Statements in Meeting with Basij Commanders and a Group of Basijis from Across the Country

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad and his pure family, and upon the pure and chosen ones among his descendants, especially the Awaited One of God on earth.

The capacity of the Basij (Mobilization) demonstrates its ability to actively participate in various sectors of the country.

Welcome! Today's session was truly very useful and educational, showing that the Basij — a unique phenomenon of the Islamic Revolution and an initiative of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) — has a capacity to actively engage in all necessary sectors of the country; it can resolve complex issues. The speakers today covered most of the necessary sectors of the country; they made suggestions, many of which are practical. God willing, we must appoint a group to review these suggestions and bring them closer to implementation. I sincerely thank all the brothers and respected sisters who spoke and presented their statements.

Human resources are the final word for any country.

As mentioned, the issue of the Basij is very important and profound. Basij means gathering resources and mobilizing capacities to achieve a goal that is of concern; this is the meaning of Basij. If the Islamic Revolution had everything we have today but lacked a general and popular Basij, it would certainly have faced significant shortcomings in its endeavors. The Basij Resistance Organization, which is effective today, is a symbol of popular mobilization; it is the organized section of popular mobilization. This organization has taken on important responsibilities; these significant and sensitive tasks are scattered across all sectors. The audience for this movement and action is not just the youth; it includes young people, teenagers, middle-aged individuals, the elderly, men, women, and everyone is the audience for this sensitive organization and mobilization of the Basij Resistance. In any system, in any country, the element that has the final say is human resources. The advanced material countries of the world have reached a peak in material matters due to their hardworking and active human resources, who have set aside laziness and pursued work — even in the pursuit of worldly gains — because of the follow-up of human resources and their capabilities; this is the divine promise. The divine promise states that if a community seeks worldly gains and strives, they will achieve it; if they seek spiritual values and true elevation and strive, they will achieve it: "We provide for these and those from the bounty of your Lord"; God helps both the worldly seekers and the seekers of values and elevation; however, those whose aspirations are limited to material life will only achieve that; they do not understand the meaning of true life and do not taste spirituality; this is indeed the case.

The Islamic Revolution's proposal: humanity's capacity to achieve material progress while preserving divine values.

The Islamic Revolution was a new proposal, a novel idea for human life. The world, ensnared by the powerful and the games of the powerful, which directed people towards moral pitfalls and various intellectual traps to maintain their power, needed a new discourse; this new discourse was produced, created, and presented by the Islamic Revolution. This new discourse states that humanity can achieve material progress, scientific advancements, and human value-appropriate progress, along with gaining the satisfaction of the Lord and preserving divine values, and save the world from the hell created by the power-seekers and politicians distant from spirituality, and in this way create a paradise for humanity; a paradise of assurance, a paradise of peace, a paradise of duty, a paradise of connection with God Almighty. This was the message of the Islamic Revolution.

The Islamic Republic is a framework for gathering the musts and must-nots of forming an Islamic society.

In realizing this message, there are indeed musts and must-nots. If such a world is to come into existence, there must be no injustice, there must be no despotism, there must be no class differences and class divides, there must be no drowning in desires, and there must be no practical or intellectual corruption; these are the must-nots necessary for forming such a society. There are also musts: there must be sincerity, there must be a sense of duty, there must be effort, there must be struggle, there must be work, and seeking the satisfaction of God Almighty must be the goal; these are the musts.

The framework that could gather this collection of musts and must-nots, values, aspirations, and goals was the term "Islamic Republic"; thus, Imam said, "Islamic Republic, not one word less, not one word more." "Republic" means reliance on the strength of the people, the power of the people, the will of the people, the faith of the people, the innovations of the people; it means human resources, which is the most important factor for progress; and "Islamic" means for God, in the way of God, focused on divine satisfaction, within the framework of divine and Islamic values. This is the meaning of the Islamic Republic; this was a new discourse in the world. Those who spoke of Islam were present in the world and still are; they were numerous and appeared in various forms; however, there is a difference between that Islam which is realized within the framework of a political system in a country and that Islam which is disseminated in articles, writings, speeches, and discussions within the framework of a pagan and tyrannical system, while real life is tyrannical; these are very different. The Islamic Republic realized the Islam desired by Muslims within a geographical area and a geographical boundary — namely, the country of Iran — within the framework of a political system. This was established with the help and guidance of God and the awakening and vigilance of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) and the struggle and sacrifice of the nation.

The Basij is the provider of the deficiency in the complete realization of the Islamic Republic.

Of course, there is a long way to go to reach that fundamental and primary goal; that is fine; we must traverse this long distance. The same was true at the inception of Islam; on the day the noble Prophet of Islam established the Islamic government in Medina, not all Islamic goals were realized at that time, and this continued throughout the blessed life of the Prophet; these had to be gradually realized. It depends on whether the necessary and determined human resources are present or not. The Basij means that which provides this deficiency; the Basij means that individuals feel obligated to realize lofty goals; all those who are engaged in various efforts: military, non-military, army, IRGC, law enforcement, various state sectors, diverse efforts, when they feel a sense of duty and adopt this movement, this goal, this method as their own, they are Basijis. Of course, we mentioned that the discussion of the Basij organization is another matter; this is a symbol, a specific active section, but the term Basij emphasizes all active individuals in the society.

The organization of the Basij Resistance and its comprehensive perspective is a factor for movement and achieving the lofty goals of the Islamic Republic.

And as for the Basij Resistance Organization, which is one of the pillars of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; it is a very important, influential, and necessary entity. Each of you present here is a collection of thought, will, desire, faith, and spirit of innovation. Hundreds or perhaps thousands of times more than the number of people present here are individuals, mostly young; they also possess these qualities; each one is a thinker, a determined individual, a believer, a will, a productive force, a movement force. What is important is that all these forces, all these determinations and wills come together and synergize. The Basij Resistance Organization in the IRGC has this duty; the duty of coordinating and placing these capabilities and forces and determinations in active networks of movement; this is the responsibility that lies with them.

You have observed; we have discussions in industry, agriculture, arts, construction, and various fields; we have both words and needs; we need movement, thought, decision, and resolute determination to reach the true and lofty goals of the Islamic Republic and to advance our country; all of these require movement, necessary dynamism. This dynamism is realized through the organization of the Basij Resistance and the comprehensive perspective of this force. And you will suddenly see a massive movement of construction, production, and progress in various sectors, accompanied by faith, insight, and sincerity from several million people in the country; this is very important and blessed! This is the Basij Resistance, and this is the heavy responsibility that must be fulfilled.

General principle: the enmity of the enemies of truth does not end.

My dear ones! The enmity of the enemies of truth and the enemies of God is not something that can be ended; enmities exist. The exercise of enmity by the enemies of God depends on how much they perceive their ability to exercise enmity and hostility; if they observe weakness on the other side, they will exercise this enmity without any consideration. Those who are upset by the mention of the enemy, saying, "Why do you say enemy so much?" are unaware of this issue; they are oblivious to the fact that if the enemy finds an opportunity, they will not hesitate to strike. We must not give the enemy this opportunity; we must not exhibit any action, speech, or state in front of the enemy that encourages them to strike and act with hostility. This is a principle; a permanent principle; this is a rational principle.

The noble verses that were recited at the beginning of this session state: "Our Lord, forgive us our sins and our excesses in our affairs, and make our feet firm, and grant us victory over the disbelieving people"; those who stood firm, the warriors, the heroes of the resistance who stood alongside the prophets and sought help from God Almighty and acted, God rewarded their steadfastness; "So God granted them the reward of this world and the best reward of the Hereafter." It is not the case that if you strive in the way of God, God will only grant you paradise! No, it is not just the reward of the Hereafter; there is also the reward of this world. What is the reward of this world? The reward of this world is dignity, power, progress, and the pride of a nation, the pride of a country; the reward of this world is that the Islamic Republic has faced the plots of the enemy every day for the past 38 years — from the moment the revolution triumphed until today, we have constantly faced various enmities from our enemies, namely global arrogance and Zionism and reactionaries — yet today we have advanced hundreds of times, perhaps thousands of times, in various dimensions compared to the beginning of the revolution; we have made progress, gained capabilities, and achieved power. The issues of the country must be correctly analyzed! Some analyze the issues incorrectly. For instance, they look at a certain section, observe disbelief and indifference in some, and take this as evidence that the revolution and the Islamic Republic have weakened in the country; this is not the case; there have always been enemies and opponents since the beginning of the revolution. Today, the enemy has intensified and strengthened its attacks from all sides; yet, you observe the blessed, eloquent, and beautiful movement of our faithful youth in the country. The fact that after 38 years, young people who have neither seen the Imam nor experienced the Sacred Defense nor understood the revolution are present in the arena and can have an impact in the region; this is truly one of the miracles of the revolution. In the region, the Islamic Republic — meaning you young people — have managed to bring the arrogant America to its knees and defeat it. All the efforts they made and the plans they devised were aimed at distancing this region from revolutionary and Islamic thought; the goal of all these was to eliminate and bury this revolutionary thought, this thought of resistance that has spread in the region, but the opposite happened!

The events that occurred in Syria and Iraq, the cancerous tumor that the enemies created to instigate an incident against the resistance movement in this region, you managed to repel and destroy this tumor; the faithful youth were able to do this. Those who entered this field of struggle with great enthusiasm and interest and brought the enemy to its knees were those who benefited from the spirit of the Basij and the Basij force.

The Basij is at the forefront of scientific, industrial, agricultural, service, spiritual, cultural, and artistic endeavors.

In all sectors, it is the same. We have a vast field of work in science, technology, industry, agriculture, services, and the construction of the country, in spiritual and cultural matters, in artistic matters, which must be carried out by you brothers and sisters of the Basij as the pioneers of this field. Millions of people in the country are not part of the Basij organization but are potentially Basijis; they have the capacity to participate in these fields, even if they are not considered part of the Basij organization. This is an extraordinary capacity that exists in the country today. We thank God, we are grateful to God for granting this capacity, this great asset.

Preserve the Basij. The qualities that are necessary and valid in the Basij and have existed, thanks be to God, must be maintained. One of these qualities is insight; it is enemy recognition; it is understanding the ways to confront the enemy; it is understanding the enemy's tricks. Our faithful youth must know that one of the enemy's methods is to make them indifferent to the practical Islamic values; in personal life matters, family matters, and various issues.

One of the enemy's methods is to discourage our youth; to say that we cannot stand against them; unfortunately, you see that some have become the enemy's loudspeakers, spreading such things in society that we cannot stand against them; why can't we? The Islamic Republic has stood against the arrogance of the enemies and has triumphed in all matters! How can you say we cannot? The Iranian nation was able to eliminate and cast away the monarchy, which was a long-standing evil tree in this country, while America was its supporter, Europe was its supporter, and the reactionaries of the region were its supporters. In a world where disbelief, atheism, and indifference prevail, it was able to establish a government based on values; it was able to preserve this government; it was able to guard and maintain this Islamic Republic with all its dimensions in this country and develop it day by day; it was able to create the elements of power and authority for this system. One of the elements of power is knowledge, one of the elements of power is military capabilities, one of the elements of power is the ability to influence the thoughts and ideas of other nations; it was able to create these for itself; how can you say it cannot? After this, it will continue, with God's grace, to achieve all the lofty goals it has outlined; through you young people, through the faithful generation that is thankfully scattered and present in the country today. We can; we have experienced that we can. Being able is not just a belief; it is not just a belief in the unseen; we have seen with our own eyes that we can. Some recite verses of despair, saying we must consider the powers and are hesitant in front of the powers; no, you have observed the series of plots that America, Zionism, and Arab reactionaries have created in this region; all were destroyed by the power of the Islamic Republic; they were eliminated; one of them was the inhumane Takfiri group, ISIS, which, thanks be to God, was destroyed by the efforts of the youth, by the efforts of the faithful men, by the efforts of those who accepted the resistance force; this is not a small task; it is a very significant task! In some of these neighboring countries, it was sometimes hard to believe that such an operation, such a movement could be carried out, but they were compelled, entered the field, succeeded, and believed. The message of the Islamic Republic, the message of the revolution, reaches the nations and resonates in the ears of the nations; practically!

Insight is necessary — it is one of the essential conditions — struggle is necessary, stability is necessary. My dear ones! Stability on this path, perseverance on this path, is one of the most obligatory and important factors for progress. Strive to keep your environment, your surroundings, the elements related to you, and, above all, your inner self and heart loyal and stable regarding these ideals and this path and these lofty goals; you will certainly be victorious, victory will certainly be with you. And I see the day when, God willing, with God's grace, the things we are saying today will be accomplished, and you dear young people will say that these tasks have been completed, these tasks have been done. Today, in the economic field, many tasks need to be done; in production and employment — which are our weaknesses — there are numerous tasks that must be accomplished; in cultural matters, many tasks need to be done; these tasks are currently at the level of planning, action, initiation, and progress, but one day, God willing, all these tasks will be accomplished in the best possible way. The day will come, God willing, that the young and faithful forces will be able to solve the economic problems in the country, multiply scientific advancements, and culturally spread the content of the revolution and the prominent concepts of the Quran and Islamic teachings throughout the country and in all corners of this country, God willing; these tasks will be accomplished, God willing, realized to the dismay of the enemies. Of course, the enemies will plot new schemes and tricks every day; our innovative, faithful, and ready-to-work forces must be prepared before the enemy executes a trick and introduces a new scheme into the field; they must respond and also prevent what the enemy may do.

May God, God willing, protect you and show you great victories, God willing. And may God Almighty unite the pure souls of our dear martyrs, whether those who were martyred in the battlefields in Syria or Iraq — the people of those countries or other countries; young people who entered this field with faith — and those who worked hard inside the country and were martyred, with His saints, and may He increase the dignity, success, elevation, and pride of the Iranian nation day by day. And God willing, may the position of our great Imam — who opened this path for us — be elevated in the highest ranks of the Hereafter day by day, and may He grant us the success to bring ourselves closer to this blessed caravan of martyrs.

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