Speech in Meeting with Commanders and a Large Number of Personnel of the Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Perhaps in these eleven years, it has not happened that I have not been with a group of Air Force brothers on a day like today — the 19th of Bahman — and have not participated in the magnificent feeling of their unparalleled memory. In 1979, on that day when the Air Force broke the iron barrier and for the first time declared the command of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) in the revolutionary army, and in the following years when this memory was honored, I have been with you every year on a day like today. Now, looking back at these ten, eleven years and reviewing the eventful and truly decisive years in my mind, I see that indeed a winding and challenging path — with pride — has been traversed by you, the Air Force personnel.

In 1979, when the Air Force entered the arena of the revolution, it performed an act that, if any element of the armed forces in any country and revolution were to do, it would be considered a permanent honor for them; because everyone knows that the previous regime had made various investments in the army and had high hopes for it. Of course, it was a misplaced hope. The reason was that, in reality, the part where they had invested and the section to which they had given everything for free, was ineffective and could not accomplish anything. The high-ranking leaders and special elements in the army belonged to the monarchy and the regime; however, those special elements were ineffective in critical moments and places.

Of course, the body always has effectiveness. The body of the army, which was part of the people, was neither included in the blessings of that system nor could that system naturally have any hope in it. Therefore, when the body of the army gained knowledge and awareness of the current issues of the country, all the arrangements they had made were overturned. First, the Air Force broke the barrier and entered the field, then the ground forces joined them. The ground forces joined the revolution and entered the ranks of the revolution, and this helped the rapid victory of the revolution.

Today, it may be difficult for some analysts to accept that the joining of the army with the revolutionaries and the people made the victory easier and expedited it. They might think that this statement would diminish the role of the people and the popular nature of the revolution; however, this is a mistake. The art of a revolution is that it can also attract the elements of the enemy's armed forces and make them aware of its legitimacy and integrate them into itself, which it did. It was the legitimacy of the revolution and the people that could attract the armed forces and the army to itself and place them on its side, which made the victory easier and quicker to achieve. Without this, perhaps victory would have been achieved, but with much difficulty and perhaps with a longer interval.

I should also mention that the leaders of the royal army — those who had high ranks and were affiliated with that system — ultimately did not believe in Islam and the revolution and did not connect and join the people, and the revolution did not believe in them either. Of course, they began to confront the revolution and engage in hostility according to their nature, but the revolution was vigilant and perceptive and quickly understood their conspiracies and removed them from the scene.

In the very first months of the revolution's victory, one of the high-ranking elements of the Air Force came to me at the Ministry of Defense and said: This army and the public treasury of the people have spent one billion tomans on me. I have undergone these courses and have these skills and knowledge. I did not reach here easily. You should utilize this investment. There were several like this. We had no objection to taking and using an investment that belonged to the nation; because it belonged to the nation. Humans also belong to the community. You and I also belong to the community and are not for ourselves. A person, in a personal capacity, belongs to himself; but in a collective capacity and in a public view — in a sense — does not belong to himself, but belongs to the community in which he is placed. Therefore, he does not have the right to destroy himself or fall into calamities and problems; because it harms and damages the collective investment.

We had no objection to keeping a person as a reserve and investment if he was in the service of the community; however, they were lying, and their lies were exposed, and of course, they fled, and those who were not caught in the revolutionary courts as criminals left and ultimately did not place themselves in the service of the revolution and the people. These were those groups; not the groups in which the poison of the enemy's malicious propaganda had not penetrated deeply into their souls and had not been used as a pawn in the hands of the enemies of the nation. They truly placed themselves at the disposal of Islam, the revolution, and the nation with all their being.

When I look at the history of the past eleven years, I truly observe that during these eleven years, the shining points of the armed forces and the army of the Islamic Republic of Iran — especially the Air Force — are far more than the capacity of the eleven-year lifespan of an ordinary human and a collective. Truly, a lot of service has been done in these eleven years. Of course, this is only right. The Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as the only organization tasked with protecting the country's skies and supporting surface combat units, must also be present in the most challenging fronts and lines as a trusted and reliable entity for this nation. This is the duty of all of us.

Our nation, with the claim of independence and defiance of the global system of domination, has made enemies for itself in the world. Some say: I wish you would do something so that all these powers would not become your enemies(!) They do not understand what they are saying. The issue is that the system of domination and the absolute power and the apex of global arrogance that is ruling the world today, as well as the relative powers dependent on that apex, consider any nation, government, or person who speaks of independence as their enemy.

Today, you see in the world that some global powers, by the grace of advanced science and industry at their disposal and by abusing it, have taken control of all the reins of the world and the levers of power — whether economic, political, production, propaganda, or the general culture of nations — across the globe, or have sought to take them; while this science does not belong to them and belongs to humanity. Science was created by those who did not belong to these powers; rather, they belonged to the human community and provided and offered these innovations, inventions, and scientific advancements for humanity.

Of course, this abuse of science and industry is not exclusive to today; it has been the same in the past. The British government or Portugal or Spain, each ruled over a part of the world and colonies, or France, which had a colonial presence in some countries during various periods of the last two or three hundred years. Each of these European countries, at some point in time, was the lord of a part of the world. This Spain, which is now an ordinary state, was once the lord of a vast part of this world and had a presence in Africa and Latin America. Portugal and France also had a presence in Asia.

Even then, those who held power wanted to take control of all the affairs of the countries under their domination and dominate their culture, education, language, history, customs, religion, and including their economy and military and political affairs; like the British in India and the French in Algeria and other colonialists in various places. Of course, in those days, communications in the world were weak, and the power to convey the message of arrogance and colonialism to all parts of the world under their influence was not as it is today.

Today, when the American government has taken the apex of global power and, on its margins and under its hand, other governments and powers — each according to their power, capabilities, money, science, and other influential elements in their power — have some control over world affairs, this group that works together today is not willing to see and accept or hear that there is a government and a nation that wants to live independently of their power. For them, the independence of a nation is like an insult; therefore, they are not willing to tolerate it. If a nation says do not interfere in our affairs, it is as if they have insulted them!

They consider themselves entitled to interfere in all the affairs of the world's nations. They interfere in one place and say: We want to bring democracy there! They interfere in another place and say: We want to prevent the influence of the leftist wave or leftist thought there! They interfere in another place and say: We want to maintain its security! They interfere in another place and say: Our interests are at risk there! They consider themselves the owners of the world; as if ensuring the democracy of nations and governments is also their responsibility!

Today, such an arrogant, conceited, foolish perception has gripped the American government and its margins. In such a tumultuous world and in such a world where all factors are directed towards realizing the individual, despotic, absolute power of the great powers, suddenly a nation emerges relying on the power of faith and relying on its authentic culture and inherent strength and without seeking help from any government or power and with belief in its national and human character, that frees itself from the firm grip of the control and possession of these powers and America; that too in a region of the world that was one hundred percent under their control. Do you want them not to become enemies with such a nation? Do you want them not to become enemies with the slogans that have awakened our nation in this way and placed it against the system of domination? Do you want them not to become enemies with the person who has been able to awaken the self-consciousness and spirit of self-reliance in this nation and give them character and courage and say you can do it, and not launch a wave of propaganda against him — who has done such a great thing?

It is clear that the enmity of the power leaders — and more than all, America — with such a nation and government and leadership and with such slogans is an endless enmity. These hostilities have existed against the revolution and Islam and the country and the Imam from the very first day and have continued throughout these eleven years, and this is one of the scenes of insight and knowledge for those who have the vision of insight.

The characteristic of a superpower is to make the people of the world understand that no one can stand and resist against it. Once, a few years ago, I said that superpowers live and show power and rule more with their awe than with their money and weapons. Truly, the awe of superpowers and America and until recently the Soviet Union, made nations and governments and leaders and politicians tremble in many parts of the world — and perhaps I can say everywhere in the world.

I have recounted this memory many times that in one of the international forums where I delivered a very passionate speech against the domination of powers and the system of domination in the world and condemned America and the Soviet Union in the presence of more than a hundred delegations and heads of states, after that speech, many came to praise and confirm and said: Your words are correct. One of the heads of state, who was a young revolutionary — and of course, they later killed him — came to me and said: All your words are correct, but let me tell you that do not look at yourself that you are not afraid of America; all those sitting here are afraid of America! Then he brought his head close to me and said: I am also afraid of America!!

The awe of superpower superpowers has always solved most of their problems in the world and continues to do so. In reality, their power and weapons and money and politics and intellect are far less than their awe. It is their awe that frightens everyone and they do not dare to stand against them. Now this superpower, with a bullying awe that enters countries very clearly and resolves matters in its favor, has been grappling with the Iranian nation for eleven years and fighting with the revolution; to be able to destroy this revolution and annihilate this system, but it has not been able to.

This is the scene of insight. This is that even if you look into the depths of the hearts of the world's nations, many of the freedom-loving leaders of governments — those who have a streak of freedom-loving — chant in the name of the nation and the Islamic Republic of Iran and become excited; because revolutionary Iran is the symbol of the hollow drum of American power.

The Iranian nation has shown that a superpower cannot bring them to their knees. This is by the grace of the revolution and thought and faith and Islam that can strengthen hearts and empty them of fear and make them understand their human power. You must appreciate this. Today we see signs of the growth of spirituality and the decline of materialism in the world. You saw Eastern Europe, you observed many other parts of the world, and you will observe many more later.

The current events in the world are one of the most instructive events. Events are happening in the world that, if similar events have happened in history, today they seem like a legend to us and it is hard to imagine and believe them. Moreover, if they have happened, they have not happened in a few months and a short period. The events that are happening in the world today in a period of six months and seven months and eight months and a year, sometimes in history have happened over years. They are shocking and strange events and all in the direction of what you believe in; that is, in the direction of the power of spirituality and the power of nations and the sovereignty of systems based on the people and beloved by them and in the opposite direction of tyranny and domination of any kind — whether reactionary and despotic and monarchical or modern and American.

Is it not the case that what has fallen today is not just a government and a regime in one place in the world; rather, a superpower has fallen. The issue is the fall of superpowers. We had previously seen empires like Portugal and Spain and England and the like that were once empires and one day turned into a very ordinary state. No one believed that the superpowers of the late twentieth century might one day turn into an ordinary state; but today we see this reality.

Brothers! All of this teaches you and me to strengthen the Islamic system with more enthusiasm and hope and move forward in the path of its goals. Everyone, wherever they are standing, should firmly and faithfully and accurately maintain that place. You who are in the Air Force or in any part of the Islamic Republic's army or the armed forces, are obliged to maintain that responsibility with precision along with initiative and complete vigilance and abundant hope and carry it out and through it, move towards the lofty goals of Islam and the Islamic system.

The Air Force gave a good test and presented great martyrs. From the beginning, it had faithful elements and later found them as well. Of course, the enemy worked hard and made efforts in the Air Force. In corners, its claws were also attached to places and it was able to do things; but the enemy's success was very little. The enemies who work and propagate on the army and want to revive the dead, finished, depressed old hope — which is completely futile and foolish — should know that these propagandas have been very, very ineffective. It should have been so and it was ineffective.

What we saw from the Air Force was courage and sacrifice and honor and nobility and progress in goals and ideals and presence in dangerous fields, all of which are valuable. Preserve these values and add to them and, first of all, increase the pride and honor for yourselves and the Islamic Republic of Iran's army and for the Islamic Republic system. Know that God is with you and helps you and divine mercy and grace will also be upon you.

I also once again congratulate you on this blessed day, which is the day of the Air Force and coincides with the auspicious birth of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (peace be upon him), the leader of the free people of the world and the master of the believers of all history, especially to the families of the dear martyrs of the Air Force and the dear veterans and prisoners and missing persons of this force, and I hope that the Almighty God will bestow His grace upon all of you and increase it.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings