Statements in Meeting with the Commander and Personnel of the Air Force

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

Welcome, dear ones; commanders, officers, and the diligent workers of a very important front in the struggle of the Revolution! The 19th of Bahman is a very significant day in the history of the Revolution. In that great incident, which most of you young people have heard about and we witnessed with our own eyes, there was no motivation other than divine motivation and sincerity; for this reason, this incident had a profound impact at the time and has remained in history. This is the characteristic of divine and sincere work; it remains, it leaves an impact; and this impact will not be limited to the time when this phenomenon occurred; it is a continuous and lasting effect. Divine work is like this. On the day when the young people of the Air Force came to Alavi School and pledged allegiance to Imam, they broke a barrier, they made a significant political breakthrough; there was no post awaiting them, no position, no money, not even praise; what awaited them was likely threats and danger. Thus, there was no motivation other than divine motivation. That day, this divine incident had an impact, and today, after thirty-one years, it continues to have an impact.

These days are the last days of Safar; they are the days after Arbaeen. If we look at the history of early Islam, these days are the days of Zainab (peace be upon her). The work that Zainab (peace be upon her) did was of the same nature; that is, it was purely for the sake of God, in the midst of dangers, hardships, and difficulties; a manifestation of the spiritual and divine existence of religion in the determined face of Zainab (peace be upon her). It is good to know and understand the letters of a very precious past history that has been a source of intellectual and spiritual blessings until today and, God willing, will continue to be until the end of the world.

Zainab (peace be upon her), both in the movement towards Karbala, alongside Imam Hussein; and in the events of Ashura, the hardships and tribulations; and also in the events after the martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him), the homelessness of this group of children and women, shone so brightly as a divine guardian that one cannot find a parallel for her; throughout history, there is no equivalent for this. Then, in the successive events during Zainab's captivity, in Kufa, in Sham, until these days, which mark the end of those events and the beginning of another new chapter for the Islamic movement and the advancement of Islamic thought and the progress of the Islamic community. For the sake of this great struggle, Zainab (peace be upon her) has attained a rank before God that is indescribable for us.

Consider this; in the Holy Quran, as a complete example of faith, God Almighty mentions two women; as an example of disbelief, He also mentions two women. "God has set forth an example for those who disbelieve: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot, who were under two of Our righteous servants"; (1) these two examples pertain to women who are examples of disbelief. That is, as an example, He does not mention men; He mentions women; both in the context of disbelief and in the context of faith. "And God has set forth an example for those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh"; (2) one is the wife of Pharaoh as a complete example of faith, and the other is Lady Maryam; "and Mary, the daughter of Imran".

A brief comparison between Zainab (peace be upon her) and the wife of Pharaoh shows the greatness of Zainab's rank. In the Holy Quran, the wife of Pharaoh is recognized as a model of faith, for both men and women throughout time until the end of the world. Then compare the wife of Pharaoh, who believed in Moses and was attached to the guidance that Moses presented, when she was under the pressure of Pharaoh's torture, which, according to historical accounts and narrations, she died from that torture; her physical torture made her cry out: "O my Lord! Build for me a house with You in Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds"; she asked God Almighty to build her a house in Paradise. In reality, she was seeking death; she wanted to leave this world. "And save me from Pharaoh and his corrupt deeds"; save me from the hands of Pharaoh and the corrupt actions of Pharaoh. While Lady Zainab had lost several brothers, two children, many relatives, and cousins, and had not seen them go to the slaughterhouse before her eyes. The spiritual pains that Zainab (peace be upon her) experienced were not faced by Lady Asiya - the wife of Pharaoh. On the day of Ashura, Zainab saw all her loved ones go to the slaughterhouse and be martyred: she saw Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) - the Master of Martyrs - she saw Abbas, she saw Ali Akbar, she saw Qasim, she saw her own children, she saw her other brothers. After the martyrdom, she witnessed all those hardships: the enemy's assault, the violation of respect, the responsibility of protecting the children, the women. Can the magnitude of these calamities be compared to physical sufferings? But in the face of all these calamities, Zainab did not say to the Lord of the Worlds: "O Lord, save me"; she did not say, "O Lord! Save me." On the day of Ashura, she said: "O Lord! Accept us." The torn body of her brother was before her eyes; her heart directed towards the Lord of the Worlds, she said: "O Lord! Accept this sacrifice from us." When she was asked how she saw it, she said: "I saw nothing but beauty." (3) All these calamities are beautiful in the eyes of Zainab (peace be upon her); because they are from God, because they are for Him, because they are in the way of elevating His word. See this rank, such a heart, such an attachment to truth and reality, how different it is from the rank that the Holy Quran narrates about Lady Asiya. This shows the greatness of Zainab's rank. Working for God is like this. Therefore, the name of Zainab and her work today are a model and will remain in the world. The survival of Islam, the survival of the path of God, the continuation of this path by the servants of God, has relied on and drawn strength from the work that Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) did and the work that Zainab (peace be upon her) did. That is, that great patience, that steadfastness, that endurance of calamities and difficulties has led to the values of religion being prevalent in the world today. All these human values that are in various schools, consistent with human conscience, are values that have arisen from religion; these have been delivered by religion. Working for God has this characteristic.

The revolution was of the same nature; thus, the revolution has remained, has gained stability and true authority, has endured. This revolution was for God. The day this revolution began, this movement emerged, it was not like the movements of parties; it was not like the political movements of the world that aimed to gain power; it was a movement, despite its oppression, for the implementation of divine laws, for the establishment of an Islamic community, for the establishment of justice in society. Those who struggled until the revolution succeeded, and those who stood by this revolution and struggled until it gained stability and endurance, their intentions were pure. Your martyrs, the martyrs of the Air Force, were of this kind. The martyrs of the armed forces are all of this kind. Those who worked for God, who strived for God, God blessed their work. What the enemy of the revolution cannot understand is this point. What the arrogant powers and Zionism cannot comprehend is this issue. They cannot understand that the strength of this structure is because it is for God, built on the foundation of sincerity, and has progressed through struggle. Therefore, the revolution and the Islamic system conquer hearts.

Look today; see how many thousands of media outlets, including audio and visual and various types of media, are working against this system with the most modern methods. Hundreds of minds and thoughts are sitting in think tanks; every day they design a statement, a slogan, a thought, a scheme against this revolution; but they cannot inflict any damage on the revolution and the Islamic system. Why is this? The strength of this structure is due to its foundation on the principle of faith in God. Those who moved in this path did divine work.

This system is not like other systems. Today, there is no system in the world that faces such extensive propaganda, political actions, economic pressures, sanctions, and can stand so firmly; such a thing does not exist in the world. But this system stands firm, and it will continue to stand; let everyone know this. Neither America, nor Zionism, nor the arrogant powers and tyrants of the world, neither with political means, nor with economic means, nor with sanctions, nor with slander, nor by inciting their agents inside, will be able to shake this revolution even slightly.

The secret of the endurance of this revolution is reliance on faith; reliance on God. Therefore, you see that on the day when the massive masses of people across the country feel that there is an enemy directed at the revolution, they feel that there is a serious enmity, they move without any call. On the 9th of Dey, you saw what happened in this country and what incident occurred. The enemies of the revolution, who always try to belittle the million-strong marches, say that only a few thousand have come - to belittle and diminish - acknowledged and said that in the past twenty years, no popular movement of this magnitude has occurred in Iran; they wrote and said this. Those who try to conceal the truths about the Islamic Republic said this. What is the reason? The reason is that when the people feel that there is an enemy standing against the Islamic system, they come into the field. This is a movement of faith, this is a heartfelt movement; this is something that has divine motivation; it is the hand of God's power, it is the hand of divine will; these things are not in my hands or in the hands of people like me. Hearts are in the hands of God. Wills are subdued to the will of the Lord. When the movement is divine, when it is for God, when there is sincerity in the work, God Almighty defends in this way. Therefore, He says: "Indeed, God defends those who believe." (4) This is something that the enemies of the Islamic system do not understand, and they have not understood until today; therefore, they impose sanctions, speak, employ various methods, thinking they will find a weak point for the Islamic Republic; sometimes they bring up the name of human rights, sometimes they mention democracy; the tricks that today are truly laughable for the people of the world. They say public opinion; but if public opinion believed these words from America and Zionism, it would not show its hatred towards these arrogant leaders in various countries and at different times, as you see they do. Wherever they travel, groups of people shout against them. It is clear that the public opinion of the world has not fallen for their tricks.

Those who speak of human rights are the ones who trample the most basic rights of humans, both in their prisons and throughout the world, in their dealings with nations, and even with their own nation! They speak of human rights! They legalize torture! Is this not a disgrace for a country? Is it not a source of shame that a country legalizes the torture of prisoners and enshrines it as law? Then they speak of human rights, they talk about defending human dignity and respect! Well, the viewers and listeners around the world who see and hear these words and claims and compare them with the behaviors they know, mock them. Who believes these things from them?

They talk about democracy; but they form alliances with the most tyrannical and reactionary governments in various corners of the world - including in our region! Today, which regimes that are more connected to America exist in the Middle East? In North Africa, who are they? Is there anyone more tyrannical than them? They talk about democracy; then they confront the Islamic Republic - this brilliant democracy that has the power to bring eighty-five percent of the voters to the polls - as a democracy! Well, this is ridiculous; everyone understands this. The world's viewers, those who understand and know the issues, ridicule this American approach.

The Iranian nation is an intelligent nation; it is a vigilant nation; it has experienced this. This issue is not new, dear brothers! Some of you remember, and the youth should know; for thirty-one years, this saga has been ongoing between the arrogant powers and the Iranian nation. This issue is not new; both their threats, which have always failed, their sanctions, their slanders, their accusations. The Islamic Republic, in the atmosphere of bombardment of propaganda, has managed to achieve these advancements. Today, your Air Force is not comparable to the Air Force at the beginning of the revolution. Your skills today, your capabilities today, your equipment today, the advancements of human resources, various innovations, are not comparable to the beginning of the revolution; they are not even comparable to twenty years ago.

We have progressed day by day; all sectors of the country are like this. This country, which today has its missile capabilities, its biological capabilities, its nuclear capabilities, its laser capabilities - which you know and have heard about - and in various sectors, its capabilities are of such magnitude and importance, is the same country that at the beginning of the revolution had to import the simplest equipment; it had to borrow from this and that; it had to buy the most basic facilities from others, and they would not sell; it had to buy at several times the price, and it was impoverished. Today, this is the same army, these are the same armed forces, this is the same Air Force that has achieved these advancements, and the same various academic, scientific, research, and technological institutions that have reached this point. Under the bombardment of these enmities, threats, and sanctions, we have reached this point. Are you afraid of sanctions?

What is important is that our dear nation maintains its unity, preserves its unity of word. This unity of word is a thorn in the eyes of the enemies. Their effort is to disrupt the unity of the nation. In my opinion, the most important goal of the events during the turmoil after the elections - these past few months - was to create a rift among the people; that was their aim. They wanted to create a rift among the people, and they could not. Today it has become clear that those who stood against the greatness of the Iranian nation, against the great work of the Iranian nation in the elections, are not part of the nation; they are either outright anti-revolutionaries or those who, due to their ignorance and obstinacy, act against the revolution; they have no relation to the masses. The masses continue their path; the path of God, the path of Islam, the path of the Islamic Republic, the path of implementing divine laws, the path of achieving dignity and independence under the protection of Islam. This is how the nation moves.

Of course, some have opposed this from the beginning. Some have always wished for America to return to its oppressive dominance over this country; they have pursued this, and they do not hide it now. There are those outside the country, and there are also elements inside; there is no doubt about this. The children of those who were wounded by this revolution, the children of those who served the tyrannical regime, these have not disappeared; they are still here. The same thirty-year-old grudges exist today; they have always existed. They were present at the beginning of the revolution, they are present today, and they will be present in the future. There are also those who are fundamentally opposed to the rule of Islam, opposed to jurisprudence; let alone the jurist. Their issue is the issue of Islam. However, all these individuals form a small group.

This great nation, this national greatness, is united in the direction of Islam, for God, in the way of God; their words are one, their hearts are one; even if their political inclinations may differ. They want to disrupt this unity. And the nation stands firm. On the 22nd of Bahman, God willing, with divine support, the dear nation of Iran will show how, with their unity, with their unity of word, they will strike such a blow to the mouth of all the arrogant powers, to America, to England, to the Zionists, that once again, like in the past, they will be left astonished.

The Islamic Republic will continue its path - the path of dignity under the shadow of Islam, security under the shadow of Islam, justice under the shadow of Islam, and people’s governance under the shadow of Islam and arising from Islamic thought - and without any doubt, without any weakness, it will move forward, and future generations will judge. And know this; our youth today and the generations after them will come, with the immense experience accumulated in the hearts of this nation in facing global arrogance, and they will continue the path to the peaks and will reach these peaks. The Iranian nation deserves to reach the peaks. A nation that is intelligent, innovative, and faithful, when this nation has the freedom granted by Islam through the revolution, such a nation will not stop in its journey, in its movement, anywhere. God willing, you young people will see this day. You must strive. You in your own sectors, and everyone in their own sectors, must strive and make efforts.

The Air Force - as the respected commander of the force reported - has made good advancements; we are also aware of the good advancements of the Air Force in various sectors; however, at the same time, no stagnation is permissible. Do not be content with the current situation. Put your innovations into action. You deserve more than this, and your nation deserves an even more powerful Air Force. This collection of armed forces - including the Air Force - must be able to define and demonstrate the dignity of the Iranian nation; they must be a manifestation of the steadfastness and power of this nation, which, God willing, will be so.

We hope that God Almighty will gather the dear martyrs of the Air Force and the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran and all the dear martyrs with their saints, and may the pure spirit of our great Imam, whom the Iranian nation is more familiar with and comforted by his memory during these days than at other times, be gathered with his saints, and may the sacred heart of the Awaited One, God willing, be pleased with all of you.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.