Statements to the People of the Earthquake-Stricken City of Sarpol-e Zahab, Kermanshah

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 and prophet, Abu al-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen progeny, the guided, the Mahdi, the infallible, especially the Remaining One of God on the earth.

Dear brothers, dear sisters, dear people of the Sarpol-e Zahab region and those who have come from surrounding areas! I extend my greetings to all of you. We wished to come to your city at a time when your hearts would be joyful, your lives flourishing; we did not want to come to this dear city and among you kind and loyal people in a situation where you are afflicted with sorrow, disaster, and calamity. It is very bitter for us. We share in the grief of each and every heart that is mourning—whether in this city, in other cities, or in the villages that have been affected throughout the province. The sorrowful hearts and troubled thoughts arise within us.

Dear brothers, dear sisters, patient and kind people! This is not the first time that your city and region have faced hardship. During the imposed war and the Sacred Defense, your city and the surrounding cities also faced difficulties; I came then, I saw your city, I saw the other cities of the province up close; I witnessed their suffering, their tribulations. However, the people of Kermanshah stood firm during the challenges of the imposed war; you demonstrated your manliness, your perseverance, your heroism during the imposed war, and today you must show it again.

In the face of calamities and events—whether natural disasters or imposed events—great and brave individuals stand firm; they conquer the disaster. My dear ones, the youth, the faithful and resilient men and women of this province, this city, and these villages! The earthquake is a calamity and a disaster; it brings sorrow, it causes suffering, it leads to destruction; however, this very earthquake, with the resilience of the people, with their steadfastness, with their efforts for renewal and reconstruction, can turn into a blessing. We can stand against natural disasters and imposed calamities by persevering in the face of challenges and utilizing the immense capacities of this nation.

It is true; we are grieving; dear ones have passed away—according to the statistics so far, nearly five hundred individuals from the families of these cities and villages have joined the meeting with God. This is pain, this is calamity, this is hard; homes have been destroyed. I extend my condolences to the families, I express my sympathy to the mourners; I convey our shared sorrow alongside the grief of those families. However, my dear ones, consider how this incident that has occurred for you has mobilized the Iranian nation. The Iranian nation, in all regions of the country, feels that their hearts are with Kermanshah; they feel indebted to Kermanshah and must fulfill their duty, and as far as we know, many people have acted according to their ability and capacity. The officials, especially in some sectors, have shone brightly in this incident; they have worked, they have made efforts. However, I am not satisfied; I believe that officials in various sectors must double their efforts and endeavors; just as in the early hours, the army in the cities, the IRGC in the villages rushed to help those trapped under the rubble, and their presence was effective. If they had not come, our sorrow and grief would have been much greater, and our casualties would have been much higher. In the continuation of the path, in the continuation of aid, in the continuation of assistance to the earthquake-affected areas, efforts must, God willing, be multiplied; officials must strive. The people themselves, you dear ones, should place more hope in your own strength, in your own efforts, in your own power, and in the zeal that God Almighty has granted to the faithful and heroically nurturing people of this province; rely on these. God Almighty will also assist; God willing, a better time will come for you, and we hope that the Iranian nation, especially the people of Kermanshah and the western region of the country—those affected by this earthquake—will receive divine grace, will be encompassed by divine mercy, and God willing, our dear people will emerge from this divine test with honor. We hope that God Almighty grants us the opportunity to come to this city and the surrounding cities again, at another time, another occasion, when, due to your efforts, the city has regained its prosperity and has taken on a much better condition than before. We hope, God willing, that life—vibrant, joyful—continues, that the families affected by this incident, God willing, receive divine grace, and that God Almighty compensates for their difficulties, and that officials increasingly fulfill their duties, God willing.