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.
Welcome my dear young people, our dear brothers and sisters, especially the honorable families of the martyrs who have joined us today. I extend a warm welcome to all of you. This meeting is in fact a meeting for the youth, a place where the pure, clear hearts of the youth are present.
The first thing that I would like to tell you is that you young people should take advantage of your pure, youthful spirit and bring yourselves closer to Almighty God during these blessed days of Sha'ban, and after that, throughout the month of Ramadan. Establish close ties with God, ask Him for help, and put your trust in Him. There are only a few days left from the month of Sha'ban. Most of it has already passed. Sha’ban is the month of supplications, talking with God, and seeking forgiveness.
In the few days that are left, my earnest advice to you young boys and girls is for you to engage in reading supplications, seeking forgiveness from God, and sending salutations upon Prophet Muhammad and his Progeny (pbut). "Supplications" increase your connection with the Creator of the universe. They strengthen your relationship with Almighty God. That is how supplications and talking with God is. When we engage in “seeking God’s forgiveness,” it actually means that we have chosen to repent for our mistakes. We all make mistakes. We all have sins. When we ask for forgiveness, we are in fact choosing to leave behind our wrongdoings and errors. This is a practice that has been emphasized for the month of Sha'ban. When you say, "astaghfirullah wa atubu ilaih [I seek forgiveness from God and return toward Him]," "atubu ilaih” means that I return toward God. I had distanced myself from God because of my mistakes and sins, and now I am returning toward Almighty God. And He accepts this return.
When we send our greetings and send salutations on Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad (pbut), we are in fact reviving the memory of the best human models in our minds. These honorable people are the best human beings and the best individuals that God has created. Their lives, teachings, words, and behavior serve as examples for us to follow. They are our role models. When we send salutations on them, we remember them in our hearts. So, these are valuable matters.
These supplications that have been handed down to us are known as “ma’thur.” The ma’thur supplications are supplications that are from the Imams (pbut), such as in Sahifah al-Sajjadiyyah and many of the supplications that are found in Mafatih al-Jinan. These supplications are not just requests from God. They are not merely about seeking and connecting with God either. It is more than that. These supplications contain knowledge. There are sublime concepts and excellent Islamic teachings in these supplications that you will not find anywhere else.
In Imam Hussain’s Supplication on the Day of Arafah, the supplications of Sahifah al-Sajjadiyyah, and Munajat Sha’baniyah, there are concepts and teachings that one cannot find anywhere else. Developing a companionship with supplications raises the knowledge of a Muslim and a believer. It is very valuable. So the first thing I wanted to say is that you should appreciate the opportunity you have while your hearts are holy and pure. Appreciate the month of Sha’ban, the month of Ramadan which is about to start, and all the other opportunities you have to read supplications, seek God’s forgiveness, and make entreaty to God and His Friends. This is the first thing I wanted to say.
The next issue, which I believe I should discuss with you and the entire Iranian nation, is the issue of elections. Of course, I have talked about elections, others have talked about them, and, praise God, I see young people talking about them and discussing them in various places, in universities, and on the streets. Nonetheless, I too would like to share a few words on this topic today.
Now, praise God, signs of excitement and enthusiasm for the elections can be seen throughout the country in various places. The eagerness and fervor for the elections are palpable, and we should be grateful to God for this. It is desirable that the elections — not only the elections two days from now, but all the elections in the country — be held with strength and enthusiasm. Why? Well, you, the youth, are advocates of reasoning. I am truly happy to see that after the Revolution, our youth have advanced significantly in terms of their propensity for reasoning, research, and precision.
I was closely in contact with the youth before the Revolution as well. All of our gatherings were run by the youth, and I was completely familiar with them. Since the Revolution, the spirit of inquiry, inspection, investigation, and fact checking have increased by several times among the youth, and this is a very good thing. It shows that young people are not only enthusiastic, passionate, and energetic in different areas, but they are also rational and logical.
Our martyrs, who were mostly young like you — that is, most of our martyrs during the Sacred Defense and also during the Defense of the Shrines, were in their twenties, were a little over twenty, or were 30 at the most, and so on — went to the battlefields with excitement, emotions, and passionate hearts. At the same time, their minds were working, they were thinking, and they possessed logic and reasoning. If you read their biographies, you will sense this that they took action based on reasoning. This is how our young people are today. I will share a few things with you in this regard.
Firstly, if I were to talk about the importance of having strong, vibrant elections in a single sentence, I would say that strong, vibrant elections are one of the pillars for the proper administration of the country. I will briefly explain this later on in my talk today. This is one of the main pillars for the country’s progress. This is one of the most important means for removing the obstacles to progress. Strong elections have these characteristics.
Since you did not see that time, first of all, let me tell you this point that this ballot box and these elections haven’t been easily gained by our country and our nation. There was no sign or news of these things. There was a period of absolute dictatorship. And then there were sham elections. The elections were only in appearances, and there was no truth in them. That is, they would prepare the lists in the [Shah’s] court and sometimes even in foreign embassies. They would give those lists and say that these people must become the representatives! These are their own words and not just something we are saying.
Of course, we knew this back then. Before the Revolution, we knew exactly what the electoral process and voting were like. But after the Revolution, they themselves admitted and wrote about these things in their books. People being able to go to the polls to vote with motivation, with knowledge, with faith, with expectations, and with hope hasn’t been easily gained. There was much struggle to gain this in this country. Of course, this struggle started after the Constitutional Movement. Yet, the main movement of struggles and endeavors took place in the movement of the magnanimous Imam [Khomeini] and the Islamic Movement, where the people stood behind the Imam and pursued this path.
From the start of the struggle in 1341 AHS [1962], until the victory of the Revolution and the victory of these struggles on the 22nd of Bahman, 1357 AHS [February 11, 1979], significant efforts were made in this country over the span of those 16 years. A vast amount of work was accomplished with individuals enduring imprisonment and torture, and dedicating themselves to clarifying and expressing their beliefs until the path was prepared. The popular movement of the people began in 1356 AHS [1978] with Imam [Khomeini] leading and guiding this movement every step of the way. He taught people where they should take action, what they needed to do, and what they should demand. He was a “leader” in the true sense of the word.
The work of the leader of the Revolution, Imam Khomeini and anyone who claims this [to be the leader], comes from the heart, and from thought and logic. It affects the hearts and minds of the people, and the Imam made an impact. The people rose up until the Revolution was victorious. Now if you have read or if you read about the history of revolutions — unfortunately, young people don’t read books very much and you need to read more books — if you study the history of these regional and global revolutions and the like, you will find that when a revolution takes place, revolutionary dictatorship is in power for a long time. There is no involvement of the people, their votes, and things like that.
Let’s look at France for example. At the end of the 18th century, the great French Revolution took place. The people there had a revolution. They took to the streets and fought, but after the revolution, a small group of people assumed control of the country’s affairs. They remained in power for three or four years before being overthrown by another group who took their place. This cycle continued for about ten to twelve years, and then a Napoleonic figure emerged, abolished everything, and established a dictatorial, independent Napoleonic government. There was no talk of elections. Worse than that was the Soviet Revolution. Now, these are the two important revolutions in our recent history.
[In Iran], the Revolution took place on the 22nd of Bahman [February 22, 1979], and approximately 50 days later, on the 12th of Farvardin [April 1, 1979], Imam Khomeini announced a general referendum so the people could determine the type of system they wanted. And they did determine it. So, he immediately brought the people to the ballot boxes. This is what it means to have trust in the people. This highlights the importance of having a ballot box. So, it did not take long for this to happen. About a year had passed after this when the elections for the Assembly of Experts for the Constitution were held. Then they voted on the law that had been passed in the Majlis, which was the next election. This was followed by the presidential election and the Majlis elections. So several elections were held over the course of a year.
These are among the blessings of the Revolution. It wasn’t like this before that. [After the Revolution,] people have gone to the polling stations and voted. Some have said yes, and others have said no. Some elections have been very vibrant and crowded, others have had less participants. But people have gone to the polling stations. My dear young people, you need to know that these elections, the existence of the ballot boxes, your decisions, your voting, and your involvement in this process is a privilege that has not easily obtained. It has achieved through hard work, struggles, great sacrifices, and the movement of the people of the nation.
So, why do we insist on people participating in the elections? Well, there were or maybe there still are some individuals, who say, “Let’s just hold an election so a group of people participate, and then a government or a Majlis will take office and carry out their job.”
We don’t believe in that. We believe that the elections must be vibrant and they must draw a huge turnout. Why? Because the presence of the people on the scene and at the ballot boxes is a sign of the nation’s presence in the important fields of the country’s administration. This is a great asset for the country. If we can show the world — now I will tell you what I mean by “the world” — that the nation is present in the important, defining fields of the country, we will have saved the country and have moved the country forward.
So, who was I referring to when I said “we can show the world?” Well, many people and nations around the world have nothing to do with us. It is not important to them. But there are governments and policies in the world that are closely monitoring the affairs of Islamic Iran, the Islamic Republic, and our beloved country so they can see what’s happening here. These include the US, the policies that prevail over Europe, the policies of the Zionists, and the policies of the capitalists and the owners of large companies in the world, all for various reasons. But we don’t wish to delve into details here.
You’re familiar with much of it, and we’ve spoken about much of it. They are aware of the internal issues of Iran. They want to see what’s happening here. The global political observers that I mentioned are particularly apprehensive of the active participation of the people. They fear the influence of the people and monitor [their actions]. Why? Because they’ve witnessed the strength of the people. They’ve observed that when our nation is present on the scene, it will definitely overcome problems just as they demonstrated in the Islamic Revolution when the people were present and were able to successfully overthrow and eliminate a regime backed by the US, Britain, Europe, and everyone else. Our nation is like that.
They’ve seen that when this nation is present on the scene, in events like the Sacred Defense and the Imposed War, it overcomes adversaries like Saddam who had the support of the US, the Soviet Union, NATO, Arab reactionary states, and everyone. And our nation drove him out of his own country and crushed and disgraced him. They’ve seen this happen. The enemies of the people of Iran have witnessed the miracle of the presence of the Iranian nation on the scene, so they watch to see if the people are still actively involved or not. When the people are present at the ballot boxes, they realize that the Iranian nation continues to maintain its presence on the scene.
Therefore, the participation of the people in the elections signifies national strength, and this is something that draws the attention of our enemies. National strength is a backing for our national security. If the enemy feels that you lack the ability or the Iranian nation is not strong, they will threaten our security in all different ways and in any way they can. This national strength acts as a backing and assurance for our national security. National security is everything. Without, it, there isn’t anything.
The enemy opposes our national strength. Take note of this year, 1402 AHS (2023 – 2024). The Majlis election is to be held in the last month of the (Iranian) year, in Esfand (March). Since the very first month of this year, the enemy has started counteractive propaganda on their radios, televisions, and online platforms against the elections attempting to demoralize the people so that people will say, “What’s the use? What effect does it have? The elections aren’t effective,” and other such statements. They don't want the national strength of the Iranian people to prevail. Hence, they are opposed to anything indicative of national strength, including elections.
Well, some people in our country are indifferent about the elections. I am not accusing any one person, but I am reminding everyone that we must look at the elections from the perspective of national interests, not based on the interests of factions and groups. Consider national interests. If the elections are weak, everyone will lose. It’s not just that some lose and some benefit from weak elections. No one will benefit. Anyone who loves Iran, anyone who loves their own country, their nation, and their own security should be aware that if the elections are weak, it’s not to anyone’s benefit. It will have negative consequences for all, and everyone will be harmed. It’s not that some lose and some benefit. No. Well, this was about showing our national strength that we spoke about. Strong elections display the country’s national strength.
Strong elections have other positive outcomes as well. One such benefit is that with strong elections we will have strong elected officials. For example, if there is a strong participation in the Majlis elections, which are upcoming, we will have a strong Majlis. A strong Majlis can accomplish great things and take big steps, since they are strongly supported. Similarly, vibrant, strong presidential elections with a high participation empower the government to take bold actions and will lead to major initiatives. Therefore, strong elections will result in advancement and be to the benefit of the country, while solving the country’s problems too. That is why we say strong elections are one of the main pillars for the country’s progress.
Another outcome is the political growth of the participants in the elections, particularly the younger generation. It is a great opportunity for the political growth of our youth during the election campaigns as they hear the debates, comparisons, arguments, and discussions of both the supporters of a candidate and the opponents. The analytical skills and political growth that our youth gain through this process are incredibly valuable, particularly for [the progress of] our country. As the analytical abilities of our youth are strengthened, the temptations of our enemies are neutralized and become ineffective.
Once individuals develop their analytical skills, they will be able to identify not just the enemy, but also their strategies and behaviors in addition to the ways to confront them. Gaining these analytical skills is a very important achievement in my opinion. Therefore, all the people of the nation, and all those who are listening to these words regarding the elections, should realize that casting a vote in the ballot box is a simple action that yields great results. Participating in the elections isn’t hard. It’s easy and costs nothing, yet it leads to great results, some of which I have mentioned.
Now, you are young and many of you are first-time voters. I have much faith in our country’s young generation. The youth are pioneers, leaders, and inspirers in all fields, including the elections. They can be pioneers, leaders, and inspirers in this field as well, by participating themselves and also by encouraging others to do the same. This is one of the things that you, the youth, can do. You can encourage your parents, classmates, relatives, neighbors, and other people around you using logical reasoning. This is something that is achievable.
Of course, there are some people who are truly unable to participate. That is, while we encourage everyone to participate in the elections, there are some people who are truly unable to do so for whatever reason. We have no issue or anything to say regarding those people. However, there are also some who are reluctant about the elections. Unfortunately, there are some who don’t want to vote themselves, and they even discourage others from participating. I believe these people should reconsider their stance on the matter because there are no benefits in not voting. Some might say that voting may be useless, but there is also the possibility that it will be beneficial. In other words, there is the possibility that voting will be beneficial, but there is no potential benefit in not voting at all.
Not voting offers no advantages, while voting [holds the potential for positive results]. Now, I say that voting definitely has good results, but for those who are uncertain, they should consider the possibility that their voting may make a difference. Therefore, there is no logical reason for not voting or any justification for telling others to not vote as this does not solve any problems. Some individuals’ not voting will not solve the country's problems. Rather, it will worsen those individuals’ situation. Because if you choose not to vote, someone else will cast their vote, potentially leading to the election of a candidate you prefer not to be elected. By voting, you can prevent the election of an undesirable candidate, whether it be with one vote or multiple votes. So, what I want to say is this that whoever loves Iran, the Islamic Republic, the Revolution, national strength, and advancement must be active in the elections and participate with enthusiasm in the elections.
Elections are an opportunity that we should make use of. They not only benefit our nation but they also disappoint our enemies, such as the American politicians, the CIA, the evil oppressive Zionists, and others who are constantly monitoring our every move. Participating in the elections discourages our enemies. This is the main point I wanted to talk about.
Some ask about who “the most qualified” candidates are, because those who enter the field of the elections as candidates are all considered to be valid candidates. The Guardian Council and other supervisory bodies have researched about them and determined that they are valid candidates. Therefore, they are valid candidates, but you want to choose the most qualified of them. Who is the most qualified? Who is more qualified?
I have outlined a few criteria here [for identifying the most qualified candidate], such as: whoever is more committed to religion, religious practices, and the principles of religion; whoever is more insistent on the country's independence without reliance on the global powers with a genuine desire for national autonomy; whoever is serious about combating corruption and believes that corruption must be fought; whoever is more serious about national interests and is willing to sacrifice their personal interests for national interests; whoever chooses national interests [over personal gain]. Whoever has these qualities is the most qualified candidate.
[Those who are concerned about] the issues of religion, independence, fighting corruption, and national interests. Those who put aside partisan biases. Those who, in various matters, see what is suitable for national interests and will lead to honor, prosperity, and progress for the country. Those who prioritize them [national interests] in conflicts of interest between personal, partisan, and national interests. I believe a person with these characteristics would be the most qualified candidate. You need to determine this by studying about them and listening carefully to those who are knowledgeable and informed. This task is not very difficult or unattainable, and individuals should strive to do this to the best of their ability.
Now, for example, when I wish to cast my vote, they bring me the Tehran list of candidates. There are different lists, and one does not know all the candidates, only some of them. For some of the candidates, you can ask different people about them. And for other candidates, you can choose from among them based on the trust you have in a person who has recommended them. For example, you can write the names of a group as your chosen candidates and put their names in the ballot box. It is important to carefully weigh all factors when making decisions in this process.
The issue of Gaza is a fundamental issue in the Islamic world, as I have repeatedly stated. In a speech that I delivered a few days ago, I mentioned that the issue of Gaza, the tragedy in Gaza, has introduced Islam to the world. It has become clear that "Islamic faith" is the factor that creates such strength and resistance as demonstrated by the way the [Palestinian] people have stood steadfast despite the bombardments. They have refused to give in or to raise their hands in surrender before the enemy. Despite all the atrocities that they [the Zionist regime] have committed, [the issue of Gaza] has not only introduced Islam and the Islamic faith [to the world], it has also shed light on Western culture and civilization.
Western culture and civilization is something that makes the policies resulted from this culture see these crimes but be unwilling to admit that this is genocide and be unwilling to truly stop it in the real sense of the word. Yes, they verbally say some things, but when a measure is proposed in the United Nations Security Council to stop these crimes, they veto it! This is what Western civilization is like.
The inhumane policies of the US have reached such a level of disgrace that, as you've heard, an American military officer set himself on fire. An air force [officer] set himself on fire. This means that this [situation in Gaza] is too much even for that young person who was brought up in that culture. Even his conscience was hurting. Of course, instead of one person, a thousand people should have set themselves on fire. [But] being immersed in corruption doesn’t allow this. Now, one person’s conscience had been awakened by chance, and he set himself on fire. Western culture truly showed itself. It exposed itself and revealed how corrupt, how perverted, and how cruel it is.
We hope that Almighty God will grant a complete victory to Islam, Muslims, and Palestine, especially Gaza. And we hope, God willing, that Almighty God will grant the Iranian nation a favorable, suitable election that is worthy of this nation.
May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
