Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Meeting with the People of East Azerbaijan

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

I welcome all dear brothers and sisters and thank you for overcoming the hardships of travel during these luminous days, and for perfuming and illuminating our gathering space. This movement of the dear and vigilant people of Tabriz — that is, keeping alive the name and memory of the twenty-ninth of Bahman — is truly an aware and awakening movement. The global arrogance's policies of domination have concentrated all their efforts to bury the legacies of the revolution and the symbols of the people's religious and national pride under the rubble of their propaganda chaos and to erase them from memory. However, the awake hearts and aware souls act in direct opposition to that satanic policy; they hold high the things that are the flag of dignity and honor of this nation. The twenty-ninth of Bahman is one such example, and with this movement of yours — traversing this long path and gathering here — you keep this name and memory alive. This is truly awakening. I address you dear ones who are here and the people of Tabriz and Azerbaijan:

Azerbaijan! O people of awakening Revolution! O people of awareness

This awakening is very valuable, and it was this awakening that brought about the event of the twenty-ninth of Bahman in the year 1356. The brave people of Tabriz and the true and genuine fighters took the fortieth of the martyrs of Qom in such a way that it truly set the revolution in motion. This act required vigilance. The tyrannical regime thought that by suppressing the uprising of the people of Qom on the nineteenth of Dey that year, the matter was settled. But the people of Tabriz did not allow that, and they created the fortieth of the martyrs of Qom and that great movement on the twenty-ninth of Bahman across the country and set that storm in motion. This is vigilance. It is both vigilance and religious and national pride, as well as self-sacrifice and devotion. The combination of these traits and qualities has distinguished the people of Tabriz and Azerbaijan. Before the revolution, it was the same during the events of the Constitutional Revolution and the events preceding it. In the tobacco boycott and the struggle against the British company and the economic domination of Britain over Iran, one of the focal points of the struggle was Tabriz and the late "Haj Mirza Javad Mojtahed," the great scholar of Tabriz. Can these historical precedents be forgotten?!

After the revolution, when the seditions began and they created turmoil in every corner of the country, there was great hope in Tabriz and Azerbaijan that their sedition would succeed there; however, the people of Tabriz and Azerbaijan responded to these seditions. The signs of the greatness of the revolution and religiosity in Azerbaijan are also the high-ranking martyrs of this province, the prominent scientific and political figures there, the esteemed clergy, and the two martyrs of the prayer niche. We have had martyrs of the prayer niche in other cities as well, but in Tabriz, we have two martyrs of the prayer niche; the late martyr "Qazi" and the late martyr "Modarres" may God elevate their status. This is the main engine of the fundamental movement of a nation.

A nation needs these things to escape from poverty, humiliation, subjugation, illiteracy, and all the disastrous effects of the domination of tyrants. Such a nation must be aware and awake, have analytical power, understand everything in due time, and act accordingly; religion — which is the source of strength for a person in all fields of life — must be deep-rooted in that nation, and pride, which is the means of preserving the religious and national identity of a nation, must be alive in it, and it must not be lazy or indolent. These qualities exist in you; they existed in the past, they exist today, and by God's grace, they will exist in the future as well. With these very qualities, the Iranian nation triumphed, and today the enemies of this nation want to fight against these very qualities. The current struggle of global arrogance is against these things that are the engine of a nation's movement: the struggle against the awareness of the people, the struggle against the religious and national pride of the people, the unity of the people, self-sacrifice, and the resistance of the people. Today, the enemy's struggle is a propaganda struggle, and the propaganda horns of the enemy fill all possible spaces against the Iranian nation. However, the Iranian nation has not and will not abandon its authentic values. Did you see the twenty-second of Bahman this year?! Let the news agencies conceal and deny it. They cannot conceal it from the Iranian nation itself! This year, precisely at the time when the leaders of global arrogance and the occupants of the White House expected the people to forget the memory of the revolution and not pay attention to it, the people in all cities of the country came to the field with strength, power, enthusiasm, and diligence, showing that they are awake and aware; they are committed to their path and interested in their independence, dignity, and honor.

All the disputes of the revolution with the centers of global power revolve around this one word. They say, let us dominate your country and secure our interests; whatever happens to you, happens. If you fall behind in science, so be it; if you sit in the dust, sit; if you are humiliated, be humiliated; and if your honor, dignity, and national identity, your past and history are trampled upon, so be it. These things are not important; what is important is that the centers of power, America and the Zionists, achieve their interests! That is their argument. In contrast, the argument of the Iranian nation is that we will not allow you, the highway robbers and the savages in civilized clothing, to achieve your wishes in our country. The Iranian nation, with its presence in the arena over these twenty-four years, has openly and with all its being told and proven to the centers of global power and the greedy of the world that it will not take even one step back.

It is obvious that the enemy does not want to explain its treacherous and criminal goals to the nations. Therefore, they raise slogans of humanitarianism, human rights, democracy, and so forth from afar. However, this deceit and lying cannot last long. The power-seekers and the arrogant of the world expose themselves through their actions. Just look at the situation in Iraq right now. The Americans explicitly say they want to come to Iraq and at least place an American ruler in power for two years. This is the exposure of the American psyche. Deep down, this is what they want, and they are not satisfied with anything less. If they want to place a puppet Iraqi ruler in power, that still does not satisfy them. They want a nation, a country, and a collection of human, financial, and material resources to be poured into the mouths of greedy Zionist companies and the centers of global power, and they are not satisfied with anything less. That is their demand.

Of course, today this demand is not practical. Yes; a hundred years ago, a hundred and fifty years ago, or seventy years ago, the colonizers of that day in Africa and Asia took advantage of the ignorance and unawareness and backwardness of the nations and did such things and could do them. Just as they did in India, Algeria, and Latin America. Back then, it was possible, but today they are mistaken. The leaders of America are making a mistake, and today is not the day for such talk. Everyone must know that even if America gains apparent control over Iraq, in the end, it will receive such a slap from the Iraqi nation that it will fall from its throne of power. It is not the case that today they can do whatever they want with the nations. They say they want to change the map of the Middle East or want to dominate the entire Middle East. By what right?! Are the nations dead?! The Iranian nation stood against such greed and such arrogance. The Iranian nation defended its rights and continues to defend its rights today. For years, they kept this nation behind in everything with the help of their arrogant mercenaries — whether the Pahlavi dynasty or the tyrannical monarchs. They kept this nation away from knowledge, livelihood, and from this world and the hereafter. Ultimately, this nation awakened; it became aware with the name of God and the name of the Quran and Islam, struggled, and sacrificed precious lives in this path to be able to stand on its own feet. Today, this nation is independent and wants to remain independent. All the uproar of global arrogance is to take this independence — which has come to our nation at a high price — away from it; but can it be done?! Will the nation allow it?!

This nation is supported by religion and relies on its firm faith and deep-rooted historical culture. This nation is alive. The youth of this nation are exemplary among the youth of the world. While in the world, youth are immersed in corruption and the first issue for them is sensual and physical pleasures, the Iranian nation raises pious, faithful, brave, and ready-to-work youth who have been tested in difficult fields. These youth cannot be compared with other youth in the world. Can this nation forget its past, history, and sacrifices, and the very bright and outstanding days of the revolution?! Can the people forget the twenty-second of Bahman, the twenty-ninth of Bahman, the nineteenth of Dey, and the seventeenth of Shahrivar?!

I say to you, the youth: my dear ones! This country belongs to you. It is your turn. You must keep yourselves always prepared in terms of knowledge, ethics, and spirit. Know that for the glory of a country, generations must strive and work in succession. One generation worked to bring about this revolution. A massive population of others worked to protect this country from the pressures that arose from this revolution, in war, in economic siege, and in other matters. Today is another era, and I have confidence in the youth generation of our country today. I firmly believe that the youth of today will be able to play their historical role in all difficult tests.

The nation loves its Islam, revolution, and system. Whenever there are problems — whether economic or social problems — in society, the enemy tries to attribute these to the revolution. The Iranian nation is aware that any negligence and shortcomings that some officials may have in any sector have nothing to do with the revolution. The revolution is the flag of dignity of this nation, and the nation will firmly hold this flag in its steadfast hands and, by God's grace, will submit it to Imam Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him) and may God hasten his reappearance.

I hope that God protects you. May the blessed Eid of Ghadir and the birthday of Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) be a blessing for all of you. May your dear martyrs and all our dear martyrs be resurrected with the Prophet, and may the pure spirit of the late Imam be resurrected with His chosen saints.

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