Speech in Meeting with a Large Group of Freed Prisoners, Accompanied by Hojjatoleslam Hashemi Rafsanjani

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

These past few days have truly been among the sweetest times for our nation since the revolution. The only thing that has saddened hearts during these days of celebration is the thought that many of you wished to visit Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) upon your return. All our warriors had this wish. Many of our martyrs mentioned this great desire and love in their wills.

We know that during your captivity in prisons and difficult camps, under those pressures, one of the things that kept your hearts alive and hopeful was the memory of our dear Imam's resolute spirit. He too often remembered the captives. The feeling of a father whose children have been taken from him in such a manner is easily understood. The Imam himself described this feeling in a letter to one of the captives, showing that he was truly grieved by the absence of these dear ones. Truly, these days, the Imam's presence is missed. However, his noble and expansive spirit is attentive to us. The joy and successes of our nation and the victories of Islam and Muslims bring happiness to the Imam's spirit, just as they do to the pure spirits of all the saints.

We thank God for proving that the powerful hand that has been behind this revolution and this country from the beginning remains so. From the early signs of this revolution's victory, God Almighty has guided the officials and the nation through all difficult passages with His complete power. This was a point that our great Imam deeply believed in—that a powerful hand guides this revolution and this nation. Now, as it has been, and thanks be to God, with the victory of the Iranian nation and you devoted fighters on the path of truth and Islam, and with the triumph and dignity of Islam and Muslims, everything has progressed and continues to progress favorably. If human thoughts and initiatives were to contemplate this matter, they could not have found a clearer path than what has been achieved. God Almighty Himself guided everything.

Thanks be to God, you have returned. You endured a difficult period. Your families also endured much hardship. The Iranian nation too suffered from the absence of devoted young men and faithful warriors like you and the rest of our dear freed captives. However, patience, resistance, and reliance on God advanced everything in the interest of the Iranian nation and the patient ones. This became an experience. God Almighty has said: "Indeed, with hardship comes ease": every hardship—if you are patient—brings ease with it. We, as a nation, have repeatedly experienced this over the past ten to twelve years. This too became another experience. We thank God for this. We hope that, God willing, the rest of our dear captives and our cherished freedmen, the light of our eyes and the light of the Iranian nation's eyes, will return soon. You are a great divine reserve and a vast human wealth that was seized by the enemy. God Almighty has returned you to the nation and this Islamic country. God willing, we can all fulfill our duties.

Brothers! We are in the midst of a very glorious path. We must never forget this point. This revolution was the aspiration of all Muslim nations. If we say that all reformers, thinkers, and free men throughout Islamic history have wished for such days for Islam and Muslims, we have not exaggerated. The enemies of Islam had devised strange plans to completely eliminate Islam, the Quran, and Islamic values. Over decades, how much wealth was spent, how much thought was given, how many crimes were committed, how much false propaganda was spread to remove Islam entirely from the scene of human life.

Our revolution turned everything contrary to what the enemies of Islam and the devils wanted. Today, Islamic nations have awakened. Today, the Islamic movement has surged in many Islamic countries around the world. Today, Islam, the Islamic revolution, and the Islamic movement are considered a great national, social, and political value. Today, it has reached a point where even those who have no affinity with Islam speak of Islam for the sake of the times! Today, Islam has become dear. What gave Islam this dignity? The blood of our martyrs, your efforts, patience, and resistance, the struggles and endurance of your families—these mothers, these fathers, these spouses, these children—the sincere efforts of those who set aside all youthful and material aspirations and fought and struggled in the path of Islam. These had an effect.

Today, Islam has gained dignity in the world. Thanks be to God, the base of dear and revolutionary Islam is also Islamic Iran, and the Iranian nation is the axis of all these honors. Truly, the Iranian nation is a great, noble, enthusiastic, and talented nation. God knew this nation and its characteristics, which is why He placed the greatest burdens and responsibilities—the responsibility of reviving Islam and revitalizing the Quran and Islamic values—on this nation. And thanks be to God, this nation has succeeded; however, we are in the middle of the path, and we are all obliged to strive and struggle.

The enemies of Islam are awake and have not despaired of striking Islam. Today, major global policies are thinking of emptying the scene of Islam and Islamic slogans—which are attractive to nations. The devils and the great devil—meaning America—are thinking of striking Islam and Muslims. Wherever the enemies of Islam are present, there is a sense of danger for Islam, and it calls the true and sincere Muslims and the fighters on the path of Islam to defense, responsibility, compassion, effort, work, and struggle.

In the ten years you were absent, many events occurred in this country, and the Iranian nation underwent very great and glorious tests. In these tests, thanks be to God, the nation emerged with honor. The Iranian nation showed that it is resilient, steadfast, and firm in the face of events. The enemies of Islam tried hard to create a rift among our nation, but they could not; they tried hard to distance the people from Islam, but they could not. The propaganda, money, and policies of the enemies tried hard to distance the nation from its aspirations and goals, but they could not. The nation stood behind the Imam and the devoted officials during this decade and succeeded. Today, too, thanks be to God, our nation stands behind the officials with utmost vitality, steadfastness, power, and decisiveness.

The Iranian nation must strengthen itself with the help of Islam and its unity and agreement. If our nation is at the highest level of military, economic, political, and cultural power, it can save its life and the lives of Muslim nations. If it is strong and powerful, if it has a situation that cuts off the hope of the great and aggressive powers and turns it into despair, it will be a model for Islamic societies. If, God forbid, this nation does not have the necessary and worthy Islamic power, the enemies will covet, interfere in its life, gain dominance, and, God forbid, renew the disgraceful conditions of the past.

The nation must be strong militarily, economically, politically, and culturally. Observe the global threats, see what the great powers are thinking. Today, in this very region of the Persian Gulf and the Middle East, global arrogance and America are thinking of expanding their power and their expansionist plans. They are not thinking of removing aggression. They themselves are aggressors and have shown their aggression in many parts of the world. Their presence is a danger to Islamic nations. They cannot create security. Our Muslim nation must be vigilant.

Today, the duty of all members of the nation, especially those who have strived in dangerous fields and have invested their lives, time, youth, and loved ones—like you dear ones and all the faithful classes, the families of martyrs, the disabled, and those who have cared and invested more than anyone else for the revolution—is to strive; strive behind the officials for the construction of the country as a powerful nation.

Never before have the country's officials, the president, and the government been as distinguished and outstanding as today. Today, thanks be to God, we have a president at the head of our executive branch who was a source of hope and was trusted and loved by the Imam in all political and military affairs of the country. We witnessed this. This is a great advantage that our nation has today, thanks be to God.

The executive, judicial officials, the people's representatives in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and the military officials are faithful, sincere, caring, interested in the oppressed, concerned about the country and the progress of affairs, concerned about fulfilling their duties, and truly serving; people whom we have not found the likes of in any other countries, as far as we have known and understood. This is a very great advantage. These officials, and this nation. We lack nothing. With this great and magnificent country, with this rich history, we can be a strong and powerful nation and a source of pride for Islam. This nation can be a model for Muslims all over the world; these are possible. Until now, thanks be to God, it has been so.

Although the Imam is not among us today, his guidance, path, and the light of his direction and his students are present, and this nation—the followers and children of the Imam—are on the scene. Preserve this scene. Praise be to God that He defeated your enemies, returned you victoriously to the Islamic homeland, made your families happy, and certainly, God Almighty, with these victories, made the sacred and blessed heart of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for him) happy. These victories were achieved under the shadow of steadfastness, resistance, reliance on God, and movement in His path with sincerity and compassion. Whenever and as long as we move sincerely in the path of God, these victories will be there. Nothing frightens us or diverts us from God's path. Nothing makes our hearts hesitant in pursuing this path. God has not withheld His grace from us and will not withhold it.

We hope that God Almighty grants you success. God willing, you will return soon, go to your homes, see your fathers, mothers, spouses, and children, make their hearts happier, and God willing, the rest of our dear ones will also come. The heart of our nation has been made happy, and God willing, it will become happier, and God will, with the knots that He will untie, God willing, make all our nation happy.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings