Statements of the Supreme Leader on the Eve of the Anniversary of the U.S. Embassy Takeover and National Day of Fighting Global Arrogance

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

First, I must extend a warm welcome to you dear young people, who are considered the hope and future reserve of this country and nation. These days and this particular occasion have a special connection with the youth, especially those like students and seminarians who are engaged in the environment of knowledge and education. In truth, the occasion of the National Day of Fighting Global Arrogance is connected in various ways to our youth, who are you and your peers. Today, I must address the issue of fighting global arrogance to clarify what the issue is, what the essence of the matter is, and how far back this issue goes. It is true that the event of the U.S. embassy takeover in Iran was carried out by young students at that time; however, what does the generation that is now young, student, seminarian, and school student know about the background of this issue, and how much information do they have? How much have speakers, writers, and those who consider themselves responsible in this divine political scene explained this issue to our growing generation, which this country has a thousand tasks with? So, this is one issue. Today, I will briefly address this, mainly for the young people who were children or teenagers in 1979, fifteen years ago when this event occurred. Some of our dear students were not even born then. After addressing this matter, I want to present a more fundamental issue to you, who are indeed the most enduring audience of the revolution and we, the servants of the revolution.

Regarding the first issue, let me say that specifically and clearly, a widespread struggle began in Iran in 1962. There was struggle before, but it was sectional and small. It was either student-based, intellectual, or limited to the clergy. But from 1962, a widespread struggle led by great scholars, and at the forefront, Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified), began. This struggle continued from 1962 to 1979, sixteen years, until it achieved victory. My dear ones! Although this sixteen-year struggle was apparently considered a struggle against the Shah's regime—since essentially the Shah's regime was brought to power by the Americans in 1953 and they supported it—it was in fact an anti-American struggle. They were the ones who controlled everything in this country. They empowered the Shah. They were the backing that allowed him to massacre and torture people in such a manner; to kill individuals in such a lonely manner in prison and under torture, or to massacre in the streets and squares—like on June 5 and September 8—and to attack students and seminarians in places like the Feyziyeh School and universities. Our nation saw all these great sins from the eyes of America and believed that America's hand was at work.

America operated within our country with two tools. One of the American tools was investments, interventions in the military, a set of military experts, money, policies, the U.S. embassy, and so on. The second tool was Zionist agents. Although at that time, Zionists in Iran did not dare to have an official embassy due to fear of the people, they had their own centers and worked here with their agents, their people, their politicians, and their merchants. The political and economic scene and the armed forces of Iran were in the hands of the Americans. The people understood this. Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) explicitly stated this from the years 1962 and 1963. So, when the struggle succeeded in 1979 and the victorious revolution bore fruit, in fact, an anti-American revolution had borne fruit. Now, see what the Iranian nation and revolutionaries had the right to do with American agents in this country? They could have done many things, and if they had, no one would have blamed them; because they had fought against the Americans for sixteen years and had been beaten. No one would have said why did you do this or that with the Americans? Nevertheless—pay close attention!—after the revolution succeeded, the revolution, the officials, and Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) showed maximum leniency towards the Americans. Their embassy was preserved in its place, and they had a chargé d'affaires here. First, they had an ambassador; then they had a chargé d'affaires.

In the early days of the revolution—on February 11 and 12—enthusiastic revolutionary youths arrested a few of them and brought them to the school where Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) had first entered—namely, the Refah and Alavi schools. Then, Imam Khomeini sent a message to his associates that no one should harm them; no one should harm them. At that time, they were released one by one and left. Some of them left the country; that is, a number of them left, but their embassy in Tehran was active and operational. See! The behavior of this revolution and this noble nation and that generous, forgiving Imam with the Americans in Iran was like this. While I said, if any decision had been made by the people, the enthusiastic revolutionaries, and Imam Khomeini, who was the embodiment of firmness and power, no one in the world would have blamed them or could have blamed them. On the other hand, what did the Americans do? Instead of appreciating and valuing this generosity and greatness of Imam Khomeini and the people and responding appropriately, they adopted a severely hostile behavior. This embassy, which was later introduced as the 'den of espionage'—which it indeed was—turned into a center for organizing opponents and enemies of the revolution to go there, receive instructions, and collaborate outside against the revolution and the Islamic system. They passed resolutions against the revolution and the Islamic Republic system in the U.S. Senate. American propaganda worldwide was intensely hostile against the revolution and the people. What crime had these people committed? Why should the American regime show so much hostility and animosity towards them? This was a question that the Americans did not answer and can never answer.

They accepted Mohammad Reza, who was a fugitive of the Iranian nation, in America and hosted him as a guest. The assets that Mohammad Reza had, amounting to billions of dollars, were invested in America. It is common everywhere in the world that when someone who is at the head of a regime is overthrown, his personal assets, which belong to the people and the new government in power, are returned to that government. This is a norm everywhere. If you have read newspapers on various issues, you will see that this has been done everywhere. There is no precedent anywhere for keeping all that wealth, which belonged to the Iranian nation, in the accounts of Mohammad Reza and his associates in America. They did not give even a single rial of it to the Iranian people and kept it, and it is still with them. The Iranian nation's claim from the American regime is still billions of dollars. They kept the assets that the Iranian government had purchased in the past; the money was paid from the Iranian nation's pocket, and the nation needed them. They still have them in their warehouses and have not delivered them to the Islamic Republic government and the Iranian nation to this day. Iran's claims that were in America were blocked and not returned. Why? In the hope that they might be able to destroy the Islamic Republic system. They said to themselves: Today, we will not give them this money so that it cannot be used by them. The point is that the United States regime, after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, continued the same method as before the victory; that is, exercising hatred and hostility towards the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic system. It was under such circumstances that the embassy incident occurred.

The Iranian nation is a revolutionary and faithful nation. The Islamic Revolution was not like the communist revolutions and the colorful revolutions of some other countries, where if they wanted to attack a country that was their enemy, immediately at a high level, another power that supported them would intervene and prevent it. In other countries, in many revolutions, it was like this. As soon as the revolutionary government of a certain country wanted to take action against a power, that power would resort to the supporting power of the revolutionary government; they would come to an understanding, and the issues would be resolved. The Islamic Republic system was not under the influence of any power, and all the great powers harbored animosity towards it. This system kept itself independent of all of them, and therefore these considerations did not exist. This was why a surge among the nation led to the U.S. embassy being taken over by the brave, daring, present-in-the-scene students.

The meaning of that takeover was that the U.S. regime should know that this revolution cannot be taken lightly, and this revolution, this nation, and this country are not like the revolutions, nations, and countries that sit idly by, remain silent, and endure while the other side of the world dreams disturbed dreams against them and creates conspiracies.

The action against the U.S. embassy—which was rightly called the 'den of espionage' and was indeed a center of espionage—was in fact a manifestation of the truths of this revolution and nation. This action showed that our nation stands firm against a power as verbose, demanding, expectant, and arrogant as America. This was the embassy incident. The American custom is always to consider their own issue and problem as the problem of the whole world. They consider it the problem of Europe as well. While their problem is related to themselves. The issue of hostile relations between the Iranian nation and America belongs to America. They cannot spread it to Europe and other countries to say: These people are against everyone. No, the Iranian nation is not against everyone. They want to make it seem that the Iranian nation and government do not understand reason at all and are against everyone! This is never the case. If we are to find a regime in the world that is against everyone and conspires against everyone, it is still America. It is fitting to say to America that it is against everyone; because wherever it steps in the world, it is with aggression, arrogance, greed, and impudence. This statement does not apply to us, the Islamic Republic system, or our people. We are not against everyone; we are against America, and that too for these reasons: America, in addition to supporting the previous regime against the Islamic Revolution for sixteen years, embodied the worst form of influence and intervention of an arrogant government in a country, and all the blows came from it. These are all reasons for the hatred and grudges of this nation against America. These were the ones who played with our sacred values and, in addition to all the blows, after the revolution, in response to the nobility of this nation and the greatness and dignity of that Imam, behaved with the Iranian nation and the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic in this manner, what do they expect? Do they expect caresses from our nation? No one taught the Iranian nation to say 'Death to America.' It came from the depths of the hearts of each and every person that: 'Death to America.' Now, some people appear here and there and question: 'Why?' Why don't you take this 'why' to its rightful place? Why don't you ask why the American regime showed so much hostility and enmity towards the Iranian nation for the crime of wanting to be independent, and still does?

These were the issues at the beginning of the revolution that I mentioned. From that day until this hour, the American regime has continuously conspired against the Iranian nation, the revolution, the Islamic Republic, and the officials. One of their previous government leaders was not ashamed and said: 'The Iranian nation must be destroyed.' How much stupidity does it take for someone to say such a thing?! But they said it. This is from enmity. This is from the abundance of hatred that shows itself in their words, in their mouths, and in their faces. Today, they are going around and acting as brokers, here and there in the world—Japan and China and where and where—and saying do not have relations with Iran! What is it to you?! Who are you in the world? Iran is a great country. Iran has a deep and great history in which countries like America are submerged. Is the Iranian nation a joke? The culture of a nation is like diamond particles that form over centuries, gain strength, and manifest in the element of each individual of the nation. Can the Iranian nation be underestimated? The Iranian nation has chosen Islam. No one imposed Islam on the Iranian nation, and the Islamic government and the Islamic Republic system were also chosen by the nation. The nation has chosen its life accompanied by struggle and today's free atmosphere. The independence from great powers was chosen by the Iranian nation. Is there anyone in Iran today who dares to speak of dependence on a power and faction in the world? If they do, this nation will respond to them. This nation is a free and independent nation. The governments of the world, the countries of the world, and the regimes of the world wish to have relations with such a nation. A nation with spiritual, cultural, historical wealth, rational growth, and material wealth; with all these reserves, with all these young people and workforce, and with good managers. This nation is a nation that will advance. During the previous regime, in fact, foreigners were dominant over this country. Apparently, the regime was Iranian, but in essence, it was under the control of foreigners. If you compare it with that time, today, thanks to freedom and independence, Iran has made significant progress and will continue to do so and will advance further.

The issue is the Iranian nation's hatred of the American regime. What we said was a summary of the causes and roots of it. They supported the war against Iran—if we do not say they started it—they supported it. It is possible that the Americans had a hand in starting the Iraq war against Iran. However, since we do not want to say anything without certainty, we say it is possible. But their support for Iraq is certain and definite. They supported it in every way. Does the Iranian nation forget? They provided every kind of help that Iraq needed. Does the Iranian nation forget? This Saddam Hussein and the Ba'athist regime, which in the case of the attack on Kuwait, the American press and official opinions painted those faces for him, during the time when he was bombing the homes of people in thirty or forty Iranian cities simultaneously with missiles, was a desirable and beloved figure for them! Does the Iranian nation forget these? They showed hostility to the Iranian nation; they still show hostility, and the reason for the hostility is clear. Now, someone might ask: Why do they show so much hostility? Why did they do it from the beginning? The reason is that the Iranian nation, with Islamic faith and with the culture that this struggle, this revolution, and that Imam has given it, does not submit to the domination of powers. The Americans do not like this. The arrogant leaders of the world—in the forefront and more than anyone, America—like submissive nations and governments. They want nations and governments to submit to them and listen to whatever they say. Look and see their situation in the world! When a nation stands, does not accept, and says who are you? You are a country, we are also a country; you are a government, we are also a government; you are a government that is wealthy, you have money, you have scientific advancements; we are also a nation that has brilliant talent, a brilliant history, capabilities, and land reserves; you are one, we are also one. When a nation appears on the scene with this independence and with this sense of ability and power, and a government does not look at them as a superpower, their tolerance ends. This is the nature of arrogant leaders. They go to see where this nation got such an idea. If someone had given this idea to this nation, they become enemies with him from the depths. Just as they were enemies with Imam Khomeini from the depths of their being.

The Americans will never reconcile with Imam Khomeini. Of course, when we say Americans, we mean the American regime, not the American people. We mean the same American regime and the policymakers of America. If there is a thought and a culture that has kept people like this, they will never reconcile with that thought and culture. Just as these gentlemen are intensely hateful of Islam and Islamic thought and culture. The reason for the dispute and opposition and hostility is these. Now, some people, naively, sit here and there, say something and complain. They put pen to paper and say: 'Why don't you negotiate with the Americans? How long do you want this situation to continue?' Do they not understand what is happening in the world? Do they not understand what the expectation of this arrogant, proud, foolish, and unwise enemy is? Do they think that as soon as we start negotiations and relations with America, all problems will be solved? No sir, the issue is not this. Yes; the Americans say in official statements and express that we are ready to negotiate with Iran. Negotiate for what? It is clear; negotiate to find a way and a channel to put pressure on the Iranian government. They want negotiation for this. What negotiation?! We have nothing to do with you, we do not need you, we are not afraid of you, we have no affection for you. You are the ones who, in broad daylight, in front of all the people of the world, shot down our passenger plane with a false and baseless excuse and killed dozens of people and did not even apologize. What kind of regime is this? What kind of system is this? What kind of culture is this? How can a person's heart be reconciled with such a regime? We have nothing to do with them. There is no relationship of affection and kindness and friendship between us and America. The relationship is hatred from our side; the relationship is malicious hostility from their side.

Here, there is another fundamental point that must certainly be considered in calculations:

What we have said so far was related to America's past with Iran and the Iranian nation; but that is not the whole story. A principle governs our Muslim thinking, which is the principle of hatred of oppression and the oppressor and confronting oppression and the oppressor anywhere in the world. See how much oppression the Americans have committed! How much have they nurtured oppressors! How much have they oppressed nations! What have they done to the people of Palestine! How have they given wings to Israel! What have they done to the Lebanese! What have they done to Muslims—inside their own countries and wherever they could! What have they done to weak nations! Can these be overlooked? This is the issue. The issue is this. Fighting global arrogance and the day of fighting global arrogance—which forms an anti-American occasion for this day—is based on these principles that were mentioned. This course continues. As long as the Islamic Republic system moves on the right path and as long as the Quranic, divine, and Islamic ideals and goals govern us and this system, this hatred and confrontation with the leaders of global arrogance, and at the forefront, America, remains strong.

If they change their behavior, this course will change. Of course, we do not have such an assumption. We find it unlikely. This is the first issue.

I will present the second issue in a few short sentences. My dear ones! Young people! For this nation, the issue of building an Islamic system and civilization and a new history is a serious matter. Take it seriously. Sometimes in a country, someone stages a coup and a regime comes to power. That regime exists for a few days; then it goes away—or someone else takes over from it—and everything returns to its original state. Sometimes the issue is like this and does not have all this significance. What happened in Iran is a matter of a great movement on a global scale. Of course, we are a nation; our borders are also limited borders. We have nothing to do outside these borders. Pay attention to this point. Our efforts and activities are within our borders. But this revolution is not limited to these borders. This message was a global message. What is the reason? The reason is that when the Iranian nation and our great leader—Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified)—did this work, Muslims everywhere in the world felt it was their new year. Their new day began; even though it had nothing to do with them. Everywhere in the world, they felt a new chapter in their history had begun. We saw this up close. I myself have experienced this reality in other countries over the past years and have heard it from dozens of other languages. These are not narratives, guesses, or analyses; they are realities. Every Muslim, wherever they were in the world, when this revolution succeeded, when Imam appeared on the scene, when the flag of Islam and 'There is no god but Allah' was raised, felt that they had won. From this vast billion-strong community worldwide, some continued this feeling, followed it, and fought; it became these events that were initiated by Islamic movements in various countries. Some also abandoned it. Although we are within our borders and have nothing to do outside the borders, this message is an international and global message. Today, too, this burden is on your shoulders. Until now, the Iranian nation has done its work in the best way. That was the war; that is after the war until today; this is our university environment; this is our construction and economic activities environment; this is our government; this is our nation, and this is presence on the scene. Everywhere, the Iranian nation has shown a worthy presence. Of course, they make propaganda and say things like construction has become such, programs have become such, and policies have turned out wrong. But these are the words of the enemy. Do not listen to them. The reality is different from this. The reality is that the Iranian nation has been able to advance in all fields, break through obstacles, take steps, and move forward; both in the field of science and in the field of spirituality. Both in the field of religion and in the field of ethics. Both in the field of economy and in the field of armed forces and so on and so forth. Of course, it may not have been as much as we expected; but it has been much more than others imagined. The future is also a bright future. Thanks to Islam, the future of this revolution, the future of this system, and the future of this country is a very bright and brilliant future. The one who must shape this future is mainly you young people. First, deepen Islamic faith in yourselves with action, as this is the foundation of the work. Faith is not a bookish and mental subject. Faith is strengthened in action. A person sees God better in the field of striving for God. This striving also has various fronts, including the front of knowledge and construction. Of course, with piety and supplication to Almighty God and performing acts of worship and avoiding prohibitions. So, first is Islamic faith.

Secondly, strengthen political awareness in yourselves so that you are not deceived by the enemy's propaganda. This is also a fundamental pillar. This cannot be overlooked either. Especially you young people who are engaged in acquiring knowledge, you cannot overlook this. Value the entirety of the nation and the unity of the nation. Be careful that sectional motivations, party motivations, group motivations, and taste and line motivations do not attract you to one side. This is the work of Satan, and the great Satan is very pleased with this work. Consider! If today, from someone's mouth—now whoever this person may be—an opposing tune is accidentally issued; let alone if it is deliberate and intentional, tomorrow the global trumpets will broadcast it. Why? Because they do not care about the speaker; the original opposing tune in this country is important to them. Therefore, maintain unity of word. Keep alive the memory of Imam, the memory of the pioneers of the revolution, the memory of the honorable martyrs, and the memory of the passionate scenes of the revolution and the imposed war, whether in the university, in the seminary, or in work and life environments. If this happens, by the grace of the Lord, in the coming years and decades, such a lofty civilization will be founded here and in many other places, and such greatness of Islam and Muslims will be revealed that no truth and reality will remain for global arrogance, and there will be no arrogance left. I hope Almighty God grants you success and that the prayers of His Holiness the Remaining Proof of God (may our souls be sacrificed for him) include you, and that the blessed spirit of Imam and the honorable martyrs be pleased with you.

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