In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
You are very welcome dear brothers, dear sisters, and the esteemed and honorable families of martyrs of the Sacred Defense Era and of the Revolution. This nation is indebted to your children forever. This is because each and everything that this nation has achieved over the course of these years – including dignity, security, progress – is because of the dear youth who left their home, their family, their parents, their children and the like and who showed great resistance against the enemy.
And that was an enemy who was supported by the whole world. In those days, the west, the east and regional reactionaries – all those forces - used to support our malicious Ba'athist enemy. If it had not been for the courageous, valorous and self-sacrificing youth – individuals like your youth – who stood against the enemy like a shield and like a fortress, that enemy would have entered this country and would have not have shown mercy on anything.
Notice what is happening right now in North Africa and in some countries located in west Asia. What would have happened in Iran with the presence of the Ba'athists, would be ten times worse than what is happening in Libya in the present time, what happened in Syria for several years and what happened in Iraq for a long time. Who prevented this? Who prevented this massive historic and national loss? Your youth: those martyrs.
In my opinion, the families of martyrs – a father who has lost three martyrs, a mother who has lost three martyrs: some three, some two and some have lost five, more or less, martyrs – are not less valuable than the martyrs themselves. Those martyrs were young and they were filled with emotions. They were thinking about heroic actions and they moved forward. However, their parents had brought up those bouquets of flowers. They had gone through a lot of trouble to raise them and to help them reach that level, but they were lost in front of their eyes and only their bodies returned to them and sometimes, even their bodies did not return.
In my opinion, the courage and self-sacrifice of parents are not less than those of their youth. I frequently say to the families of martyrs, may God preserve your presence for the people of Iran. The families of martyrs have many rights. They are very valuable to this country. The same is true of our dear martyrs. Even if we exclude their status before Allah the Exalted, their influence on the country and their existence in the country is a very important matter.
The enemy is waiting for an opportunity. He is waiting for the emergence of a rift through which he can infiltrate into the country. You should take a look at the recent events. All those who are on bad terms with the Islamic Republic – those who have money, those who have politics, those who have weapons and those who have security services – have joined hands so that they can create problems for the Islamic government, the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Revolution.
By Allah's favor, I have matters to say about the recent events. I have certain matters to discuss with our dear people. By Allah's favor, I will speak at the right time. This means that enmity continues to exist. The thing which can prevent enmity is the spirit of courage, self-sacrifice and faith. The complete manifestation of this was your children and your youth.
My respect for the families of martyrs is genuine. We appreciate the value of martyrs, the families of martyrs, the parents of martyrs, the spouses of martyrs and the children of martyrs. We know that our country, our Revolution, our government and our history are greatly indebted to them.
I hope that Allah the Exalted will protect all of you and associate your martyrs with the Holy Prophet, God willing.