Speech in Meeting with a Large Group of Freed Individuals

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

While one feels joy at meeting you dear ones, there is much regret that this freedom and public happiness did not occur during the blessed life of our dear Imam. Truly, the absence of that great figure is deeply felt. After many years, it would have been most fitting for our freed dear ones to receive the reward and recompense for their efforts by witnessing that celestial and luminous visage. Yet, this too is the divine decree and fate. Your reward for being deprived of visiting Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) is even greater.

We truly feel a sense of celebration and festivity across the nation due to your return; especially you dear ones whom the enemies, at this juncture, were not easily willing to exchange. This is a special grace from the Lord. Both the Iranian nation, the officials, the families, and relatives to whom God Almighty has returned you, must thank God, and you too, who despite the enemy and to spite him, God Almighty has humiliated that harsh, hard-hearted tyrant. There was a time when they felt powerful, and you were alone and oppressed, captive in their hands. Today, God Almighty has made you dear and strong, and has illuminated the Islamic Republic in the world like a shining sun. In the Gulf crisis, the face of the Islamic Republic, the Iranian nation, and the officials is one of pride, acknowledged by both friend and foe. You are the dear children of this system, you are dear, you are proud, and your tyrannical enemy is today in utter humiliation, weakness, and helplessness. This is the result of patience, reliance on God, and steadfastness in His path.

You, in your youth, have experienced this great matter. Sometimes a person must live fifty or sixty years to see one of these truths with their own eyes; otherwise, they must read in books or hear from others how patience bears sweet fruits and how God Almighty deals with the patient. Thanks be to God, in your youth, you have fully experienced this truth, you did not surrender to the enemy, you did not lose heart in the face of the appearances of force and various displays, you did not forget God, you always remembered your Imam, nation, country, and revolution, you stood firm until God Almighty made you taste the sweet results of patience. Today, you have returned as masters and dear ones, and that same enemy is today helpless, humiliated, and wretched. Dear brothers! It will be the same after this as well.

We are not at the end of a path; we are in the middle of a path. If we calculate correctly, we are at the beginning of a path. We are on the path of the absolute sovereignty of Islam. The path of God has no end, fatigue, or defeat; this is the path of God. God willing, all the people, especially the faithful youth and you who have spent years of your youth on this path, must continue the movement with all their being and with enthusiasm and zeal. The enemies have been struck and wounded; but they are still a source of danger. We must stand firm, advance the path with strength, and seek help from God.

Today, our situation is moving towards comprehensive goodness. Politically, our situation is very good. Economically and otherwise, the Iranian nation, God willing, is moving towards improvement. But the path is a difficult one. Everyone must strive, everyone must feel that the enemy is waiting for our negligence, lethargy, and indifference to strike. Such a blow must not be allowed to occur. The one among the Iranian nation most deserving of this heroic steadfastness is our combatants; especially those who have felt the hardship and trial of captivity with all their being, with their skin, flesh, and bones. This steadfastness and this patience and resistance are like the previous patience and resistance, and victory will follow it.

Of course, sacrifices must be made on this path. Some will also be sacrificed; but the line and path and flow of God will prevail; just as today, thanks be to God, it has prevailed. On this path too, patience and steadfastness must be exercised, and truly this noble verse "And enjoin each other to truth and enjoin each other to patience" is very profound. We must all exhort each other to uphold the truth, to guard the truth—even if falsehood appears very strong. We must insist on the truth. No inclination towards falsehood should arise. Our exhortation to each other must be steadfastness and patience, so that, God willing, by the blessing of these patience and struggles of yours, God Almighty will remove and eradicate the misery and humiliation that has spread among the oppressed and wretched masses of the world. It should not be that we target only ourselves for these struggles; rather, we must uproot the global arrogance and remove its evil from the nations.

We hope that God will help, grant you success, and always preserve the reward of the period of captivity for you, and include you, your families, fathers, mothers, and relatives in His mercy and grace, and God willing, make the sacred heart of the Imam of the Age pleased with all of us and the actions we take.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings