Speech at the Grand Gathering of the People of Bushehr

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

Thanks be to God, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings upon our Master and Prophet, Abul-Qasim Muhammad, and his pure and chosen family, especially the remainder of God on earth.

God, the Wise, said in His Book: "O you who have believed, respond to God and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. And know that God intervenes between a man and his heart." (Quran 8:24)

To you, the dear, brave, and courageous people of Bushehr - the city of Bushehr and the province of Bushehr - I extend my greetings and express my respect. What has been recorded in the past and historical background of the Iranian nation and you, dear people, indicates your piety, courage, sincerity, and nobility. Before the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the Muslim people of this city and province performed commendable and outstanding deeds in their struggles. In the fight against the oppressive regime, your youth, men, and women made commendable efforts. Some of your esteemed clerics, like Martyr Ashouri, drank the cup of martyrdom in this path. Even before the recent struggles of the Iranian nation against the oppressive regime, your resistance against foreign enemies - the British - was well-known to those familiar with these events. The events of the British invasion of this region and the occupation of Bushehr - where the bravery of Rais Ali Delvari is a valuable historical legacy for the Iranian nation - and your support for the struggles of the late Ayatollah Seyyed Abdul-Hossein Lari are among the rare events of the past.

After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, what we remember from Bushehr and all the cities of this province indicates courage, resistance, presence in dangerous scenes, and participation in the ranks of the Basij fighters - both at sea and on land. This is due to your piety and attachment to Islam, the Quran, and the sacred teachings of Islam.

I am pleased that God Almighty has given me the opportunity to once again be among you, to see you up close, to visit your city and land, and to witness the legacies and signs of your pride. I pray to God Almighty to keep you, the faithful and brave people - especially you, the bright and pure youth of this province - steadfast on the sacred path of the luminous goals of Islam.

The topic I have chosen for my brief remarks today is this noble verse of the Quran: "O you who have believed, respond to God and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. And know that God intervenes between a man and his heart." (Quran 8:24) In our lives, the Quran must govern, and the blessings of the Quran must be abundant. It is under the shadow of the Quran that our knowledge, insight, courage, and actions find meaning and are directed towards the right goals. The Quran tells the believers: O believers! When God and the Messenger call you to life and true living, respond to their call. What is this life to which God and the Messenger invite us? In one word, it is the worthy life of a human being.

To live and move towards valuable and lofty goals, a person needs a guide. A person without a guide, who turns away from divine guides, will not find a worthy human and divine life; like nations that turned away from divine laws and became entangled in the oppression and tyranny of the great powers of the world, in division and fratricide, in psychological and nervous disorders, and in increasing life problems. Such people may have bread and water, but a worthy human life is not just about bread and water; a person needs a goal, love, and affection, lofty ideals, freedom, and dignity. If a nation's stomach is filled, but its dignity and honor are taken away, and it is made subservient, how can that nation feel comfort and peace? This is the situation that prevailed over our nation under the oppressive rule of kings in past centuries. This very city of Bushehr, whenever the treacherous Qajar kings and rulers slightly deviated from British obedience, became a landing place for British soldiers and the occupation of this region! The British came to Bushehr many times, occupying or threatening to occupy it.

How can a nation live comfortably under the rule of those who themselves are subservient to the enemies of God and foreigners?! Why did the vast, prosperous, and resource-rich country of Iran, with all its natural resources, talents, land, and controllable water, with all its underground resources, spend the days of the disgraceful rule of the Pahlavi and Qajar dynasties in poverty, misery, and ruin, and the nation did not see happiness and comfort? This very province of Bushehr, in terms of agricultural, natural, and human resources, is one of the most talented regions of our country; but you witness and observe the life of the province and your city and see that during the long years of Pahlavi rule, and before that during the Qajar rule, this province was not attended to; these resources were not utilized; these lands were not cultivated; what the faithful and service-oriented people needed and could be exploited from the God-given nature was not provided to them. The life of a human society, when under the rule of those who have nothing to do with God, will not be better than this.

In the short period after the revolution until today - nearly thirteen years - despite having eight years of war, all these problems, and economic blockade, the work done in these few years in this province was not done in all the fifty-plus years of Pahlavi rule; while what has been done today is still very little compared to what should be done.

In this province, there have always been very good human resources, talented youth, an atmosphere mixed with literature, culture, and art, valuable scholars, writers, and scientists, and today there are as well, and all this great God-given talent can and should be used. The country's officials have plans. We thank God that the officials care about the people, are concerned for the people, and have devoted their existence, talent, ability, and entire lives to improving the people's situation. If the people of the province become aware of what has been done, they will have a very clear judgment; as they do today, thanks be to God.

Brothers and sisters! Today, the world is groaning under the pressure of anti-God powers. What is putting nations under pressure more than anything today is the burden of ungodly governments that keep humans away from their nature, instincts, and heart's desires. The fate of the great superpower, the former Soviet Union, is a great lesson and a significant lesson. For many years, they kept people under pressure; they thought they had erased and removed religion from people's hearts; they thought they had removed religion from people's lives. The more the pressure, the greater the readiness for explosion! Today, when those hidden party chains of communism have been removed from people's necks, you see what the nations of the former Soviet Union are doing. They are turning to what their nature desires. Of course, if they are properly guided and have interested and concerned guides and officials, their situation will improve; otherwise, if there is no guide, humanity will move from one misguidance to another.

Material powers do not set limits for themselves. The life of nations under the claws of material powers, like their spiritual life, is crushed. Today, in the absence of religious feeling and belief, nations are turning towards Islam with heartfelt inclination. Today, Islam has become sweet in the eyes; you see multiple examples of it in Africa. One example is the Islamic demonstrations of the Sudanese nation and their passionate interest in the officials of the Islamic Republic - which is because of Islam - and another example is the recent events in Algeria, where the Muslim nation of that country has chosen Islam with a decisive vote; this is a significant event in the world.

Islam is growing and spreading, and it is penetrating deep into the hearts and nations. The Iranian nation is a pioneer and leader in this matter. You, the Iranian nation, have been able to prove the truth of the Islamic call with your struggle and steadfastness. The steadfastness of the Iranian nation reminds us of the events of the early days of Islam; and this is a lesson, model, and example for other nations; we must appreciate this.

We must protect Islam with all our being. The Iranian nation must dedicate its efforts to safeguarding Islam. What can bring both the world and the hereafter to nations and our nation is adherence to Islam. The world can also be built with adherence to Islam.

Islam gives dignity to humans. When a person feels dignity within themselves, they do not submit to enemies, foreigners, and oppressive powers. The reason you see that global powers - and today more than anyone, America - have been able to take control of nations and countries is that they have exploited the weakness of spirit prevalent among some people. First, they make nations indifferent and uninterested in Islam and their culture and history, then they take control and command of their affairs; this is a method they have practiced all over the world. But when a nation is committed to its heartfelt faith and respects it, it is essentially respecting itself, its opinion, and its decision-making.

We are very pleased that, thanks be to God, this feeling is growing among nations. It is good news for us to hear that nations - like the Algerian nation or the Sudanese nation - with their Islamic faith, express their rightful words and make their decisions. In the past, were nations allowed to express their views on Islam and Islamic governance so openly?

Powers are hostile to Islam because they know that Islam stands against their oppressions. Wherever there is Islamic governance, there is no place for the governance of America and the oppressive powers of the world; they know this, and thus they oppose Islam. Right now, global propaganda has started from all sides against the elections in Algeria. Why? Because they have chosen Islam and the Islamic system and governance. The Algerian nation went to the polls, cast their votes, and explicitly stated that they want Islamic governance. There is no clearer democracy than this anywhere; yet, political circles around the world and media affiliated with Zionists are not ashamed; they say democracy is being trampled in Algeria! So what is the meaning of democracy? Is democracy anything other than the people's vote?

The Algerian nation must know that when they say "yes" to Islam and "no" to the enemies of Islam, they must expect accusations and slanders from them and should not fear these accusations and slanders; just as the Iranian nation endured these accusations and slanders for many years and paid no heed to them.

In this Middle East region and even in fewer places in the world, there is as much freedom of choice and freedom of opinion as in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This country and this system are the same country and system that, less than two months after the victory of its revolution, the people went to the polls and voted for the Islamic Republic; that too with that amazing majority. Less than a year after the start of the revolution, the people participated in two important referendums and directly elected the members of the Assembly of Experts and the President. Over the years, the people's votes have always governed the fate of the country in forming the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the Assembly of Experts, in electing the President, and in various matters. Where in the world is there better and more democracy, freedom, and respect for the people's vote than this?

In the various political scenes of the country, in demonstrations, in expressing hatred towards enemies, in supporting the country's officials and the late great Imam (may God's mercy be upon him), and in various matters, all people and different classes have been present in the middle of the scene and have always expressed their opinions and acted accordingly. In the greatest experience of this country - the imposed war - it was these great popular forces that formed the scenes of war, fought in the front lines, and made sacrifices, and behind the front lines, fathers, mothers, women, and all the people of this country defended this system and supported the fighters; that is, a complete popular system. Despite this, you see that for twelve, thirteen years, the enemies have done everything they could to propagate against this system; this shows their enmity. Anyone who moves in the path of Islam must expect the hostilities and enmities of the enemies of Islam.

Today, the enemies of Islam are equipped with the most resources; but what is above all these is the divine promise. The divine promise says that the material resources of the enemy, the money, the weapons, the knowledge they possess, and the criminal way they use it, none of these can stop the conscious and courageous movement of a nation moving in the path of God; just as they have not been able to until today.

The dear Iranian nation must know, and it knows, that thanks be to God, in these thirteen years, despite the will and efforts of the superpowers and the cooperation of international enemies in hostility towards Iran, we have progressed day by day and have come closer to our Islamic goals, and with divine success, we will continue this path with full strength and power, and nothing will stop the Iranian nation in its movement towards divine goals.

We must keep ourselves ready for movement and effort in the path of God. In this regard, there is no difference between men and women; men are obliged, and women are obliged; men must acquire knowledge and science, and women must acquire knowledge and science; men must strive for the construction of the country as much as they can and wherever they can, and women must strive for the construction of the country - especially the construction of the new generation and its Islamic upbringing - as much as they can. If this great segment of the Iranian nation - that is, women - alongside men, with the preservation of Islamic boundaries, learn and practice the knowledge and skills worthy of a Muslim, success will certainly be greater.

Today, thanks be to God, our women have made progress in various fields. Women and girls should not be prevented from acquiring knowledge; they should be helped to study and gain knowledge and insight. Women can be alongside men in all matters; of course, divine boundaries and divine laws must be preserved.

You dear youth, especially in these border areas and in the neighborhood of the waters of the Persian Gulf, must know that today you have a heavy responsibility on your shoulders, and that is the responsibility of self-building; self-building in terms of knowledge and thought, self-building in terms of physical strength, self-building in terms of moral righteousness, self-building in terms of religious knowledge and practice, self-building in terms of gaining experience for building this country. This country belongs to you, the youth, and you, the youth, must take this heavy trust from the previous generation and pass it on to the next generation; and this requires scientific, moral, physical, and educational qualifications; and it is the duty of everyone - especially the youth - to acquire these qualifications.

I hope the sacred heart of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for him) is pleased and satisfied with all of you and that you are included in his prayers and considered among his companions. I will say a sentence or two of prayer and entrust you dear ones to God:

O Lord! Bestow Your mercy, grace, and blessings upon these people. O Lord! Make all of us true soldiers of Islam in all fronts. O Lord! Grant us the success to serve this nation and this country. O Lord! Strengthen this beautiful and magnificent unity and harmony that exists among our people day by day. O Lord! Make the sacred soul of the late and dear Imam, and the souls of our dear martyrs, pleased and satisfied with us.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings