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 Progeny, particularly the Remnant of God on earth (may Almighty God hasten his honorable reappearance).
Welcome, my dear brothers. We hope, God willing, although this meeting is being held with some delay for known reasons, it will nonetheless prove to be beneficial and effective for both the Judiciary and for the country, God willing.
I would like to thank every single person who is working, striving, within the Judiciary from the honorable Head of the Judiciary to all the other members who are active in the Judiciary.
The achievements that Mr. Mohseni [Ejei] spoke of were certainly encouraging and commendable. But my recommendation is this that you should always consider the measures that haven’t been taken but should have been carried out alongside the measures that have been taken. In other words, you must always establish a balance between these two.
Sometimes a person may complete a hundred good tasks and feel happy about that. But upon closer reflection, he realizes that he should have carried out 200 good tasks, but he has failed to accomplish all of those. His happiness diminishes a little. Of course, I am in no way implying that this is how things have been in the Judiciary over the past year. No, a great deal of work has been done. We have also received the reports, and they are accurate. But always keep in mind the ratio of what has been done to what hasn’t been done and should have been completed.
As for the Judiciary, I have studied it in detail every year, and I have also spoken about it at length. In my view, everything that needs to be said about the Judiciary and the recommendations that should have been given have already been stated and have been repeatedly spoken about. Anything I say would be repetitive. I will only mention two points before moving on to another matter.
The first matter is the issue of the Judiciary following up in legal courts — whether they’re domestic or international courts — the recent crimes that have been committed is extremely necessary and important. We should have done this in many previous cases, but we have been remiss in this in past years. We mustn’t be remiss this time. Even if pursuing this matter and referring it to international and domestic courts takes 20 years, that’s fine. This matter must be followed up. The criminals must be apprehended. True, one may accuse an international court — and rightfully so — of being affiliated with a certain [global] power. Very well, that may be the case one day, but it may not be like that another day. You may find an independent judge there one day. Take this matter very seriously. Pursue this with full strength, complete vigilance, and God willing, make sure you consider all aspects of the matter.
The second point is this that the ultimate goal of all recommendations to the Judiciary can be summed up in one thing, which is that the people must be able to trust the Judiciary. That’s it. I have repeated this many times in these meetings. We must reach a point where if someone is wronged in any corner of the country be it a village or a remote town, they’re able to say, “I’m going to take my case to the Judiciary. I’ll take my case to court.” In other words, the situation must be such that everyone feels once they set foot in a courthouse, their problem will be solved. This is the kind of trust that must be established.
This is very difficult to do. It’s a very difficult task. Of course, in most legal and criminal cases, one side will be satisfied [with the result] while the other will be dissatisfied. But even when the side that’s dissatisfied sees that the matter is being handled in accordance with the law, with integrity, and with meticulous care, deep down they will accept the process even if they aren’t pleased with the outcome. That is the situation you must strive to establish where the people develop trust [in the Judiciary]. They must gain the conviction that the Judiciary will solve their problem.
One of the most important ways to achieve this trust is through fighting corruption. First and foremost, corruption within the Judiciary itself [must be addressed]. I have spoken about this repeatedly with the honorable Head [of the Judiciary], Mr. Mohseni, and he has taken steps in this direction. I had also spoken about this with his predecessors. Fighting corruption, both within and outside the Judiciary, gives people hope and builds trust. These were the two points I wanted to discuss about the Judiciary.
The Iranian nation accomplished a great feat in the recent Imposed War. This great accomplishment wasn’t military in nature. It was a matter of determination. It was a matter of determination and self-confidence. The very fact that a nation, a country, and its Armed Forces possess the self-confidence to stand up in confronting face to face the power of the US and its chained dog in the region, the Zionist regime, carries immensely significant value in itself.
There was a time, both before my time and also during my youth before the Revolution, when the mere mention of the US’s name would frighten people, let alone the country confronting or opposing it. And this was true whether it was in word or in action. In the memoirs that were written by the officials of the former regime and which were published years later, it’s mentioned repeatedly how senior state officials were upset by some of the US’s actions, such as over the issue of oil or other various matters. They were upset and embittered, yet they would say, “Don’t say anything.” They didn’t dare to complain or even speak up in secret or in private meetings.
The nation has reached a point where it stands directly face to face against this power. It doesn’t fear them. On the contrary, it frightens them and carries out whatever operations are within its power. But that is a secondary issue. The primary issue is the spirit and steadfastness [of the Iranian nation].
This determination of the nation, this resolve of the nation, is the very thing that will make this country honorable. This is what will turn Iran into the great nation that I have said it must become in 50 years' time. This determination is the primary factor that can lead Iran to that destination.
What I want to say now is something that everyone must realize. Our friends must realize this and our enemies must realize this, as well as the Iranian nation itself, who already know this. What they must realize is that the Iranian nation will never be the weaker side in any field they enter. This is because we have all the necessary tools. We possess both logic and strength. Whenever we enter a field, both diplomatic and military fields, we will enter well-equipped, God willing and with His grace.
Of course, war means striking the other side and getting struck. That’s obvious. It involves both striking and getting struck. You cannot expect for there to be no tragedies in a war. But, praise God, we are well-equipped. We are well-equipped in both the diplomatic sphere and in the military sphere by God’s grace.
Of course, in this recent, significant event that took place, we didn’t welcome war. Let that be clear to everyone. Yes, we consider the Zionist regime to be like cancer, and we believe the US regime is a criminal for backing it. However, we weren’t seeking a war, and we didn’t welcome it.
But when the enemy attacked, our response was crushing. This is something everyone must realize and understand because it [our crushing response] is an undeniable fact that the enemy seeks to cast doubt on.
We entered the war with strength. The clear proof for this is that the Zionist regime, the opposing side in the war, was compelled to turn to the US for help. If it hadn’t been brought to its knees and pinned to the ground, if it hadn’t felt a need, if it were capable of defending itself, it wouldn’t have turned to the US like that. It turned to the US. It realized it couldn’t continue to stand up against the Islamic Republic. Of course, this part pertains to the Zionist regime.
And the same goes for the United States. When the US launched its attack, our retaliatory strike was very significant. God willing, after some time — maybe a few months, maybe a few years — once the censorship is removed, it will become clear what Iran has truly done. The center [Al Udeid Air Base] that was targeted by Iran was an extremely important US center in the region. The strike was a major blow, although it's definitely possible to inflict an even greater blow on the US and others, God willing. Very well, so that was about the [military] operations and such things.
There is another very important point in this event, and that is its national dimension. Aside from the organizational, military, intelligence, security aspects, etc., there is the national aspect. What happened in this event was the following. Those who carried out the attack had made certain assessments, and they had truly assessed it in this way. This was something they had sat down and planned. Their assumption was that when they attacked Iran and its sensitive centers, and when they eliminated a number of key figures from the Iranian government and from within the Islamic system, then naturally the system would be weakened. It would be at this point, [they thought,] that the sleeper cells of the MEK, monarchists, mercenaries, thugs, and ruffians would become active. That’s how they had assessed matters.
[What they had assumed was that] those who are paid in dollars to set the vehicles of their fellow citizens on fire would become active. Such people exist in society. However, when the state is operating powerfully, they remain dormant. When the system appears weak to the other side, those people become active. They become active, come out into society, incite the people, do their best to drag other people into the streets, and, in short, "finish off" the system. This was the wishful thinking of those gentlemen.
But what actually happened? The reality was the exact opposite. The enemy's attack demonstrated that many of the assessments made by some people are inaccurate, whether they’re in the political sphere or in similar areas. The true face of the enemy was exposed. Their hidden objectives, which they are careful to never reveal in their public statements, were brought to light to a great extent. They spend eight or nine months plotting an action, a military move, and some people may think that nothing is going on. However, the general public have realized that this isn’t the case. God thwarted their plan. It was Almighty God who thwarted this plan. He brought the people into the field in support of the government and the system. The people entered the field, but they did so in a manner diametrically opposed to the enemy’s assessments and plans.
The people supported the system both with their lives and their wealth. You saw what people from different walks of life were saying on television. You saw people with various appearances, different looks, and diverse clothing. They were people whom you never would have thought would be willing to come out and speak so selflessly. Of course, there’s a big difference between words and actions, but the very act of speaking and the motivation that compels a person to speak was present. This is very important. No one would have believed this was possible, but it happened and this took place. All of these individuals with their diverse political orientations — sometimes even opposing views — and with entirely different degrees of religious conviction, stood side by side and created this magnificent unity and this profound national solidarity.
What I want to say is this that you must preserve this unity. Everyone must maintain this. Journalists must do this in one way, judges in another way, government officials in one way, clerics in another way, and Friday Prayer Leaders in a different way. Every single person has a duty to maintain this state [of unity]. This [unity] isn’t something in conflict with people having various political views or varying degrees in their religious practice. This standing together is about defending the truth, defending the country, defending the system, and defending dear Iran.
Of course, some actions are necessary, while other actions are harmful. [For instance,] providing clarification is necessary. Refuting the fallacies that are sometimes introduced is necessary. On the other hand, raising unnecessary objections, debating about them, and creating controversies over minor issues are harmful actions. There is a clear distinction between these two. As I mentioned, even something like refuting fallacies can be done in various ways. It should be done in the best possible manner to avoid creating problems for the country.
Expressing one’s loyalty to the system through words and statements is both necessary and beneficial. It’s necessary and beneficial that everyone affirms, supports, and accepts the general policies of the system in this regard. This is necessary. But to take the differences of opinion that exist between people, to magnify these differences, to say, "This person belongs to that faction, and that person belongs to another faction," or to say, "His words mean such-and-such" is harmful. Therefore, one action is necessary, and another is harmful. We must differentiate between the two.
Public enthusiasm and energy are necessary. Today, the Iranian nation and especially its youth are filled with enthusiasm and energy. This is a very positive matter. It’s necessary. However, impatience is harmful. When people are impatient and keep stamping their feet on the ground, saying why hasn’t this happened, why didn’t you do that, or why hasn’t this or that been done, this [kind of behavior] is harmful. Therefore, we must discern which actions are constructive and which are detrimental. So these are some of the points and recommendations I wanted to share with you.
The final recommendation I wish to make is this that the responsible bodies, which are busy doing their jobs today both in the military and diplomatic spheres, praise God, and which are proceeding correctly and with the correct strategic orientation — both are necessary — must carry out their work with strength. However, they must pay close attention to their orientation. This is especially important in the field of diplomacy. The [correct] strategic direction must be carefully observed, followed with precision, and implemented effectively, God willing.
Now someone may have an objection they wish to voice to an official regarding an issue related to the military, diplomacy, or other matters. We aren’t saying they shouldn’t voice any objections. They should. But first of all, the tone they choose for expressing their criticism or objection must be appropriate and acceptable. Second, it should be voiced after they have researched and obtained information on the matter. Sometimes, I see in the newspapers or some other places that some people say things or raise objections that stem from a lack of information. They are unaware of what has been done, or what should have been done but wasn’t. [Their criticism] stems from a lack of information on the matter. They should obtain accurate information and express their views in an appropriate tone. And those officials should continue carrying out their duties with full strength and a high morale, God willing.
Each and every person should know that based on this same verse that this gentleman has just recited, “Indeed, Allah will surely help those who help Him” (Quran 22:40), Almighty God has guaranteed His help for the Iranian nation under the Islamic system and under the protection of the Quran and Islam. The Iranian nation will definitely be victorious.
May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
