The following is the full text of the speech delivered on July 5, 2004 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with the people of Hamedan province. The meeting was held on the first day of the Leader's trip to Hamedan province.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master and Prophet, Ab-al-Qassem al-Mustafa Muhammad and upon his pure and immaculate household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth.
I thank Allah the Exalted for giving me the opportunity to once more meet with the dear and honorable people of Hamedan - the land of believers and mujahids - in their own city. Before I say anything, I deem it necessary to thank you dear brothers and sisters - both the people of Hamedan and the people from other cities of Hamedan province such as Nahavand, Malayer, Kabudarahang, Tuyserkan, Asadabad, Razan and Bahar. The people from these cities are undoubtedly present in the meeting. They were also present among the large group of people who showed their kindness to us on the way. A number of honorable ulama have also come from Qom. I thank all you dear ones.
I would like to raise the necessary points in as short a time as possible because a large number of people have gathered here in the sun. Some of them have been here for hours.
I hold Hamedan city and province in deep respect and I place great value on it because of two reasons. The first reason is the historical value of this city and its glorious civilizational and scientific past. There are few cities in the world that enjoy the historical background of Hamedan. The city in which you live has at least a 3,100-year history. Well-known ancient cities in the world have a 2,700, 2,900-year history. A great part of this long 3,000-year history is unknown. There is not a lot of information about the scientific and intellectual products of this city before Islam, but in the Islamic era, your city was considered as the center of the blossoming of Islamic civilization. There are few cities in our country which enjoy the scientific past of this city.
Countless scientists and scholars - including faqihs, philosophers, mystics, literary personalities, mathematicians, astronomers, physicians, artists, poets, calligraphers, politicians and historians - have emerged from Hamedan. This wide variety of scientific personalities and figures is unique. Those well-known names which have been associated with Hamedan are not few in number. For example, some of these personalities are Ayn al-Quzzat Hamedani, Badi-ul Zaman Hamedani, Rashid-ul Din Fazlullah Hamedani, Baba Tahir Uryan and many other personalities. If someone decides to read the list of these names, it will perhaps take them one hour.
The second reason is the role that the people and city of Hamedan have played in our contemporary history, whether in late ante-revolutionary or post-revolutionary era. The name of Sayyid Jamal al-Din Asadabadi is mentioned everywhere in the world of Islam and even beyond that. Sayyid Muhammad Tabatabai - one of the two leaders of the Constitutional movement in Tehran - was from Hamedan. In the revolutionary era, well-known martyrs emerged from this area. Some of these martyrs include Shahid Mofatteh, Shahid Qodusi, Shahid Heidari and Shahid Madani. Of course, although Shahid Madani was not from Hamadan, the people of Hamedan consider him as a Hamedani. He himself considered himself to be a Hamedani. Other personalities include non-seminarian martyrs and the dear youth whose names have been put up in this arena. There are many other personalities whose names have been recorded by those angels who record our actions. The names of such personalities have also been recorded in the memory of the people of Iran. Other martyrs are the martyrs of Ansar al-Hussein Army, Shahid Islamian, Shahid Hajj Babai, Shahid Shah Husseini, Shahid Chitsazan and many other great martyrs.
As well as these, during the Sacred Defense Era, the city and province of Hamedan played the role of a backup support for the defense front of the country and it suffered considerable harm. The sport complex in which you have gathered today became the target of ba'athist missiles as a result of which some people were martyred here. During the Sacred Defense Era, about 300 air attacks were launched on Hamedan. They threw about 2,000 missiles, rockets and bombs on these cities, but the people of Hamedan stood up against the enemy's attack with their lives, their money, their youth, their religious zeal and their political presence. The reason why I and people like me respect Hamedan and its people is because of these lofty values. And you should know - as you do - that these values win the respect of fair-minded people all over the world. Anyone who knows about these values holds such people in deep respect.
During all provincial visits, I find it necessary to speak briefly about the identity of those dear people whom I visit so that they feel proud of their identity and personality. Today, one of the main plans of the enemy is to wage psychological war with the purpose of crushing our dear people's sense of identity and personality. The people should know what lofty values have helped them to stand at the peak of glory throughout history. And you know this. I too will remind you of some short parts of it.
Your province enjoys many natural and human capacities. Hamedan province is an excellent area for agriculture. It is an outstanding area for sight-seeing and it has many important mines. It is a center which connects many other provinces and it is on the way to Karbala Muala and Atabat Aliat [Shia holy shrines in Iraq]. It is a rich and resourceful land. The people of the province too - who are the human resources of Hamedan and who are more valuable than natural resources - are religious, self-sacrificing, young and enthusiastic. According to the statistics, Hamedan province is among the top provinces of the country in terms of the number of youth. That is to say, the number of youth in this province is larger than every other province in the country. What is important to our dear people, to you people of Hamedan, to officials and to me personally is how we should use these great human and natural capacities for the future development of the country and for solving today's problems.
There is more hope than the past to improve the situation and to bring about a real reform in the country. The 20-Year Strategic Plan was prepared last year. Provincial plans too have been prepared for every province. The Fourth Plan has received complete and thorough attention. The seventh Majlis has announced its preparedness for moving towards the construction of the country. Therefore, there is more hope than the past to overcome problems. We should see what the way to achieve this future is.
You know very well that one of the main policies of the enemies of the Islamic Revolution in their psychological warfare is to somehow ascribe the problems of the country to the Islamic Republic. This is their clear enmity with the people of Iran, Islam and the Islamic Republic. During the 25-year rule of the Islamic Republic, the work that has been done is several times more than the work that was done 100 years before that. And these were years during which the disgraced houses of Qajar and Pahlavi ruled over the country in a dictatorial way. They did nothing for our people. They either wasted capacities or left them untapped. What has helped the people and the country to move towards a future that befits the status of this country is the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Revolution.
However, there are certain problems in the country which are not few in number. In the poll that our friends conducted from all the people of Hamedan province before my trip, the most important demand that they made was employment. Employment was their most important demand. Combating addiction and bureaucratic corruption were the other demands that they made. Therefore, these demands should be met.
I firmly believe that what our people deserve and what forms our future horizons is completely possible and achievable provided that we comply with the requirements. Both officials and the people are responsible. They have some individual and some common responsibilities. I have many things to say in this regard. By Allah's favor, I will discuss my viewpoints in the following days in different meetings with youth, outstanding personalities, the clergy and people from other social backgrounds.
What I deem necessary to discuss in this public meeting with you dear people of Hamedan is that we can achieve an exemplary development in the country which is based on our Islamic and national culture. This is not an unrealistic desire and an impossible wish. Iran can be turned into an advanced country. The path that the Revolution has taken until today can be continued at a faster rate and with a better and stronger orientation, but this has a certain condition which is national and comprehensive effort.
This comprehensive and public effort has three main sides: the first side is the determination and effort of the officials of the country. The second side is the cooperation of the people in those areas which they are responsible for and the third side is creating proper economic and social conditions. This is both the responsibility of officials and the people. I will provide a brief explanation about each of these three sides.
As for the effort that officials should put in, officials should focus all their efforts on the construction of the country. Primarily, what is necessary for this task is harmony and unity between the three branches of government. They should cooperate with and complete one another. This is the exact opposite of what the enemies of our dear country and the Islamic Republic of Iran are trying to do. They have been trying to establish a dual government in our country. It is several years now that foreign megaphones, radios and those television networks which are managed by the Zionists, the Americans and the enemies of the people of Iran are promoting the idea of a dual government in this country. They say that a dual government already exists and actually, they are trying to create one in our country. Therefore, officials should move in the opposite direction of the enemy's movement. They should not allow them to do so.
They should not do something to make the enemy pretend that he has managed to create discord and division among the officials of the country. Certain mistakes have been made in this regard. Some people have said and done things which ended in the enemy's advantage. They should stop doing such things. The executive, legislative and judiciary branches should move within the remit of their responsibilities and with complete harmony and cooperation.
Of course, this does not mean that the legislative branch should not question the executive branch or that the judiciary branch should not attend to the mistakes that some individuals in other branches make. Rather, this means that each branch should sincerely cooperate with the other two branches within the remit of its responsibilities. Each of them should adopt its orientations in a way that they complete the orientations of the other two branches.
They should also pay attention to the priorities of the country. There are certain tasks in different areas of the country - including your province - that have priority over others. They should give priority to such tasks. They should attend to those affairs which ensure public interests and social justice. They should solve the problems of underprivileged classes and they should avoid wasting time and resources.
By creating uproar and provoking arguments, some people have spent some time trying to prove that political development has priority over economic development, but arguing whether political development or economic development has priority over the other is wasting the people's time. What is necessary and urgent and what everyone should do is to solve the problems of the people and to help the country make progress. If we bring political arguments and everyday commotions into the working life of officials and the people, this will not help the progress of the country in any way. It is the people's right to ask their officials for work, innovation, timely actions and responsible behavior. It is the responsibility of officials to be responsive and to carry out their duties. This is the first side, but it is not enough.
Now, a question may be raised about the great responsibility that falls on the shoulders of the people. The determination and efforts of officials produce results only if it is accompanied by this second side. The people's public culture and beliefs and their spiritual and material resources should be brought to the arena. The responsibility of the people is to consider this task as a value. They should consider investment as a value. University and school students should consider studying as a value. We should consider self-sacrifice and hard work as a value. We should consider preferring public interests to individual interests as a value. We should consider presence on political scenes as a value. These are the spiritual resources of a country and people. It is with these resources that a people can achieve victory.
My dear ones, you dear youth who did not experience the Sacred Defense Era at all or who experienced it in an incomplete way, it was with these spiritual resources that the Sacred Defense achieved results. The entire world of arrogance gathered behind Saddam Hussein, who is known today as an international criminal. They gathered behind him so that they can fight against the Islamic Republic and the people of Iran. It was with these resources that the people of Iran achieved victory in that unequal war. Our people brought to the arena their faith, courage, self-sacrifice, piety and national pride. They also brought their youth, money, resources and capabilities to the arena. The sum of all these things managed to save our people. If these people had not achieved victory in the Sacred Defense Era, it would have been possible that Iran would not be able to see the face of happiness for many centuries.
Our enemies have cast their greedy eyes on our human resources - which are our resources for achieving power - more than our natural resources. They know that if these social resources are taken away from a people and if a people lose their national courage, faith, unity, solidarity, enthusiasm to work and to innovate, and movement towards scientific progress, they will become completely available to the enemies. Under such circumstances, they can easily bully and dominate them and they can loot their natural and material resources. These spiritual resources are a solid dam that can be built against the enemies and we should take care not to let them be ambushed.
Unfortunately, I have seen many people who claim to work for the people on the political scene and in the cultural arena, but who do not protect these resources. You have seen that some of our newspapers have spoken against diligence, self-sacrifice, courage and faith. To whose advantage are these statements? They are to the enemy's advantage, not the people of Iran's. If they deprive the people of their faith, this is like removing their armor in the arena of war. If they deprive the people in a country of their national pride and their feeling of dignity, resistance and steadfastness, they have actually disarmed them in the face of the enemy. These are the enemy's spiritual tools. Some people should not play down the importance of jihad and martyrdom. They should not deny and cast doubt on the people's religious beliefs. They should not play down and make light of the Revolution's achievements.
Writers and those who have a cultural responsibility should promote knowledge and education on a daily basis. We have brought up the slogan of "scientific innovation and software movement". Knowledgeable, religious, literary, academic and seminarian personalities were expected to move in this direction. Of course, many of them have done so, but we still see that some people have not responded to this genuine need - the scientific movement is the genuine need of the country. This course of action does not give a good signal about those who behave in the same way.
Today, we need to equip the people with their spiritual resources. The IRIB, the Islamic Promotion Organization, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the clergy, and our spokespeople and writers have a responsibility in this regard. We should turn these spiritual and social resources into a source of support for our material resources and for the independence and progress of the country. This is the second side of a triangle that can help the country achieve ideal progress and development.
The third side is that economic and social conditions should achieve health. This responsibility falls on both officials - executive, judiciary and parliamentary officials - and all the people. What does "wrong economic and social conditions" mean? It means the promotion of smuggling, usury, excessive consumption and preferring foreign products to their domestic equivalents. This means that Iranian laborers are eliminated in favor of foreign laborers. The feeling to be proud of using domestic products should awaken in the people and officials. Primarily officials, executive organizations and the three branches of government and secondly, the people should pay attention and attach significance to this matter.
When wrong economic conditions dominate society and when economic rent and abuse of power for the sake of making windfall profits becomes common, then producers and those who really work hard will become disappointed. When a farmer who works hard, an industrialist who engages in production, an investor who makes an investment, a miner who sweats blood, a teacher who teaches at a school, a university professor who teaches at a university and a judge who spends his time and energy trying to do good work see that the path for wrong economic conditions is open in society and that no effort is made to prevent this, they become disappointed. When we said that economic corruption and smuggling should be combated, the reason is that these phenomena do serious harm to the progress of the country.
Notice that until two, three years ago, we were an importer of wheat. The administration used to spend about one billion dollars - and sometimes more - on importing wheat. But today, by Allah's favor, with the showering of divine mercy, with the efforts of farmers and with the plans of officials in charge of Agricultural Jihad and other such organizations, not only do we not need to import wheat, but we are also on the verge of exporting it. Who saved these one billion dollars for the country? Whoever did it should be praised. Farmers, good planners and those officials who pursue a fundamental matter in an enthusiastic way should be praised. Values should be appreciated because this moves the country forward.
What I am saying is not only a verbal piece of advice to officials. I am saying these things to you people so that you know, want and demand. I am saying these things to government officials in the three branches of government and to myself so that we know and carry out our responsibilities and so that we can be responsive to the people.
Those who accumulate illegitimate wealth, those who are greedy, and economically corrupt individuals should not narrow the arena for investors, laborers and those who study and promote knowledge and whose income is much less than theirs. The government should combat economic corruption and the orientation which is involved in it. This is the responsibility of the Majlis, the administration and the judiciary branch.
We are a people with a deep cultural and historical background. We are a people who enjoy courage. We are not a cowardly people. We have shown in political and military arenas that we have the power to stand up against the enemies. These are not claims, rather they have been experienced and proved in the arena of action. Our people are a religious - as well as courageous and prepared - people. By Allah's favor, I will say in my meeting with youth that our youth are generally pious. This has become clear and proven to us. The majority of our people are young. Of course, it goes without saying that our elderly are pious as well.
Our people are religious and they are interested in the Islamic government. Why have this large number of people gathered in this place and on the streets and why do our people give such a warm reception to their officials on different political occasions and during rallies? These things show their interest in the Islamic Republic. These people are not interested in individuals and the likes of Ali Khamenei, rather they are interested in Islam. Even if they show kindness to individuals, this is because they regard them as servants of Islam, the people, the Revolution and the Islamic Republic. Otherwise, if the same individuals and people like me take one step in the wrong direction and if they deviate from the straight path, our people will turn their backs on them. Our people love Islam. Let the enemy's satellites record these enthusiastic gatherings and these warm and friendly feelings of the people. The enemy's fifth column too should open its short-sighted eyes in the country to see what these people want and say. The people are interested in the Islamic Republic.
We want to build our country. Our people have decided to stand on their own feet, to manage the country on their own and to move towards the glorious peaks that they deserve in their own right. These people do not want to stand behind great powers and move forward with their signal.
Officials should act and move in a way that they can keep this valuable trust in the hearts of the people. This trust is very valuable. A people's resistance for their government and country is everything. It is with this great popular support and power that a country and people can stand up against any power and any transgressor - no matter how strong - and discourage them from showing transgression.
We do not trade the interests of our country and people with anyone in the world. In order to justify their enmity, the enemies of our country and people say that the Islamic Republic has jeopardized their interests. The Americans say that the Islamic Republic has jeopardized their interests. In these four walls of our country, we people of Iran will immediately cut off any hand that is reached out to grab our interests - including our scientific, natural, human and technological interests. In these four walls of our country, we will not allow the interests of any power to be preferred to and to have priority over our national interests. However, if the enemy becomes so bold that he dares show transgression, then our defense will no longer be confined to the four walls of our country. If someone shows transgression against our people, we will jeopardize their interests wherever in the world they exist.
I will tell you dear people and all the people of Iran that you are capable in all arenas including the arena of defense, the arena of resistance and the arena of construction. You should know this. Our people have shown that they are capable.
Pay attention to Allah the Exalted and ask Him for His help. The people - particularly our youth - should take the path of salvation and happiness by paying attention to Allah the Exalted. I have said many times that you should show mercy on one another so that Allah the Exalted shows His mercy on you. We should keep our strong relationship with Allah the Exalted so that divine blessings, assistance, success and guidance are bestowed on all of us.
Our people have shown that they are capable of moving forward on this path and that they can make good decisions. This is why the future will - by Allah's favor - be bright and horizons will be open and brilliant.
Once more, I would like to sincerely thank all the brothers and sisters who are present here, those brothers and sisters who gathered on the streets and those who have come from other cities. I ask Allah the Exalted to bestow His mercy and blessings on the holy souls of our precious martyrs, the great and outstanding personalities of this province, the dear families of martyrs, the disabled war veterans, former POWs, our dear youth and all the people of Iran.
Greetings be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings