Statements in Meeting with Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassadors, and Chargés d'Affaires of the Islamic Republic of Iran

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

I extend a warm welcome to my dear brothers and hope that this seminar, inspired by the revolutionary path outlined by our late great Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) and with the assistance of the spirit of the noble martyrs of this revolution, and relying on the faith and sincerity that we have always known and continue to see in you, and thanks be to God, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its apparatuses, endowed with the spirit of devotion and adherence to Islamic principles, will be successful in its work. With reliance on this spirit, may your actions, movements, and efforts always be blessed and may they please Almighty God and the esteemed presence of His Holiness, the Awaited Savior (may our souls be sacrificed for him).

Your esteemed gathering of brothers is familiar to me. We have always had many long sessions with you, discussing various issues of foreign policy and the revolution, exchanging views and ideas. During the blessed life of His Holiness Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified), I did not have the same cooperation and familiarity with any other governmental apparatus as I did with you. The reason, as I have repeatedly mentioned to you, is the importance of foreign policy and the diplomacy of the Islamic Republic.

I have often said that the administration of the country is divided into two sections: the domestic section and the foreign section. This division is very logical. Of course, the domestic section has its own characteristics and complexities; the foreign section also has its own unique characteristics and complexities. This second section is in the active hands of the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the first section is in the hands of other apparatuses. You see that the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is indeed very important.

Today, the things I wish to say to you are the same things I have always said. Except for a few of you brothers who have recently taken on embassy missions, the rest have heard my remarks on the issue of our diplomatic efforts abroad in private or public sessions. Even now, the words are the same and there is nothing new. There are only one or two points that I will mention:

The first point is that the transformations occurring in the world, as Dr. Velayati mentioned, although taking place in other regions, are related to us. These transformations began in Europe, and today perhaps the most prominent scene of these transformations is Europe. Although they started in Eastern Europe, today the entire European scene is imbued with the effects, consequences, and results of these transformations. The issue of the unification of the two Germanys, the issue of a united Europe and the dimensions it takes on with this situation, and the issues related to the Soviet Union are significant matters. Then, the overflow of these issues from Europe to the socialist countries of the world—primarily—and to the Asian countries and other countries—secondarily—shows its effects in various ways everywhere.

The most important issue is for us to understand where we stand in these transformations. The answer to this question is not a single word, nor is it simple. At one time, a war like the Second World War occurred in the world, and Iran at that time certainly could not remain unaffected by this war and its effects and consequences. It was right for the country's officials to sit down and say that now a war has broken out, let's see where we stand on the world map and, based on our position, what our duty is. That was one way, and this is another. This is not of that kind.

There is a possibility that we are not an external element to these transformations and alien to them—since the global family is inevitably affected by events—but rather an element that has played a role in creating these transformations, and today the results of these transformations are being categorized and planned with regard to us and are emerging in the world.

It is very naive if we consider the change in the Soviet Union from 'Brezhnev's Soviet Union' to 'Gorbachev's Soviet Union' merely as a result of economic problems. The Soviet Union's economic problems are not related to just one or two or five or ten years. These problems existed before Brezhnev came to power. Brezhnev's absolute rule for several years with those characteristics was realized under these same economic conditions. The rule of his successors was the same.

In this decade, what factor leads to the conclusion from the summation of those economic and social realities? This factor can probably be sought elsewhere—outside the Soviet Union itself. The emergence of popular presence and the strength of nations' will to the extent of creating a new pole in global equations—the work that Islamic Iran did—who knows if it has not influenced those decision-makings? Who can easily deny this?

In Eastern Europe, events began from a religious origin. The slogan of the Solidarity movement in Poland—which is the mother of all Eastern European issues—was the demand for religious operations and ceremonies in the church. In the second year of our revolution—that is, the year 1979—we received news that was very interesting to us. At that time, we were in the Revolutionary Council. Our analysis at that time was that the inclination towards religion in this part of the world, with the rise of a religious government based on a religious revolution—which shook the world and drew attention to itself—is not unrelated. These should not be underestimated. I am not stating these as an opinion; I am presenting them as a possibility worth pursuing.

Today, Islamic Iran cannot view transformations with the perspective that there are transformations in the world, and ultimately the global family is affected by the totality of these family transformations, and we are also Iranians and a member of this collection, and ultimately we are also affected, so let's take care of our own thoughts. The issue is not this; the issue is beyond this. It may well be that we see in the future which of the conclusions and consequences of these events and transformations we will be targeted by. That is, what thoughts and decisions Europe and the West and the collection of countries benefiting and harmed by this situation have regarding Islamic Iran and Islam. This is a reality that today major Western analysts and top officials of European countries explicitly state.

The foreign minister of one of these countries, which I do not wish to name, had an interview that was not published in our press, and that interview was brought to me from elsewhere. He had said: Today, the issue is no longer the issue of East and West; today, Western economics is only faced with one point, and that is the world of Islam. Does the world of Islam mean Saudi Arabia?! A country that is an appendage of those same economies and has implemented a caricature of Western economics. The world of Islam does not mean such a country. It is clear what the world of Islam means and where it is located. This is how the world thinks about us who are Islamic. We must see where we stand. This is a point specific to these days. That is, all these events have occurred in this past year. If I had sat with you last year at this time to talk, this issue did not exist, and we were not paying attention to these transformations, and these transformations had not yet occurred. It has not been a year since the world began these transformations. It is a very significant thing.

The second point—which we understood from the time of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) and today we understand more clearly—is that one of the goals and objectives of global arrogance in confronting the Islamic Republic and our revolutionary Quranic government is to make it appear to the nations of the world, especially the Muslim nations, that Islamic Iran has abandoned its slogans! I even analyze many of the apparent approaches and flattery of the West and some of their poles towards us with this view. This analysis may not be fully accepted by everyone, but in any case, it is an issue. Therefore, it is not the case that in some instances we assume that a certain Western country or a certain Western pole is now thirsty and desperate for a relationship with the Islamic Republic and has an urgent need for it; because if it does not exist, its sky will fall to the ground! It is not clear that this is the case everywhere. In many instances, these approaches and these closenesses to the Islamic Republic and what is observed in their propaganda in this course are to spoil the other side of the issue; that is, to make it appear to the world that the Islamic Republic is no longer the revolutionary, aggressive Islamic Republic of ten years ago and everything is over.

Global arrogance and our enemy's faction in the world benefit from this issue. The reason is very clear. The reason is that if it becomes clear that here—where it has been the base and mother of popular movements based on Islam throughout the world—has undergone a revision in its revolutionary approach and method, those movements will dry up and disappear on their own. Therefore, they promote this subject. What they call 'extremism' in their terminology and expressions is introduced as a separate and isolated current from the general course of society in the Islamic Republic, and their effort is to portray that current, which they want to say is a remnant of the Imam's era, as a small and limited current.

These are strange tricks, and the surprise is that in the Islamic Republic, some believe them. When the arrogant radios, in their statements, say and name that the legacy and path of the Imam in Iran rests on the shoulders of a few people and the apparatus and general method has separated from this, those few people—if they are not hypothetical and have a reality in the Islamic Republic—believe it and think that it is so. This is very naive.

What is today the text of our society is the same line and path of the Imam. What we consider to be in the interest of our religion and our world is the same thing that was opened before us with the Imam's pointing finger, and we stepped into it and moved with power in it for eleven years, and as long as we have life in our bodies, we will continue that path. We will not abandon any of the ideals outlined by Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified); whether in the field of domestic issues, social justice, the preference of the barefooted in the Islamic system and in our country, and also the preference of their interests, desires, motivations, and feelings over the affluent—and in the Imam's expression, the affluent without pain—whether in the field of people's support for officials and considering it a duty, whether in the field of people's reliance on their own forces and moving towards stimulating the sources of talent within the country and self-sufficiency, whether in the field of foreign issues, namely confronting global arrogance, the line of separation from superpowers and interfering powers; what was introduced with the honorable title 'Neither East, nor West'—on the day when the world truly had an East and West bloc division—fighting against oppressive and tyrannical powers of the world, definite confrontation and opposition to any sign of domination that is evident in the world—anywhere in the world it does not matter, from our perspective the dominance of the claws of the system of domination over any nation and any country and anywhere is rejected—and also in the field of considering the issue of Palestine as great and primary and the rest of the clear lines outlined by the Imam.

So, the line of the Islamic Republic is this. Other than this, we have no path. Other than this, we do not recognize any path of salvation. Other than this, we do not feel any religious duty on our shoulders. Our religious duty is this. Arrogance and propaganda and radios and their active minds strive to create shapes and promotional sentences to introduce the opposite of this in the world. They say there are two currents: a wide main current that believes in revising the concepts of the Imam's time, and a small, insignificant current in a corner relying on, for example, a few people who believe in the principles of the Imam! Such a thing does not exist.

Our statement is that you must invalidate this trick in the world. You should not allow the revolutionary face of the Islamic Republic to be slightly tarnished in the country where you are. Revolution is a value. Those who try to make revolution and revolutionary spirit an anti-value are the same ones who have suffered the most from the revolution. Doubt in revolutionary concepts is an anti-value. Doubt in the struggle against oppressive, domineering, and tyrannical powers is an anti-value. The path of salvation for nations lies in their independence from oppressive powers. The oppressive powers have always tried to prove to nations that they are moving unnecessarily and making mistakes. Their path of salvation is to come under our wing and become another step on the ladder of material ascent and unjust domination! They convey this. We do not believe it and do not want to let other nations believe it either.

If some people think that the path of salvation for this country and this nation is that we eventually speak of non-aggression and regret for some of the actions that they have labeled as extremism in front of these powerful global powers, they are lying. No, this is the path of our humiliation and enslavement. The enslavement of the Islamic Republic lies in making peace with America. The enslavement of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation lies in the West feeling submission and obedience in the Islamic Republic. It is impossible for the Islamic Republic to adopt such a state of submission and obedience in front of the enemies of God; then it will no longer be the Islamic Republic.

A system that is in the name of Islam and the Quran but submits to the enemies of God is no longer the Islamic Republic; it is the American Islamic Republic, not the school of the Quran and the path of the prophets. What was sacrificed for, what pure and pure souls left their bodies for, what blood was shed for, what efforts were made for, this will no longer be that. The face of the Islamic Republic towards the enemies of God and the aggressors against the sanctity of nations and the dignity of humanity and the independence of nations is a face of aggression and non-submission. We have been and are and will be distrustful, opposed, and confrontational. The policy of the Islamic Republic and our diplomacy is based on this.

Many times in gatherings that you have had with me, we have sat and talked. It has been asked whether defending nations and movements is incompatible with relations with governments? The answer has been given that no, it is not incompatible. There is a mature and developed diplomacy that holds its revolutionary slogans high in every part of the world and establishes correct and healthy relations with all countries from a position of dignity. You have also observed its example. Thanks be to God, our diplomacy in recent years has been like this; although in the early days, it did not have a very correct stability.

Why can't relations be established? It can be done very well. Of course, the enemies want to say it can't be done, the West wants to say it can't be done, if you want to establish healthy relations and economic cooperation, you must abandon revolutionary slogans. We also look them in the eye and say that if it can't be done, we prefer it. We prefer the slogans and the path and the way of the revolution over anything else; but our belief is that in this material world, even higher than this can be achieved. In this material world, the one who has thought and idea is the winner.

We are a great country and nation. We are located in an important point of the world. We have an influence on the nations of the world. We are not a sidelined nation—like some nations whose fate and good and evil are dependent on themselves and nothing else. No, today, our existence and our words and our path and our slogan and the flag we hold affect a large part outside the boundaries of our borders. We are like this. Many people want to have a relationship with such a country. Many find it in their interest to be good with such a country. Having relations with some or many countries does not at all require us to turn away from our revolutionary slogans.

Gentlemen Ambassadors! Be aware that in the countries where you are present, your face should be revolutionary and reminiscent of the Imam—with the same characteristics that the world knows of the Imam. Of course, there are many brotherly recommendations. You have probably said and heard a lot during these seminar days, and I have repeated it many times in your gatherings, and perhaps it is no longer necessary to repeat it. The embassy environment should be an environment of religiosity. Put aside these non-religious expressions that the children are committed and good children. Committed, revolutionary, militant, preserved in its place; but they must be religious. Religious means someone who strives not to sin; strives to perform their religious duties accurately and meticulously; women in one way, men in another. This is religious; meaning observing all the religious duties of the treatise.

You must observe this in the embassy environment; meaning the embassy should be a completely Islamic environment, like the environment inside Iran and the environments of religiosity, so that anyone who enters there should see so much prayer and supplication and remembrance and truthfulness and good manners and love and respect and cooperation and facilitating work and working well and working hard and working sincerely and working with a cheerful face and dealing fairly and justly with people and clients—especially with needy clients—and not raising personal issues and not falling into any kind of—God forbid—material and monetary greed, that they believe you are Muslims.

The attraction of religiosity is the greatest attraction. Wherever you are, as long as you are religious, the people of that country, the Iranians residing in that country, the clients who come to you, those who come from here, those who want to come from there, the government officials, the people, whoever refers to you, say in their hearts: Bravo! One enjoys it. When entering the embassy environment, you should be like this. Your men should be like this, your women should be like this, your employees should be like this, your cook should be like this, your deputy should be like this. The environment should be an Islamic environment. Do not learn non-Islamic things from non-Muslims. Things that Islam opposes are not to be learned. You are above this and should be so that, God forbid, you are not influenced by these things.

A proper and thorough 'God bless you' should also be extended to you. Indeed, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and you ambassadors and brothers who are here and Mr. Dr. Velayati himself and those who work with him truly deserve a 'God bless you'—not from us—from the helm of the highest heavens and the angels and the pure spirits of the saints. You work a lot. In this turbulent world, there are some world leaders who are ill-mannered, materialistic, and base and are on the other side of the line of humanity. Of course, in some of them, there is a bit of spirituality and humanity; but most of them are truly on the other side of the red line of humanity and humanity; materialistic, people of eating, sleeping, pleasure, lust. For them, life is this. Even when they fulfill their responsibility, the ultimate goal—as we say in seminary, the motive for their motive—is to enjoy and have a good time; aimless, purposeless, without spiritual intent! You, in relation to them, truly show a lot of nobility and courage and power by being patient and working. Indeed, thanks be to God, our diplomacy has improved day by day in the world. Now, from these past ten years, if you look at each year compared to the previous year, you see that we have made many steps forward and good work has been done.

May God grant you success, God willing. We also have a duty to pray for you and to ask God for your help and success.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings