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.
This gathering is being held on the occasion of the 13th of Aban [November 4th]. Of course, the exile of Imam [Khomeini (ra)] in the year 1343 AHS [1964 AD] and the massacre of students in 1357 AHS [1978 AD] also took place on this day. However, the important, history-making event for us was the seizure of the [US] Spy Den. I will dedicate this meeting to explaining this matter. However, before we commence that discussion, since the blessed names of Lady Zainab (pbuh) and Lady Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) were mentioned, I deem it appropriate to advise you young people to not just settle for a heartfelt remembrance of them or the mention of their names. You must truly follow their example in your actions to fulfill the meaning of being a genuine Shia.
The first step is [to emulate] the manner in which these two noble figures [Lady Zainab and Lady Fatimah Zahra (pbut)] and the other Immaculate personages stood before Almighty God. Wherever you are, encourage the people around you to perform the ritual prayer [salat] in the manner that is befitting of God's righteous servants.
I would like to say something to the dear ladies present in this gathering. Remind those around you that the issue of Hijab is a religious, Islamic matter from Hazrat Zahra and from Hazrat Zaynab. I would like to recommend that you all maintain close ties with the Quran. I have said this repeatedly that one should read the Quran every day, even if it’s just half a page from any part of the Quran. Open the Quran and read half a page, read one page, or read as much as you are inclined to and want to read. Maintain your connection with spirituality.
In these turbulent times, our youth can truly say "Down with the USA" when they are strong internally – in terms of their religiosity, their beliefs, and their trust in Almighty God and His power. A young person can stand against the might, power, and menacing threats of the Pharaohs of our time when their heart is with God, and they are connected to God. Keep this up. This assembly of young people who are gathered here – several thousand young people – if all of you and the country’s youth pay attention to this point, I believe we will achieve greater, better progress in our worldly affairs, in the management of our country, and in confronting our enemies.
As for the 13th of Aban, the event that took place on the 13th of Aban and the seizure of the US Embassy by students can be viewed from two perspectives.
1. The perspective of history
2. The perspective of identity
This is an event that happened, and what we want to do is to correctly understand and comprehend this event.
From a historical perspective, there is no doubt that in our country's future, this day will be a day of honor and victory for the nation. There is no doubt about that. It’s the day our youth dared to confront a power that the politicians of the world feared. Those youth showed courage, they weren’t afraid, and they stormed that embassy based on a rationale, for a certain reason, and for a cause which I will explain. It’s a day of honor.
In our history, we have had days of victory and we have also had days of weakness and decline, both of which must be remembered. When I say "our history," I don’t mean a history of 1,000 or 2,000 years. From the time colonialism was created and colonialism and [Global] Arrogance became prevalent in the world, our country wasn’t spared [from their intrusions], and various events unfolded. Some of these events were important, we were victorious, and they demonstrated the strength of the Iranian nation, while others were bitter events that I will now touch upon.
We must keep the pleasant events in mind, repeat them, and preserve them in our national memory. And we must do the same with regard to bitter issues and events. When we recall the days of glory and the pleasant days, we gain self-confidence and feel a sense of power and capability. For example, let's consider the story of the nullification of the colonial Tobacco Concession, which was a significant event in the country carried out by Mirza Shirazi. When we remember this event, we feel that we’re capable. We realize that our nation has the ability to overcome a great power like the England of that era, which was the greatest and strongest of all the global powers.
Or there was the annulment of the Vosuq al-Dowleh Agreement [Anglo-Persian Agreement]. The Vosuq al-Dowleh Agreement was a contract that would have essentially handed over everything in the country to the British. A few of the country's political leaders took bribes and signed this treaty with the British. The late Sayyid Hassan Modarres and his companions worked hard to nullify it. Well, the day this treaty was annulled is a pleasant day because they nullified the plans of the British.
So, inscribing these days into the national memory is an essential task. Now, you may not be fully familiar with these events. You, my dear young people, may not precisely know the details of the Vosuq al-Dowleh event or the story about the Tobacco [Prohibition Decree] by Mirza Shirazi. I strongly recommend that student groups, school groups, Basij groups, and book-club circles sit down, study these matters, discuss them, and learn what happened in the country. This is what I strongly urge every one of you to do.
Well, we’ve said that we must keep a record of peak events – the pleasant events, events of progress and victory – for the reasons mentioned. We must also remember the bitter events and not forget them. Why? So that we can be careful to prevent those events from recurring in our lives. What are some examples of such bitter events?
The coup d'état that took place in the year 1299 AHS [1921 AD] by Reza Khan. A coup was carried out. [That is,] the British orchestrated a coup in Iran using Reza Khan. After three or four years, that coup led to the Pahlavi monarchy and the following atrocities, hardships, unparalleled despotism and dictatorship in the country, and foreign domination over the country. Well, that was a bitter day. We must be mindful [of this], remember it, know it, and understand what happened that day and what preparations were made that led to that outcome. We must also record and preserve those events.
From a historical viewpoint, the 13th of Aban is such a day. The 13th of Aban is the day our students went and seized the US embassy. It's one of those days that must remain in our history and our national memory. It must not be forgotten, and all our people should know about it. Fortunately, sources of information are available in the country, and many of the details pertaining to that day can be read about and learned from various books, including those written specifically about that event. That was concerning the historical aspect.
But with regard to identity, this is far more important. The seizure of the [US] embassy clarified the true identity of the United States government. It also revealed and showed the true, intrinsic identity of the Islamic Movement and the Islamic Revolution. This is the impact of this event on our nation’s identity.
Of course, we Iranians were already familiar with the US’s inherently arrogant nature. It wasn't the case that we didn't know what the US was doing. I will explain this later. But this event [the seizure of the US embassy] clarified the situation even further for us. I want you, our dear youth, to grasp the depth of this matter and pay close attention.
Let me first define "Arrogance [Istikbar]." What does "Arrogance" mean? When we say "Global Arrogance," what does "Arrogance" mean? The word "Istikbar" is a word from the Quran. It’s used in the Quran. According to what people have counted and have told me, the word "Istikbar" and its derivatives have been repeated about 50 times in the Quran. "Istikbar" means self-exaltation [or conceit]. That is the definition of it. [It means] a government, a person, or a group possesses a sense of self-perceived superiority. Of course, this is a terrible characteristic to have, but it doesn’t necessarily lead to enmity. The first arrogant being was Satan. When Almighty God said He was going to create Adam, Satan said, "I’m better than Adam. I won’t prostrate to Adam," and [consequently,] God’s curse came upon him for eternity.
"Istikbar" means self-exaltation, but this self-perceived superiority is of two kinds. One is when a person or a government considers itself to be superior to others but doesn't interfere with them. This still isn’t a good characteristic. Arrogance is bad. Conceit isn’t a good thing, but it doesn’t create enmity or hostility. It’s simply a bad trait to have. However, there may be a time when a government, a person, a group, or an aggressor considers itself to be superior to others and grants itself the right to push others around, to encroach upon the vital interests of others, and to dictate terms to others. Arrogance in this form is bad.
A government – for instance, it was the British government in one era, and it’s the US today – grants itself the right to establish, for example, ten military bases in a certain country that lacks a strong government or an aware populace, to create facilities for itself, to take their oil, to seize their interests, and to plunder their underground resources. This is Istikbar. This is the Arrogance we object to, the Arrogance we speak about, and the Arrogance we chant slogans against.
So, our country was faced with the Arrogance of the US government. Before World War II, the US government wasn’t one that meddled in the affairs of others. After World War II, the US government became an Arrogant Power in the sense that I just described, where it was seizing control everywhere, interfering everywhere, intruding everywhere, and imposing its own interests over those of other nations wherever its interests dictated. They would use any means necessary. Sometimes this was done with anger and scowls, sometimes with a smile, sometimes with force, and sometimes using bribery.
Well, this is what the US is like. As a matter of fact, during that period – the period our discussion is focused on, around 1977, 1978, and that time – the US found itself facing the Islamic Republic following the victory of the Revolution. Of course, we Iranians weren’t strangers to the US’s conduct. It wasn’t as though we were unfamiliar with its arrogant nature. We knew what the US was like since the 28th of Mordad [August 19, 1953].
The 28th of Mordad was a major event. Let me say just one thing about it. Even today, many people still don’t understand or realize the significance of the 28th of Mordad coup and the devastating blow it dealt to Iran. They only know "the 28th of Mordad" as the date when a coup took place. From the time of the Constitutional Revolution until roughly 40 years later, our country was either in a state of chaos and turmoil, it was subject to the meddling of foreign governments, or it was under the brutal, merciless despotism and dictatorship of Reza Khan. This lasted for about 42 years, which means the Iranian nation lived in such a state for several decades.
Around 1949 or 1950, certain events unfolded in the country. By God’s grace, a national government was formed for the first time in the country – the government of Mosaddeq. It was a national government. A national government was formed that stood up to the British. Britain at the time was in effect the ruler of the world. It was more superior, stronger, and bigger than all the other powers. The country's oil was being given to the British almost for free. It was taken back from them, and using the language of that time, it was "nationalized.” This means that it was brought under the control of our own government, and a national government was established in Iran.
During the three years from 1950 to 1953, the conspiracies of the British and their allies brought immense pressure on this government in order to overthrow it. Mosaddeq was naïve and made an unwitting mistake. In order to free himself from the British, he turned to the US and asked them for help. The US smiled at him. Of course, there was the precedent of Truman's Point Four Program and there were other similar policies too, which led him to believe that the United States would support him. The US smiled at Mosaddegh. But behind his back, they took advantage of Mosaddegh's oversight and inattention, they colluded with the British, they orchestrated a coup, and they overthrew the national government that had been formed in the country after 40 years. They then brought back the Shah, who had fled the country.
This was a severe blow to the Iranian nation. The meaning of the 28th of Mordad is precisely this. It means that a government elected by the people, which did not want to be at the disposal of Britain and foreign colonialism and [wanted] to be a national government, was toppled and destroyed by the US through their use of all sorts of tricks. The US dealt a heavy blow to the Iranian people. This is what happened on the 28th of Mordad. From that moment on, the Iranian nation came to know the US. It knew what a dangerous entity the US was for the country [Iran]. So we have known the US since the 28th of Mordad. It wasn’t something new to us. What I want to say is that after the coup took place, they brought the fugitive Mohammad Reza back to the country and for 25 years that hardhearted, tough, oppressive dictator [ruled] the people. During all of that time, the United States stood by Mohammad Reza and supported him. The US was a source of assurance for him.
Now, this true enemy of the Iranian nation has an embassy here – this true enemy of the Iranian nation. When the Revolution took place, the Americans were the first to oppose it. The US Senate passed a resolution against the Iranian nation and against the Revolution. Soon afterward, they allowed Mohammad Reza entry into the United States. They housed him in a hospital under the pretext of medical treatment, but their political and security agencies maintained contact with him. The Iranian nation realized this, and the people were furious. Demonstrations against the US erupted in the streets. Why? Because the people sensed that the events that had taken place on the 28th of Mordad were about to be repeated and that taking Mohammad Reza to the US was a prelude to bringing him back to Iran, using the various methods the Americans have.
The people became furious. They took to the streets and staged demonstrations. A part of these demonstrations was the movement of the university students who entered the embassy and seized it. [However,] they didn’t intend to stay in the embassy. It’s important for everyone to understand this. The students weren’t planning on staying inside the embassy. They only wanted the world to see the Iranian nation’s fury over the US granting entry to the Shah. That was all. Their intention was to go, stay for two or three days, and then come out. This was the students' intention. But after they went inside the embassy, they discovered documents there showing that the matter was much graver than they had initially thought. This wasn’t just about a resolution passed by the US Senate. The [US] embassy was a center for conspiracy, plotting, and strategizing to sabotage the Revolution. In other words, they [the US] were busy conspiring to [implement] their plans. The embassy was no longer an embassy.
Well, all embassies have centers of information. They gather information about the country where the embassy is located; they collect the data and send it to their own country. There is nothing wrong with that. This wasn’t the case with the US embassy. The problem with the US embassy was that it was a place for conspiring against the Revolution. [They would] meet people, provoke people, create organizations, use any remnants of dissatisfaction remaining from the former regime, and if possible, they would rally the army to take action against the Revolution. [The students] understood this. When they realized this, they stayed in the embassy.
Now, for one to question, “Why did they take over the embassy?” and to say that our problem with the US arose from that point, is an inaccurate statement in my view. First, our problem with the US didn’t begin with the event that took place on the 13th of Aban [November 4, 1979]. It began on the 28th of Mordad [August 19, 1953]. The Iranian nation's opposition to the US dates back to that time. Second, the 13th of Aban actually signified the discovery of a plot and a great danger to the Revolution. The students discovered this – God bless them. They were able to gather the documents. With great difficulty, they pieced together the documents that had been put through the shredding machine and were able to realize what had been going on inside the embassy.
The US couldn’t tolerate the Revolution, [because] the Revolution had ripped a sweet morsel right out of the US’s throat. Iran had been an unparalleled prize that was in the possession of the US. Iran was entirely under the domination and power of the US. The US took Iran’s oil, they plundered its underground resources, they seized its facilities and its money, and they sold whatever goods they wanted to Iran at whatever price they pleased. This was what the situation had been like, and then this was taken away from the US.
The [Islamic] Revolution stood up against the US. They [the US] weren’t willing to easily give up. Therefore, the plots began. From the very beginning of the Revolution, the United States began its provocations against the Iranian nation. [They were] against the Iranian nation! They weren’t just against the Islamic Republic; they were against the [Iranian] nation.
The US started by severing relations. The severance of ties was first started by the US. Then it started imposing sanctions, which were followed by various other actions one after another. Truly, anyone who knows – who remembers and doesn’t forget – what the US has done over the years, realizes the truth of Imam's [Khomeini's] statement, “Let out all your shouts on the US.”
The US's enmity toward Iran wasn’t just a verbal enmity. It wasn’t just a matter of sanctions. Their enmity was shown with their actions. The US conspired against the Islamic Republic as much as they could and as far as they could. They helped the inherent enemies of the Islamic Republic as much as they could, and they harmed the interests of the Iranian nation wherever they were able to inflict damage.
The arrogant nature of the US wasn’t compatible with the independence-seeking nature of the Revolution. This is what I want to emphasize. The conflict between the Islamic Republic and the US isn’t a difference in tactics. It isn’t an incidental disagreement. It’s an inherent difference. If they have the chance, the US will shoot down an Iranian passenger plane with 300 passengers to fall into the sea. If they have the chance, they will compel someone like Saddam [Hussein] to attack Iran and will provide him with all kinds of support. If they have the chance, they will launch a direct attack on the country. If they have the chance, they will carry out all sorts of activities using propaganda against the Islamic Republic. If they have the chance, they will do anything they can.
This is the state of affairs concerning the confrontation and encounter between the Islamic Republic and the US.
Some people distort history when writing it. They attribute the conflict between the Islamic Republic and the US to your chants of "Down with the USA." They’re being naive. It’s foolish to think that simply because a nation chants "Down with the USA," its enemy would become this antagonistic for that reason alone. No! The "Down with the USA" slogan isn’t a matter of such gravity that the US would oppose, confront, and challenge Iran solely because of that. The issue is a matter of an inherent conflict – an inherent incompatibility. It’s a clash of interests between two currents: the US and the Islamic Republic.
Some people ask, "Alright, we haven't surrendered to the US, but does that mean we’ll never have relations with them? Are we going to oppose the US forever?"
The answer [to that question] is as follows. First, the US’s arrogant nature accepts nothing other than submission. This is something that all the US presidents have wanted. They just didn’t state this openly. But the current [US] president has stated this. He said Iran must surrender. He essentially gave this matter away. He exposed the US’s inner nature. [They wanted] the submission of a nation – a nation like Iran with all its capabilities, its vast wealth, its background of thought and knowledge, and all its bright, highly motivated young people. What would be the meaning of such a surrender?!
Now, we cannot make guesses about what’s going to happen in the distant future, but everyone must know this that the solution to many of our problems is us becoming strong. We must make the country strong. The government must carry out its work in its various sectors with strength. The military forces must carry out their duties with strength. The youth must pursue their education and scientific advancements with strength. If the country becomes strong and the enemy senses that confronting this powerful nation will bring no profit but only loss, then the country will definitely become immune. There’s no doubt about that. Military strength is essential, scientific strength is essential, and good management of the country is essential. These things must be carried out. The strong motivation of you, the youth, is also essential. So don’t lose this motivation; don’t lose this spirit.
The US sometimes, but not always, says that it’s willing to cooperate with Iran. Cooperation with Iran isn’t compatible with cooperating and helping the accursed Zionist regime. The accursed Zionist regime with this situation that [it has created and] the entire world has witnessed, understood, and condemned is being assisted by the US. The US is backing it; they’re supporting it. Given this situation, cooperation with Iran is meaningless and unacceptable.
Yes, if they were to completely stop supporting the Zionist regime, remove their military bases from this area, and stop interfering in the region, these matters could potentially be reviewed. This isn't something foreseeable for now, nor for the near future.
What I wish to tell you dear young people is the following.
First, you must increase your knowledge, familiarity, and awareness of the country’s fundamental political issues pertaining to the past, present, and future. You must truly analyze these "circles of knowledge" that I mentioned and analyze our country's past and the events that have taken place. Where have we suffered losses, where have we achieved gains, where have we shown weakness, where have we exhibited strength, and what have the consequences of each of these experiences been?
In addition, scientific advancements must continue in the country. A few years ago, our momentum in making scientific advancements was very good, but it has slowed down somewhat. I want to tell the officials of our universities, our researchers, and our students that they mustn’t allow scientific progress to decline. The rapid speed of this progress is essential for us. The country must move forward in science.
The country must also advance militarily, and by God's grace, our military personnel are working diligently day and night. God willing, we will make even further advancements. By God’s grace, the country will be able to show that it’s a strong nation, and no power regardless of its capabilities will be able to force the Iranian nation to surrender or bring it to its knees.
Almighty God will help us. Strengthen your connection with God through prayer, the Quran, and by becoming acquainted with the truths of religion. Get help from divine assistance, and create a better future for yourselves and for the nation, God willing.
May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
