Statements of the Supreme Leader in Meeting with Foreign Guests of the Decade of Fajr and Various Segments of People on the Day of Mid-Sha'ban

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

I also extend my congratulations on the anniversary of this blessed birth and this happy Eid to all Muslims of the world, indeed to all seekers of truth and the oppressed on earth, to the noble and dear nation of Iran, and to you, the esteemed attendees, especially the guests of the Decade of Fajr.

What must always be considered regarding this blessed birth is that Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him) is the symbol of justice and the manifestation of divine equity on earth. This is why all of humanity, in some form, awaits the appearance of that noble figure. Of course, Muslims have specifically defined and limited this great expectation, and the Shia have clear and defining awareness regarding the person for whom this garment is tailored. Therefore, the subject of Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance) is not exclusive to the Shia or even to Muslims. Rather, it is an expectation in the hearts of all human beings and nations of the world. It is a hope in the heart of humanity that the history of mankind is moving towards righteousness. This hope strengthens arms, enlightens hearts, and clarifies that every movement for justice is in line with the natural law and course of this world and human history. This is why when our nation was engaged in struggles before the victory of the revolution, they felt they were moving towards the ideals of humanity. After the victory of the revolution, the Iranian nation feels that every movement and every action we took, every struggle we engaged in, and every hardship we endured was for a purpose shared among all humanity and all people of knowledge. The purpose is the establishment of justice, and the goal is to achieve justice for humanity. Islam provides this justice.

What I intend to say today on the occasion of this auspicious birth and your esteemed gathering, brothers and sisters, is a point regarding the issues related to the revolution. That point is that the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran brought hope to the hearts of nations and Muslim fighters everywhere; it revived dead hearts and erased from the minds and actions of fighting nations all that had been propagated and acted against Islam and indeed against religion in general. Therefore, after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, revolutionary movements emerged around the world, or if they existed before, they intensified and accelerated. Moreover, before the victory of the Islamic Revolution, when the youth and the zealous of a nation wanted to start a struggle against the oppression that ruled over their nation and region, they would turn to leftist ideologies. They would take inspiration from the leftists and receive pamphlets, writings, and instructions from them. Wherever there was a movement or struggle against oppression in the world, you would see a leftist tint in it, or efforts were made to give it such a tint. It was thought that without connection and attachment to an ideology or school of thought—such as Marxism—it was not possible to organize, guide, and lead a struggle to victory! But after the Islamic Revolution triumphed, we saw that in every part of the world where a revolutionary or courageous movement against oppression and tyranny took place, it acquired a religious tint. The aforementioned movements in Islamic countries took on an Islamic tint, and in non-Islamic countries, they inclined towards another religion. We even observed struggles in the early days of the revolution that previously had Marxist inclinations; however, after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, not that the Marxist inclination completely disappeared, but a religious streak also emerged in it, or a religious element was introduced into it. All of this was due to the influence of the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

The Islamic Revolution of Iran, after its victory, on one hand, gave hope to the fighters of the world and revived the hearts of the zealous who wanted to fight against oppression and tyranny in every part of the world, and on the other hand, restored Islamic identity to Muslim nations. There is no doubt about this. This was a positive impact that the Islamic Revolution had all over the world. But simultaneously with this impact, it also left another impact on the world, which was that it awakened the enemies of the Islamic front and gave them experience! Who is the enemy? It is the anti-Islamic front; it is global arrogance; the same that we call 'global arrogance'; the dominant powers of the world. One day, the manifestation of arrogance was America and the Soviet Union. Today, with the Soviet Union gone, America is at the head of arrogance. Reactionary powers, anti-people powers, aggressive powers, powers that want to hold weak nations in their grip and consider the world their own, have all registered in the front of arrogance, and Islam and the Islamic Revolution are confronting them. After the Islamic Revolution, they became experienced and gained experience. When the Islamic Revolution occurred, arrogance had no experience regarding great Islamic movements. In the past, uncoordinated movements had occurred; but this revolution and this struggle were a great event and movement that caught arrogance off guard.

In the early days of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, we clearly observed that the enemy was bewildered and confused and did not understand what had happened. In truth, arrogance could not find a correct analysis of what had occurred. But after the Islamic Republic was established, our nation's struggle with that power continued; the imposed war occurred; the resistance of this nation occurred; the decisive leadership of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) showed itself in various fields, and the Islamic bond between the people and the Imam revealed its various dimensions; the enemy became awake and alert and gained experience. This point is important for us, the Iranian nation, and also for Muslims in other parts of the world. However, Muslims in other parts of the world must pay attention that Islamic struggles are like a traditional and classic military war. It has exactly the same characteristics as that confrontation. In military war, when you see the enemy showing an innovative move, you try to counter it. As soon as the enemy acquires a new weapon, you try to provide a counter to that weapon. He acquires tanks for himself, you provide anti-tank weapons. He acquires fighter planes for himself, you make anti-aircraft weapons. In a more precise sense, every move the enemy makes, you sit down, think, and with creativity and intelligence, make a counter move. In Islamic struggles, it is the same. In the Islamic movement, the same situation exists. Since the enemy has gained experience regarding the Islamic Revolution, it employs new methods. Therefore, Muslims around the world must be vigilant.

Do you see how the enemy operates in various Islamic countries? Do you see how the enemy operates today in Bosnia and Herzegovina? One is the movement of the Serbs, and the other is the movement of America and Europe, which, with their silence, with their indifference, with their pretense of giving importance and in reality not giving importance, help the genocide by the Serbs. This is a new method of movement by the enemy; it is a new work that the enemy is doing. In the case of Palestine, do you see what methods the enemy employs? In confronting Islamic movements in various countries, such as Algeria and other places, do you see how global enemies and their local agents operate? In India in one way, in Tajikistan in another way, and in various countries, each according to the situation, in a certain way. The enemy is constantly designing to confront Islamic movements. Muslims must also guide their minds; consult with each other; use each other's experiences; open paths for each other, and help each other to find new ways to confront. There are many experiences that invite us to new innovations!

In any case, these are related to the global level. Within the Islamic Republic; within Islamic Iran, which is the center of the enemy's hostile attention, the enemy makes maximum use of its experiences. Therefore, we, the Iranian nation, must be vigilant. The enemy understood and realized several points based on experience that these are the main points of the progress of the Islamic Revolution and must be countered. One point was the Imam, that strange, exceptional, and great leader. The enemy realized what the influence of leadership in Islamic Iran does and how this affectionate relationship between the leader and the nation is a problem-solver and path-opener in various fields. The enemy saw how the influence of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) mobilizes the people in all fields against the enemy. This was a point that the enemy focused on. The experience the enemy gained was that the person of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) and the absolute Islamic leadership—meaning the same thing known in the teachings of the revolution and Islamic teachings as 'Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist'—must be questioned. Therefore, the most propaganda of the enemy was against the Imam. However, in a guided, precise, and of course futile manner! Today, too, the agents of the enemy, around the world and inside Iran, are propagandizing against the Imam. However, they do not attack the name of the Imam; because they know that they cannot approach and insult that name. Therefore, they attack the path and performance of the Imam and question the past of the revolution. What is the purpose of these hired and mercenary or ignorant pens—there is no other option—that in an article question the early years of the revolution completely?! Who are they confronting?! With the Imam?! Wasn't it the leadership of the Imam that helped this nation for ten years to traverse the most difficult paths? Who could have preserved and advanced a devastated country that the agents of the enemy and the corrupt Pahlavi regime had brought to ruin, and in which a devastating and ruinous war had occurred? Who could have done this? It was the leadership of the Imam. And now they question the leadership of the Imam and Islamic leadership; they question the very concept of the leadership of the jurist and the governance of religious scholars.

What is a jurist? A jurist is someone who knows religion and knows the path that religion has outlined for the people so that they can achieve happiness and prosperity and freedom and joy in this world and the hereafter, and places it before the people. A jurist means the governance of a person who has a rational logic behind him and has a strong argument. The governance of such a person does not have the governance of a military or a capitalist, or the governance of a professional party politician. Foreign articles, foreign propaganda of news agencies, newspapers, radios, televisions, and mercenaries inside the country question this. Of course, our country is, by God's grace, a country of freedom. We do not allow mercenaries to destabilize this freedom with their actions. Some want to write in such a way that we stop them! No; let them write! Some want to insult us in their writings in the press and provoke us to fight those newspapers so that later in the world they say: 'See, the Islamic Republic has no freedom!' No; we are not deceived. We had press freedom in the midst of war, where in no country is there press freedom in that form. Today, look and see how many newspapers and magazines are published in Iran? In which country with the capacities of our country are so many newspapers and magazines published? They write whatever they want! The very topics I talked about are present in the articles of the magazines. Of course, people mostly do not know what they write! The reason is that people do not pay attention to mercenaries and do not spend their time reading such writings. But they write, and we are aware. So you, dear nation, must also know what they write for and what their goal is. The enemy has been severely harmed and is grieving from the influence and personality of the Imam and the influence of religious leadership at any time. One of the points the enemy wants to counter is leadership and its influence.

The second point on which the enemy invests is the youth. In Islamic Iran, our youth were raised as pious individuals in the crucible of the revolution. The piety of our youth is unparalleled or at least rare. I do not know of any similar! A young person free from various impurities and pure from lusts enters dangerous fields; leaves everything behind; sets aside comfort and ease; thinks of a divine movement and feels the burden of responsibility on his shoulders. The enemy is strongly opposed to such a youth. For this reason, it tries to ensure that our youth do not remain pious. Today, we know of gangs and hands that, in the form of a small group, want to corrupt the youth. Of course, we will confront such gangs and hands and will fight fiercely against those who threaten the young generation.

Another point that is very important for the enemy is the popular nature of the government and parliament and the officials of the country. In countries where, for example, democracy exists, if you look, you will see that often the statesmen are either capitalists or affiliated with capitalists, and their parliaments are often filled by influential, wealthy, powerful, and strong individuals. In countries that claim democracy, the situation is the same. In the well-known and famous countries of the world, most of those who are at the head of governments come from known political, financial, military families and classes, or are individuals affiliated with classes possessing wealth and power. In Islamic Iran, it is not like this. The Islamic Consultative Assembly relies on elements from the heart of the people. A teacher, a farmer, a cleric, a doctor, a shopkeeper, or a student has gone to an electoral district, and the people have recognized him, voted for him, and he has entered the Islamic Consultative Assembly. The government of the Islamic Republic is the same. Those who are at the head of governmental responsibilities are individuals who have spent their youth and life in struggles and hardships and difficulties. Like our dear president; this prominent figure who has spent his youth and life in the path of struggles. His colleagues are also those whose revolutionary backgrounds or capabilities have drawn them to responsibilities. None of them are affiliated with a wealthy family, an aristocratic set, a famous old family, a company, or a class of classes possessing wealth and power. All are ordinary people and honest and sincere individuals. An engineer, a doctor, an experienced working person has been brought and engaged in work. This is also a point that the government is a people's government. Therefore, the people love both the parliament, the government, and the officials; because they see that these are of their own kind. The enemy also works on this point. The enemy tries to undermine the competence and dignity of the government and officials in the eyes of the people. This is the enemy's work. The enemy's specialty is to distort news and present realities as lies.

Another point on which the enemy works is the clergy. Because the clergy had popularity and influence and personality among the people, they were able to convey the message of struggle to the depths of society during the era of oppression and inform everyone of the Imam's views. The fighting clergy did this. The people have loved the clergy and trust them. This trust and expression of love for the clergy in our country is a tradition related to centuries. The Islamic clergy in our country relies on the people and has never been dependent on powers. Today, too, the clergy are not dependent on any power and are one hundred percent popular. Our people have always considered the clergy sacred, and thanks be to God, they still do today. The people consider the clergy a pure, healthy, and trustworthy group. We see the enemy using its experiences in this area. The enemy understands that it must undermine the clergy's dignity and credibility in the eyes of the people. All their efforts are for this! They propagate, they lie, if they find a small issue somewhere, they magnify it many times over, and to discredit the clergy in the eyes of the people, they do not mention the good deeds, sacrifices, and selflessness. They deny the knowledge and learning of the clergy and deny their piety; just as for fifty years, during the Pahlavi regime, such actions were taken. The clergy, which is a scientific and pious group, was introduced by the Pahlavi regime's loudspeakers as lacking knowledge and piety. Today, the same false propaganda is carried out. These are the set of actions that the enemy undertakes.

The Iranian nation, by the blessing of religion and vigilance and unity of word, has been able to overcome all obstacles until today. Be careful and maintain this vigilance. This vigilance, which stems from religious belief and faith, draws our attention to points such as 'unity of word.' This vigilance must be preserved with all existence and with all power. Our enemies should know that the Iranian nation, by the blessing of religious teachings, just as it has not feared the enemy's threats throughout this path, does not fear their threats and bluster today either. The powerful want the world to be full of oppression. Although they do not express it in words, their actions testify to it. They oppress to secure their own interests. We are opposed to oppression and bullying. We have risen and strived for the establishment of equity and justice, and this nation will continue to strive in this path. A movement that is for equity and justice will prevail over a movement that stands against equity and justice. There is no doubt about this. The world is moving towards equity and justice, and the meaning of Imam Mahdi and the expectation of relief is precisely this. The expectation of relief means that in the destiny of humanity, there is a great relief, and we are moving towards that relief. What should we fear? Why should we fear? Why should we doubt? Why should we lose our confidence? The instructions of Islam are our guiding light. What we have as a precious heritage from Islam is in our hands. The collection of the Imam's words, which is derived from Islam, is a precious heritage and a great achievement that is our guiding light.

We believe that Muslim nations, wherever they are in the world, if they decide to stand for Islam and support it, they will be victorious. The essence of the matter is that Muslims, wherever they are in the world, must decide to defend justice, speak of justice, stand against oppression, and defend Islam—Islam that supports the oppressed and the weak. The powerful of the world, who dominate everywhere, have made their power appear legendary. The reality of their power is very different from what they have. If America had the power it claims and suggests, today there should be no trace of the struggles of Palestine. But you see that the struggles of the Palestinian people are progressing day by day. The Palestinians who have been driven out of their homes in this winter cold have created the most difficult problem for the usurping Zionist regime. They are strong and will prevail, provided they are patient. The usurping and malicious Israelis have made a big mistake with this action and have put themselves in a multi-faceted predicament. Today, whatever they do, they face defeat and are struck. Today, whatever they do, they face defeat. If they return the Palestinians, they are defeated. If they keep them, they are defeated. If they execute them, they are defeated. If they imprison them, they are defeated. Of course, the condition is that the Palestinian fighters do not get tired; they resist and stand firm and do not retract their words. The enemy is vulnerable. All the enemies who fight against nations are vulnerable.

We hope that, God willing, the attentions of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for him and may God hasten his reappearance) will include this dear nation and all Muslim nations, and that divine favors will assist all of you.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings