Statements in Meeting with Members of the Commemoration Committee for Ali Mardan Khan Bakhtiari

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

It is very appropriate that we seek out and introduce the healthy and prominent figures among the various ethnic groups of our country; it is a great injustice for one to accept that individuals have made sacrifices and shown distinctions and yet their faces remain overlooked, and their sacrifices and struggles go unrecognized. As friends have stated, the Bakhtiari people and generally the Lurs—who live in vast areas of the country—are among the best and most loyal Iranian ethnic groups. Of course, one of the advantages of our country is the diversity of ethnicities and such; and thanks be to God, all are like this, meaning when one looks, the various Iranian ethnic groups have true solidarity, cohesion, connection, and mutual respect; this has been the case throughout history, and in our time, thank God, it is completely the same. Well, each ethnic group has its own characteristics; we recognize the Bakhtiaris and Lurs for their honesty, purity, courage, and honor. They have been very steadfast and persistent regarding Islamic beliefs, religious convictions, and the beliefs of Shi'ism throughout time, and this has been evident in our time as well. They show great respect for the Sayyids, for the family of the Prophet, and absolutely for the clergy; now it has been stated that the scholarly figures there have not become well-known; however, I, who went to Shahrekord a few years ago, as far as I remember, became acquainted with some of the Lur clergy, especially the Bakhtiari ones, and they mentioned some names of personalities; however, the plight of this ethnic group is that even their religious figures are not recognized, they are not famous; well, these must be sought out and efforts must be made. And now that you, thank God, are involved in this process, it is good to continue the work and truly seek out the personalities, but in such a way that they are represented as they are; meaning care must be taken that personality fabrication does not occur. As you rightly pointed out, the Bakhtiari chieftains were not all the same; yes, they came to Isfahan and great works were accomplished, but they were not all alike. The most significant distinction of Ali Mardan Khan is not his presence in the Bakhtiari war during the Constitutional Revolution—at that time he was a young man, eighteen or nineteen or twenty years old—the most important work of his was the struggle against Reza Khan, who later was arrested and executed by Reza Khan. And he stood firm. Of course, Mr. Rezai pointed out that his mother—Bibi—was anti-British and anti-foreign; this truly shows how a mother's upbringing shapes the character of her child; meaning this mother was able to raise her child in such a way that he became a prominent figure. Honoring a person like Ali Mardan Khan and his mother and personalities of this kind who fought against despotism and against Reza Khan and the Pahlavi dynasty is a commendable and good act. And the orientations of these individuals must also be clarified; this banner of "There is no god but God" that was mentioned, in my opinion, is an important matter that must be clear that these were individuals who fought with religious beliefs and feelings arising from their religious convictions and confirmed by their religious beliefs.

We hope, God willing, that God grants you success. Be careful to distinguish between those who sincerely, devotedly, for God participated in true struggles, and those who had other motives. In any case, we hope that the past devoted and valuable individuals who were in all parts of our country, God willing, may He gather them with His saints, elevate their ranks, and forgive their sins; and may He grant you, who are present, the success to, God willing, compensate for the previous backwardness; and God willing, may you be able to introduce great scholars and prominent figures among this group. Yes, in the Borujerd region and the Lorestan areas, there have been prominent and great figures from the Lurs, God willing, we hope to witness the same among the Bakhtiaris. God willing, may you be successful and supported.

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