came a man hurrying from the city outskirts. He said, ‘O my people! Follow the messengers!’” (Quran 36:20). When God sent three prophets to this nation, and the people did not believe them, conspired against them, and decided to get rid of them, one brave faithful man rushed to the crowed and said, “O my people! Follow the messengers!” He then said, “Follow them who do not ask you any reward and they are rightly guided” (36:21).
Then it reaches this verse, which is that part I mean to emphasize: “Why should I not worship Him who has originated me, and to whom you shall be brought back? Shall I take gods besides Him? … Indeed, I have faith in your Lord, so listen to me” (36:22-25).
He declared his faith, loud and clear. The elite need to be transparent. They need to communicate clearly. They should dispel any doubts from people's minds and avoid speaking in a vague or ambiguous manner. “Indeed, I have faith in your Lord, so listen to me!” Listen! I am a believer! This is an example of something the elite can do.
Well, now, if we were to use an example relating to our present time, I believe it would be the incident in Gaza. The elite in the Islamic world have certain duties. The elite are the scholars, scientists, politically active people, and journalists. They see what is happening in Gaza. They realize how the US and its support for the Zionist regime are hurting humanity. They are aware of this. Well, they should talk to their own people and explain the situation in order to persuade them. They need to create a public demand among the people so that their governments will have no choice but to strike a strong blow to the Zionist regime. What do we mean by a strong blow? We are not saying they should enter a war. They will not do that and it is perhaps not even possible for many of them. However, what they can do is cut economic relations [with the Zionist regime]. That is a strong blow. If people around the world demand this from their governments and put pressure on them, this will happen and it will be effective.
Nations can compel their governments to withdraw their backing for the cruel and wolfish regime that has taken the lives of women, children, the sick, and the elderly and killed well over 20,000 people in Gaza in just a few months. [They can do something] so that this regime will not be supported. I have even heard that some Islamic countries provide the Zionist regime with weapons. Some also provide various economic assistance. Well, it is up to the nations to stop this. Nations can exert pressure on their governments and persuade them. Who can awaken the nations? The elite. See how important the role of the elite is and how they can handle and pursue such an important event.
Now, within our own country, there is also the issue of the upcoming elections. The elite can play a role [in this event]. Certainly, if the elections are held inside the country as fervently as possible, it will further demonstrate our nation’s power, and national power directly leads to our national security. In other words, when the enemy front looks and sees the presence of the people, when it observes the power of the system and sees that this country is powerful, when it sees that the people are ready and prepared, their threats will be thwarted. So, national strength creates national security. This is very valuable and important. This is where the elite can play a role by making the elections exuberant. All revolutionary endeavors are like this.
We have the 22nd of Bahman rally ahead of us in a few days. God willing, our dear people will participate in this lively march. This also signifies authority. In the past 45 years, people from big cities, small towns, and even villages across the country have consistently partaken in the 22nd of Bahman rallies every year, without a single pause, chanting slogans, expressing support for their own Revolution, announcing the name of the magnanimous Imam [Khomeini], and reaffirming their allegiance to him. God willing, this year will be no different.
I ask the Almighty God to grant the Iranian nation with success, dignity, and honor. May He suppress the nation's enemies, and may the nation emerge victorious over their enemies. God willing, may all of you dear members of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Air Force, as well as the entire Armed Forces, including the army, the IRGC, police force, Basij, and others, be subjected to God's grace, guidance, and assistance.
May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
