The following is the full text of the speech delivered on January 9, 2016 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with the people of Qom. The meeting was held on the anniversary of an uprising by the people of Qom on the 19th of Dey, 1356.
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.
Dear brothers and sisters of Qom, welcome. Thanks to the efforts of the people of Qom, the name of Qom was registered in history as a pioneer. The more time has passed since those days, the more the actions of the esteemed people of Qom have strengthened and preserved their good name. Thankfully, Qom is a revolutionary center and the cradle of the Revolution and by Allah’s favor, it will be the center that preserves and strengthens the Revolution on a daily basis. Welcome to this meeting. I hope Allah the Exalted rewards all of you. The chorus of the beautiful song that was performed at the beginning should be addressed to the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) and nobody else. We should develop a habit of presenting all our sincerity, all our sacrifices, all our love and all our emotions to the Imam of the Age (a.s.). If you pray for him, he will pray for you. This has been confirmed in Islamic narrations.
Many things have been said about the 19th of Dey and today’s warm and sincere gathering of you dear people marks that day. I have made many comments in this regard over the years, just as other people have. Some of the things that are said have been said before and they are not new, but the event that took place on the 19th of Dey will never lose its novelty. If we repeat some of the things that have been said before, it will not cause that event to lose its novelty, just like Ashura. I do not want to compare the importance of the 19th of Dey to other events, but it can be likened to the event that took place on Ashura. For one thousand and two, three hundred years, Ashura has been discussed and many things are constantly repeated, but the event itself does not lose its novelty. The event that took place on the Day of Ashura is like the sun which shines brightly every day and yet it does not lose its novelty. Every month and every year, Ashura enlightens the life of our society as well as other Islamic communities. It infuses Islamic societies with light, energy and strength.
The same is true of the 19th of Dey: its essence is the same as that of Ashura. The reason is that the event which took place on the 19th of Dey was a great achievement. Whenever such an achievement is made by a people or community, the outcomes will be astonishing. The ground had been prepared in Iran. No achievements can be made without laying the groundwork. The statements by Imam Khomeini (r.a.) during the years he was fighting the Pahlavi regime, the political activities of those who were fighting the Pahlavi regime, the spread of revolutionary ideas throughout the country, the status and credibility of the clergy and religious authorities among the people which had been established centuries earlier – all of these things prepared the ground, but there was a need for a spark and that spark was caused by the people of Qom. It was a great decision. They stepped into the arena to defend our magnanimous Imam (r.a.). It was not ordinary times for such things: there were bullets, shootings, terror and suppression. They stepped in without fear and with tremendous courage in a timely manner. I would like to stress their timely action, their timely sense of responsibility. They did not step in too late. The blood of those who had been unjustly martyred on the 19th of Dey, the courage displayed by the people of Qom and their timely action and sense of responsibility were effective. In fact, that was the trigger that started everything and the ground had been prepared, so the people rose up. Therefore, what the people of Qom did is unforgettable.
I do not want to discuss history in this meeting. There are more pressing issues to discuss. We need to identify our responsibilities for tomorrow. The Islamic Revolution achieved victory, an achievement that was considered impossible in the normal course of events. Considering the importance that was attached to Iran by the arrogant powers, nobody could believe there would be a Revolution in a country like Iran. This country was a place for the Zionists to rest. This country was full of American advisors. Iran was a place where foreigners had peace and tranquility. Around ten days before the 19th of Dey, the president of America said in a speech in Tehran that Iran was an island of stability. This is what they thought of our country. With America’s heavy presence, it was impossible for a faith-based revolution to take place in a country like ours, a country with an oppressive and tyrannical government that would confront the people without fear. It was unimaginable that a revolution rooted in religious faith, a revolution by the people, a revolution led by a marja taqlid and outstanding cleric would achieve victory in Iran.
It was for this reason that no intelligence agency in the world predicted the Islamic Revolution. This was because the Revolution did not make sense on the basis of ordinary calculations. It was unimaginable for such a Revolution to take place in a country like Iran. I will explain later on that the success of the Revolution was unlike certain other events in Iran. It was unimaginable that the Revolution would lead to the establishment of a government. It was unimaginable that the Revolution would build a political system and establish the Islamic Republic, a government that would survive and become more powerful and established on a daily basis. Such things were not in line with any material rules and calculations. Material calculations dismissed the possibility of the Revolution, but it happened.
The fact the Islamic Revolution took place shows that the universe has certain laws that are unknown to materialists. Materialists do not see those laws. “And the Command of Allah is a decree determined” [The Holy Quran, 33: 38]. In another part of the Holy Quran, Allah the Exalted says: “That has been the Way of Allah already with those who passed away before” [The Holy Quran, 48: 23]. The Way of Allah means divine laws. There are certain laws in the universe, in every part of it. Such laws as gravity, the laws that apply to stars, to the sun and to the moon and determine their movement and the incidence of days and nights – these are divine laws.
There are similar laws that apply to human communities. Materialists are not capable of identifying these laws, but they exist. When we prepare the ground for such laws to apply to us, Allah the Exalted sets everything in motion. Fire burns, but you need to prepare the ground for it to fulfill its function of burning: if you light a fire and hold a dry object over it, it will burn. If you prepare the ground, the laws of nature will work the way they are supposed to. It is necessary to prepare the ground. The people of Iran prepared the ground. Our luminaries have pointed out these things and the Holy Quran has repeatedly discussed them. The same things have been stressed in the narrations from our Infallible Imams (a.s.) and the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). “When Allah had observed our truth, He sent ignominy to our foe and sent His succor to us” [Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 56]. The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) says in Nahjul Balaghah that if you step into the arena in a sincere way and resist, Allah the Exalted will defeat your enemy and help you achieve victory. This is a divine law. This law showed its effect during the Revolution: the people stepped into the arena in a sincere way and they resisted.
The conclusion that I would like to draw at this point is that we are faced with a massive enemy camp. This massive camp includes leaders of the Zionist regime, leaders of the American government, different agents and pawns of the arrogant powers, takfiri elements and Daesh. It is a massive camp that we are faced with. It includes a wide and varied array of elements. All of them are the enemies of the Islamic Republic. Therefore, we are faced with a massive camp of enemies and this is a fact. They are capable of many things. They launch propaganda campaigns against us. They hold sway over all the major media outlets in the world. They spread all kinds of lies against the Islamic Republic. They have all the political levers. They have all types of political power. They have control over various intelligence systems. They own many intelligence services. They have lined up against the Islamic Republic.
Some people lose heart when they see such a massive camp. This is because they disregard the importance of divine laws. After all, the Revolution was faced with the same enmities and even worse, yet the Revolution achieved victory. Today we are faced with the same kind of enmities and we will achieve victory if we meet the requirements. There is no doubt in this regard. There is no question. “When Allah had observed our truth, He sent ignominy to our foe and sent His succor to us” [Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 56]. The same divine laws are still valid today. If we step into the arena in a sincere way, if we meet the requirements, if we resist, if we show insight, if we take action in a timely manner, if we say the right things, if we do the right things, we will achieve “succor”, as the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) has said. Victory belongs to us. “Ignominy” and defeat belong to the enemy. Therefore, the Revolution teaches us a great lesson for our future.
I mentioned earlier that I would compare the Revolution with other events that have taken place in the history of our country. If we compare the Revolution with other historic events that have happened in our country and in other parts of world, we will realize that the Revolution is unparalleled. It will take too long to compare the Islamic Revolution with other great revolutions. I have made a few comments in this regard in other speeches. But we can compare the Revolution with other historic events that have taken place in our country.
For example, one may compare the Islamic Revolution to the movement for nationalization of oil, which was a historic event in our country: the people stepped into the arena, the people were present, which is why it is known as a national movement among political activists. What were the demands of the movement for nationalization of oil? The demands were minimal. They were not after economic independence. They were not after political independence. They were not after total independence. Our oil was in the hands of the English. The demand of the movement for nationalization of the oil industry was to take away the privilege from the English. We wanted to have control over our own oil resources. This was not an extravagant demand. Of course, it was important, but it would not lead to total independence of the country.
During that movement, the people stepped into the arena just like they did during the Revolution and certain events took place, but the movement did not last more than two, three years. The movement was alive for only two, three years. The enemy managed to suppress the movement and put an end to it. After the movement had been suppressed, the terms of the contract with the English were made even worse for Iran. That is to say, the agreement that was reached after the events of the 28th of Mordad was much worse than the agreement that had been reached earlier. If the oil industry was in the hands of the English before the movement, afterwards it passed into the hands of the English as well as the Americans. Our oil resources were in the hands of our enemies and these conditions did not change until the victory of the Revolution. The goal of the Islamic Revolution was not just to nationalize the oil industry. The Islamic Revolution was after total independence: political independence, economic independence, cultural independence. The Islamic Revolution started with these slogans and it was not comparable with the movement for nationalization of the oil industry. The nationalization movement did not last long. In contrast, the Islamic Revolution achieved victory and permanence.
Now let us compare the Islamic Revolution with the Constitutional Movement. The Constitutional Movement was a very important event in our country, but what were the demands of that movement? The demand was to limit the absolute power of the tyrannical monarchs. The monarch was to stay in power and rule, but his absolute power would be limited in certain ways. For example, a parliament was to be established. This was the demand of the Constitutional Movement. Many people stepped into the arena. People from various backgrounds stepped in. Some people were martyred, but the enemy suppressed the movement and controlled it. The movement was essentially stomped out. After the Constitutional Movement was suppressed, tyranny was strengthened. That is to say, fifteen years after the signing of the constitution, Reza Khan came to power, a man whose tyranny was not comparable to anybody who ruled before him. He was oppressive and abusive and a servant of foreigners. Other dictators were tyrannical too, but at least they did not surrender to foreigners like he did. He was appointed by foreigners and he was removed by foreigners. The English were in control of everything. At one point when he decided to use a little innitiative, the English brought him down and that was the end of it. The Constitutional Movement did not survive despite its minimal demands. It did not last. It was suppressed.
What about the Islamic Revolution? The Islamic Revolution was not after limiting the power of monarchs. It demanded an end to monarchy. It challenged the concept of monarchy. It is the people who own their country. Why would a monarch be allowed to dominate the people of a country? Why would the people have to carry out his orders? Basically, the Revolution put an end to monarchy. It destroyed the concept of absolute monarchy. The Revolution managed to survive. There are good reasons why the Revolution survived. Despite the fact that the people were present on the scene during the movement for nationalization of the oil industry, despite the fact that the movement had minimal demands, it failed to survive, but the Islamic Revolution managed to survive despite its demand for maximal independence. Why did the Constitutional Movement not last despite its minimal demand of limiting the power of absolute monarchy but the Islamic Revolution achieved victory and permanence despite demanding an end to monarchy in the country?
It is necessary for you dear youth to analyze these things and find out the factors. The factors are clear to me. It is our youth who should identify the factors that played a role. They should identify the factors that prevented those movements from achieving permanence and reaching their goals. They should identify the factors that made it possible for the Islamic Revolution to stand firm. What were the factors? Our youth should analyze these things. If we manage to analyze these events in an appropriate way, then the seeds of fear and despair that some people try to sow in the hearts of our people will be eliminated completely. If we achieve an appropriate understanding, the future path of our country will be completely clear. Persistence and permanence are very important for a social phenomenon. Some of the movements that happen in the world are truly great at times, but they disappear: the enemy regains control and uproots those movements. Permanence is very important for a revolution. Of course, these things need to be discussed in detail and our youth should go and read extensively about such things.
The famous French Revolution, which is known as the Great French Revolution, was a genuine revolution, a comprehensive revolution with the presence of the people. The French Revolution finally achieved victory after those bitter events, but it barely lasted for fifteen years. The French Revolution was against monarchy, yet less than fifteen years later, Napoleon started his monarchy with absolute powers. Later on, the revolution was completely forgotten. The same people who had been overthrown and the same family who had been deposed by the revolution returned to power and restarted their rule. They ruled for many years. Afterwards, the people started another movement and the same things happened again. This conflict continued in France for about one hundred years and finally after the passage of about one hundred years, the revolutionaries managed to establish the republican government that they were after. They failed to keep the revolution alive. Similar things happened in the case of the Russian Revolution. It is very important that a revolution manages to survive, keep itself alive and confront its enemies and defeat them. Our Revolution is the only Revolution that has managed to achieve these things and these achievements will continue in the future as well.
I would say that currently all centers of political thought in the world of arrogance – be it America or certain other arrogant countries – are focused on finding a way to uproot this massive tree which was once a small sapling. Even when this Revolution was a small sapling, they could not uproot and destroy it. All their efforts are focused on this goal. Please listen carefully so that you can have a good understanding of what I am about to say. Based on the reports we have received and the analyses that they themselves have carried out, the enemies are constantly thinking of new ways to destroy the Revolution. Thanks to your efforts and by Allah’s favor, this Revolution is moving forward despite these things while becoming more powerful and advanced on a daily basis.
All their efforts are focused on undermining the permanence of the Islamic Revolution in one way or another and all our efforts should be focused on increasing this permanence. Since the beginning of the Revolution, they have always been thinking of new ways to destroy this permanence. This is why the imposed war was waged on us. This is why ethnic conflicts were started in different parts of the country. This is why the economic siege was established. This is why they have imposed severe sanctions in recent years. This is why takfiri groups were formed outside the eastern and western borders of our country. The purpose is to destroy the Islamic Revolution. The purpose is to destroy this permanence, which is astounding, painful and unacceptable for them. This is what all their efforts are focused on.
They come up with new ideas every day. The events that took place in the year 1388 were the result of these new ideas, which were introduced by America. Of course, they had tested the same ideas in a few other places as well. The ideas had not be developed to be used against us exclusively. They had tested the ideas in a few other countries as well and then they decided to do same things in our country, but they were kicked in the mouth, like that. Imagine that a country is holding an election and its political system is not favored by America because it does not serve America’s interests. After a new government has been elected by the people, the idea is to encourage the losing side to take to the streets. In order to magnify the losing minority and make them visible, they use a color to represent them symbolically: pink, flowery, green or whatever. Our lot was green [audience laughs] and in other places, they had promoted red, orange and other colors to represent the losing side and encourage them to take to the streets. After all, the losing side are comprised of ordinary citizens. The difference is that their candidate has not won the election. There is no doubt that the losing side are also ordinary citizens. These ordinary citizens are encouraged to resist. They provide these citizens with help. If necessary, they provide money, political support and even weapons so that they can challenge the results of the election. They did this in several countries and they were successful. Then they decided to implement the same plan in our country as well, but they failed. The tactic was the same.
When those things were happening in the country, our friends advised me to avoid using the phrase “color revolution” and because I believe in the principle of consultation, I did not mention the phrase. After all, the advisors were giving me expert opinions. I did not use the phrase, but it was a color revolution. In fact, it was a color coup d'état, a failed color coup d'état. This is a very important point. The same plan that was successfully implemented by the Americans in four, five other countries by relying on money and other resources, failed in the Islamic Republic despite the fact that they supported the protestors.
The president of America had written a letter to me shortly before those events. That was the second letter he wrote. He had mentioned many beliefs that he shared with me and with the Islamic Republic. I wanted to reply to the letter initially, but then those events took place and he immediately adopted a position in support of the same people who took to the streets of Tehran to protest against the Islamic Republic and the Revolution and to act against the Islamic aspect of the Islamic Republic. All the things that were done by the protestors were approved by the Americans. Of course, they wanted to take further steps, but they could not. Currently, certain opponents of the current American president are saying that he did not fully support those who were opposed to the Islamic Republic in the year 1388. This is not true: his administration supported those people, but the Iranian people took action at the right time and stepped into the arena.
The point is that this permanence is important. It is necessary to keep this permanence in mind as the main goal. It is necessary to think how this permanence can be ensured. You should identify the factors that have brought about permanence for the Islamic Revolution and each and every one of us should ensure those factors. All of us are responsible in this regard. Of course, as I said, you dear youth are the ones who should do the analysis.
The Americans refer to the period after the nuclear negotiations as the period of severe actions against Iran. They believe they have to be strict, but they cannot be stricter than they were in the past. Iranian youth, Iranian people, government officials of the country should stand up against the enmity of the enemies in a vigilant, aware, hopeful and courageous way while relying on Allah the Exalted and the numerous strengths that our country enjoys. This is very important. Every moment, there is a responsibility that we need to shoulder and it is necessary to identify that responsibility and carry it out. The discussion about this issue is getting too long and we need to move on.
Now I would like to discuss the issue of elections. Elections are one of the main issues in our country. In fact, elections give the Iranian nation more energy. The Iranian nation will be invigorated and this is the nature of elections. Every Iranian enters the arena of elections in order to express his or her opinion and elect a government official – be it presidential elections, parliamentary elections or Assembly of Experts elections, all of which are very important. When a person feels this sense of responsibility, he plays his role in safeguarding the Revolution. The presence of the people is one of the factors that disappoints the enemy. This is why I emphasize and insist that everybody should take part in our elections. I have repeatedly said that even those who do not agree with the Islamic Republic should take part in our elections in order to safeguard the country and raise its status. Some people might not agree with me and nothing is wrong with this, but the elections do not belong to the Leadership: they belong to Islamic Iran and to the Islamic Republic.
Everybody should take part in the elections. This will strengthen the Islamic Republic. It will ensure the stability and permanence of the Islamic Republic. It will preserve our national security, a blessing that we thankfully enjoy today. It will raise the status of the Iranian nation in the eyes of other nations. It will increase the Iranian nation’s credibility. It will increase the power of the Iranian nation against the enemies. These are the benefits of elections. Therefore, the essence of elections is the presence of the people. Everybody should take part in the elections. The good name of the Islamic Republic, the good name of Islam, the good name of the Iranian nation and the good name of our country depend on taking part in the elections. This is the first issue that I wanted to discuss in this meeting.
The second issue is voting for the right person. Different people have different tendencies and opinions and nothing is wrong with this, but everybody should try to vote for the right candidates. We must do our best. Our efforts might produce results and the right people might be elected. It is also possible that our efforts might not produce results. This is not a problem and Allah the Exalted will accept our efforts because we have fulfilled our responsibility by trying our best. There will be two elections in the near future: parliamentary elections and the elections for the Assembly of Experts.
The Majlis is very important because it passes legislation and lays the tracks for the movement of different governments. It is the Majlis that lays the tracks and makes it possible to move forward and achieve the goals. The Majlis is important in terms of international issues as well. Thankfully, as you have seen, the current Majlis adopts good positions on international issues. This is very valuable for our country. This is very different from having a Majlis that repeats what our international enemies and what the unified enemy camp say. There is a world of difference. A Majlis that repeats what the enemy says – in the case of nuclear negotiations or in the case of different other issues – is very different from a Majlis that is independent, liberated and courageous, a Majlis that promotes the same slogans that are chanted by the people, a Majlis that adopts the same positions that the people want. This is very important.
Therefore, the Majlis is very important, both in terms of our domestic issues and in terms of our country’s international credibility and status. Each and every member of the Majlis can play a role in this regard. You are the ones who will vote. A city might have one representative and another city might have ten representatives, but each of these representatives will play a role. Each of them will be engaged in certain activities. For this reason, it is necessary to have confidence in one’s choice.
Because we might not be able to gather information about each and every candidate before voting, it appears to me that electoral lists are a good idea. Personally, when I am voting, I do not know some of the individuals who are listed among the candidates on a particular list, but I trust those who have included their names in that electoral list. I consider the personality of those who have prepared the electoral list. If I come to the conclusion that the list has been prepared by faithful and revolutionary individuals, I trust them and vote for the candidates on their list. But if I realize that those who have prepared the list do not attach a lot of importance to the issues of the Revolution, to religious issues and to the independence of the country, if I realize that they sympathize with America and other such powers, I disregard their list. I believe this is a good strategy.
We should consider the personality of the individuals who prepare electoral lists, both in the case of the Majlis and in the case of the Assembly of Experts. We should trust only those who we believe are faithful and committed. We should trust those who are faithful, those who support the Revolution, those who follow the path of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) and really believe in him. This is a good strategy. If a person acts like this and takes the trouble of doing research, he has fulfilled his responsibility. Allah the Exalted will reward such people, even if a few mistakes are made here and there. For example, an individual who I thought was a good person when I voted for him might turn out to be not a very good person, but I tried my best to vote for the right person and Allah the Exalted will reward me for this.
The Assembly of Experts is also very important. On the face of it, members of the Assembly of Experts meet only two times a year and discuss political and non-political issues and then they leave. It is wrong to think about the Assembly of Experts in this way. The Assembly of Experts is tasked with choosing the Leader. This is no joke. The day when the current Leader is not in this world, the day we do not have a Leader, it is the responsibility of the Assembly of Experts to choose a Leader. Who will they choose? Will they choose a person who stands up against the enemy’s attacks, a person who relies on God, a person who is courageous, a person who continues the path of Imam Khomeini (r.a.)? Will they choose such a person or will they choose a different kind of person? This is very important. The people you will elect will be in charge of choosing a Leader who will hold the key to the movement of the Revolution. This is very important. This is not a small responsibility. It is necessary to do research and choose with confidence. Therefore, elections and taking part in elections are one thing and choosing the most qualified candidates is another thing that deserves attention.
The issue of revolutionary standards is very important too. That is to say, we need to have a genuine understanding of these standards. We need to identify the right revolutionary standards. We need to highlight them for ourselves and ask the opinion of those who are more informed than we are. If these things are taken care of, there is no doubt that the Revolution will remain permanent.
Carrying out these responsibilities has two outcomes. One outcome is that the Revolution will remain permanent. It is obvious that some people join the ranks of the revolutionaries while at the same time some others part ways with the Revolution. I have said this on many occasions. There are some people who used to be revolutionaries, but they have turned their backs on the Revolution because of certain problems. There are some people who turn their backs on the Revolution once they see something that goes against their expectations – for example, when they suffer an injustice on a particular occasion. Some other people turn their backs on the Revolution because of personal issues and issues relating to family and other such things. These are instances of revolutionary attrition. All revolutions and social movements suffer from this problem, but there are always new people who join.
I receive many reports from different places and as an informed person, when I evaluate the situation, I realize that those who join the Revolution outnumber those who part ways with it. All these faithful youth, all these religious and educated people, all these faithful analysts, all these individuals who are experts at technical and scientific matters: all of them are faithful people who have joined the Revolution. There was a day when our problem was that we had less than five thousand people who could teach in our universities. This was the case at the beginning of the Revolution. Some professors had left the country and they did not want to return. Some others were not qualified enough to teach in our universities. Today we have tens of thousands of faithful professors in different academic areas, faithful professors who are truly committed to the Revolution and believe in it. This is not a small achievement. These people have been built by the Revolution. All these young and faithful writers, artists, scholars, technicians, clerics and speakers who are active in various domestic and international areas – these people joined the Revolution later on. They are new recruits who are both young and energetic. This is very valuable. Therefore, if we carry out our revolutionary responsibilities, new people will constantly join and the number of revolutionaries will keep growing.
The second outcome is the peace that is created in one’s heart. Speaking about pledging allegiance to the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.), Allah the Exalted says in the Holy Quran: “God was pleased with the believers, when they pledged allegiance to you under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts, and sent down serenity upon them, and rewarded them with an imminent conquest” [The Holy Quran, 48: 18]. When serenity is bestowed upon one’s heart, concerns will disappear, worries will disappear, despair will disappear. Today one of the main goals of the enemies is to create and promote despair. Their goal is to work in different areas and spread despair among our youth, our elderly, our former revolutionaries. This divine peace and serenity gives hope to human beings. This is the outcome of pledging allegiance to the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.).
Today when you pledge allegiance to the Revolution or when you renew your pledge of allegiance, you are in fact pledging allegiance to the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). Those who pledge allegiance to Imam Khomeini (r.a.) are in fact pledging allegiance to the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). When you safeguard the revolutionary path of Imam Khomeini (r.a.), when you do not let this path sink into oblivion, when you do not let this path lose its novelty, you are in fact pledging allegiance to the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). And when you pledge allegiance to the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.), then God sends down “His serenity upon His Messenger, and upon the believers” [The Holy Quran, 9: 26]. In this ayah, Allah the Exalted says that He will bestow serenity upon the hearts of believers. When you have peace and serenity, when your heart is full of spiritual confidence, then you will not be overwhelmed against the enemy, you will not suffer from despair, you will not suffer from indecision and weakness. Judging from the serenity and peace that the people of Iran enjoy today, one can be confident that the Iranian nation will triumph over America and its machinations. [People chant “Allahu Akbar” and “Death to America”]
I hope Allah the Exalted makes all of you successful. I hope He helps all of us remain steadfast on this path. I hope He helps us become soldiers who strive to ensure the permanence of the Revolution and who lay down everything we have. Dear God, by the blessedness of Muhammad (s.w.a.) and his household (a.s.), bestow Your blessings and grace on our nation. Make the pure soul of our Imam (r.a.) happy with us. Make the holy heart of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) happy with us.
Greetings be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings