Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution at the Grand Gathering of the People of Mashhad and Pilgrims of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (peace be upon him)

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 and the Mahdi, especially the Awaited One among the inhabitants of the earth.

I congratulate and extend my best wishes to all dear brothers and sisters - both the esteemed people of Mashhad and the honored pilgrims who have come from other cities to this sacred threshold during these days - on the occasion of Nowruz and Eid al-Ghadir, and for the opportunity to visit the holy shrine of Imam Ali al-Ridha (peace be upon him). I hope that this new year and these blessed occasions will be a source of blessings and prosperity for the entire Iranian nation, and that the beginning of this year will herald events and movements that benefit and serve this nation, leading to public comfort and earning God's pleasure. I also thank the Almighty God for granting me once again the opportunity to be in the vicinity of this sacred and exalted shrine and to visit you, dear brothers and sisters. We ask the Almighty God to make this gathering, these meetings, and all that we say and hear, beneficial for ourselves and in the interest of this great nation.

What I wish to convey to you, esteemed attendees, today consists of points that are fundamentally the same as those I referred to in my Nowruz message. For us, the year 80 is, like the year 79, the year of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him). An Alawi year for an Alawi nation and the devoted followers of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) can carry very important messages. Last year was also adorned with the name of that great figure; however, my heartfelt wish is that this year we do not limit ourselves to slogans. The Alawi slogan is dear; however, a slogan must precede action. If we proclaimed the Alawi slogan last year, let us adopt Alawi behavior this year. Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) embodies personal characteristics as a Muslim and a human being, as well as qualities as a citizen in the Islamic community, and as a ruler, a politician, a manager of affairs, and a martyr in the path of God. He is worthy of emulation from all these aspects. We need to emulate and follow the Commander of the Faithful.

The Commander of the Faithful is a manifestation of qualities that, if we, the people and officials, reflect in our behavior and speech today, our Islamic community will reach its peak and elevation. The path to the advancement and reform of the world and the hereafter of a nation is a path that must be traversed. For a believer who is committed to God and the mission of humanity, there are no dead ends. A nation can remove all problems and obstacles from its path to perfection, provided that it cultivates the qualities necessary for this great and comprehensive movement within itself, and the Commander of the Faithful was the embodiment of these qualities. The Commander of the Faithful was both a symbol of piety and trustworthiness and possessed truthfulness and clarity. Although he was a politician and the leader of the Islamic world, managing a vast population of tens of millions at that time, without the modern means of communication, he governed the community and the Islamic nation. However, Ali's political acumen did not lead him away from the path of honesty and clarity. Ali was truthful and clear; what he said was what he believed, and it was a guide for his actions. This is why every word of the Commander of the Faithful has shone throughout history like a beacon for the elite and intellectuals of the world.

The actions of the politicians of the world - both today and throughout the past centuries - and the words they utter without heartfelt belief, and the faces they adopt that are entirely different from their inner selves, were not present in the Commander of the Faithful. Today, you can see that beautiful and eloquent words flow from the lips of world politicians - the name of humanity, the name of human rights, the name of democracy, the name of peace, the name of sanctity - but in their hearts and actions, there is no trace of these truths. This situation existed before the time of the Commander of the Faithful and still exists today. The Commander of the Faithful - the pinnacle of humanity - acted contrary to most politicians in this regard. His characteristic was that when he mentioned the people, he truly valued them; unlike those who, on the international stage, support every professional terrorist - who today are the Zionist rulers of the world - and every international plunderer - who are behind the scenes of the arrogant powers, the usurers, and the international looters - and every dishonorable and transgressor of human rights, while they shamelessly utter the names of human rights and humanity and democracy and even become demanding of nations! They do not recognize the Islamic Republic system, which is undoubtedly one of the most popular systems in the world, based on the votes of vast segments of the people and intertwined with their emotions, sentiments, and faith, as a democratic system; yet they recognize the systems of absolute individual rule, hereditary monarchies, and coup regimes, where even elementary school children are not safe from the assaults of their security forces and are killed by them, as systems that believe in human rights! This is a political and global farce. The politicians of non-divine systems wish for all the people of the world to be subjected to such toys.

The Commander of the Faithful mentions the name of the people, but in the true sense of the word, he was a supporter of the people and the weak. Attention to the weak, power and decisiveness against the oppressors and unjust claimants, and minimal benefit from public resources are other characteristics of the Commander of the Faithful. Anyone who considers the public treasury of the Muslims as their own property - whether they say it openly or, if they do not say it, act as if they have such rights - and behaves with the public treasury as if it were their personal property - either consuming it, giving it away, or using it for personal purposes - cannot be considered a follower of Ali. Alawi behavior in all these dimensions is our duty; much work, little benefit. The Commander of the Faithful, both when the duty of governance was upon him and when he was forced into isolation and withdrawal from governance, was in the midst of the field and working. Ali never went to sit at home and be angry with the people, the community, and the country. This is not a characteristic of the Commander of the Faithful.

Another characteristic of that great figure is his connection with God. Of course, the language of small and limited individuals like me is far too inadequate to even express and convey the generalities of the worship of that great figure. When Imam Sajjad - who is the adornment of the worshippers - is astonished by the worship of the Commander of the Faithful, we, like me, should not utter a word.

Mobilizing forces in the path of truth and against falsehood is another characteristic of the Commander of the Faithful. Do not say why you sensitize the people against global arrogance and its injustices and the agents and minions of God's enemies. The Commander of the Faithful also had this characteristic. We too must, like the Commander of the Faithful, mobilize all forces, all hearts, all bodies, and all capabilities against falsehood and in the path of truth. We must be prepared ourselves; we must also mobilize the prepared hearts and souls and the radiant youth - who today our society has in the presence of young people with pure hearts, vitality, and freshness - in the path of God, in the path of truth, and in the path of sincere effort - which the Islamic Iran needs in this era.

Fighting against rigid and baseless sanctimoniousness is also another characteristic of the Commander of the Faithful. That same Commander of the Faithful, the worshipper, the pious, the one who remembers God - whose prayers and supplications echo in the palm groves of Kufa forever - confronted those who sought to flaunt their personal character to the people with rigid and baseless piety, and even if they had sincerity, they had neglected the various dimensions of their own and others' personalities. The Commander of the Faithful was a person who expressed the bitter truth; whether it pleased various factions or not; whether it pleased those who wanted to cling to appearances and abandon the essence or not; whether it pleased those who wanted to interpret and explain God's religion according to their personal tastes or not. All of these existed during the time of the Commander of the Faithful. These are specific personalities that have historical examples; they also had examples during the time of the Commander of the Faithful. The Islam of the Commander of the Faithful is one that encompasses remembrance, enthusiasm, vitality, movement, construction, jihad, sacrifice, and selflessness. Today, when we see examples of those diverse individuals, we find ourselves with a duty.

No one can compare themselves to Ali; however, everyone can strive towards that pinnacle. The Commander of the Faithful is a standard. First and foremost, we officials have a duty and obligation to align ourselves with the behavior of the Commander of the Faithful and to measure our direction of movement against him. Every individual in the nation also has the same obligation. I have said this before, and I say it again today; the duty of officials is heavier. The behavior of the Alawi must be institutionalized among us officials of the Islamic Republic system. That day, no harm or danger will threaten this system.

The Islamic Revolution was founded on the model of this complete and comprehensive personality. Those who sought to draw parallels between the Islamic Revolution and past revolutions or certain events in other countries did not pay attention to this point. The Islamic Revolution took its model and example from the Commander of the Faithful, and the Islamic Republic system was established. Our great Imam, who was a student and follower of the school of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), made these recommendations in his behavior and speech. If you look, you will find the Alawi indicators scattered throughout the teachings of the great Imam. This is why the enemies have targeted the opposite of the path of the Imam as their focus of activity. The propaganda of the enemies of the revolution and the Islamic Republic - who are the enemies of the Iranian nation - has aimed to promote the opposite of the path that the great Imam delineated with specific indicators among the people.

Of course, the noble text of our dear nation has not succumbed to the pressures of enemy propaganda and will not do so; however, there are those among us who have made mistakes. They have taken a wrong path and have led some groups astray with them. The Imam taught our nation that officials must think of the weak and the underprivileged and pay attention to the needs of the people. They have made the attention to the desires of the arrogant powers the criterion in their propaganda and cultural assault; they see what the United States dislikes and avoid that; they see what the bullies and oppressors of the world favor and move towards that. This is the opposite of the teachings of the Islamic Republic that were manifested in the words of our great Imam. The Imam taught us that whatever you have to shout, shout it at America; yet some have directed their shouts at their own people; they also teach others to shout at each other! The Imam repeatedly emphasized in his will and during his blessed life that we must beware of strangers, intruders, and infiltrators. Be careful that those who have no good relationship with this revolution, this system, this Islam, and the interests of the people do not infiltrate the decision-making pillars of the country. The issue of strangers and unworthy individuals was first raised by the Imam. These individuals, in contrast to that direction and that clear line, say to beware of friends and compatriots. They present these ideas under various names and from the left and right. If you open any of these foreign radios, you will find that in each of their programs, they mention the names of the conservative and reformist factions at least several times; expressions that divide the Iranian nation and the revolution's supporters and the faithful and loyal to the public interests of this nation and this country into different fronts. The Imam said, a united Iran, a united and harmonious nation; yet some try to promote non-public directions - ethnicities and sects and dividing the people and playing with terms like parties and the like - according to the desires and preferences of the enemies of this nation, causing the unity of the people and that unity which can carry Islamic Iran through the storms to be fragmented and scattered in every way.

The Islamic Republic has taken into account the model of the Commander of the Faithful - the model of faith, piety, purity, attention to the weak, and the desires of the deprived classes of society and consideration for the public interests of the nation. It is evident that some will oppose and become enemies of such a system and government that does not pay tribute, does not submit to the interfering enemy, does not lay out a red carpet for looters, does not entrust the interests of the country to foreigners, and stands firm and defends its rights.

Why do some individuals dislike mentioning the name of the enemy?! They say do not understand, do not know, and do not remember that you have an enemy! The revolution and the Islamic Republic have shown us this clear path and placed this line of righteousness and welfare before the nation. The revolution does not need reconsideration; it needs action. Some constantly talk about reconsideration. What do you want to reconsider?! The revolution was a massive movement against the corruption and incompetence of a regime that was deeply entrenched in the quagmire of corruption and dependency. The revolution is a great reform. We must act according to the revolution; we must adhere to the constitution; we must be loyal to the principles of the Islamic Republic and act accordingly. The revolution and the Islamic Republic have no faults. I and those like me, with our weaknesses and lack of insight and inherent fear and attachment to material matters and worldly pleasures, want to interpret the revolution. We attribute our weaknesses to the revolution, while the revolution is strong and effective, and the Islamic Republic is that lofty peak that can lead the Iranian nation and our dear country out of all its material and spiritual predicaments; provided that I and those like me act according to what the Islamic Republic and the dear Islam have placed upon us and do not attribute our weaknesses to the Islamic Republic. Therefore, this year - which is the year of Imam Ali in behavior, not just in speech - I have proposed two main slogans for the performance of various state apparatuses, which they must keep in mind: one is national power and the other is productive and beneficial employment; and even the former is more important than the latter. Although today the issue of employment in our country is a very important and fundamental issue, and if there is good and effective planning and serious action following this title, the problems will gradually decrease - which, fortunately, planning has started since the year 79, and this year the officials of the country must seriously enter the field - but the issue of national power is more important than this. A nation like the Iranian nation, with all its existence, its historical background, its cultural roots, its geographical and climatic capabilities, and its numerous human abilities, sees its power, dignity, capability, and reputation reflected in the faces of the country's officials. The officials of the country and the three branches of power can embody national power.

What does national power mean? National power is the powerful hand that consists of the active forces of the three branches of power, which must perform their duties with courage, authority, hope, and without hesitation and with complete cooperation. If a nation has national power - power in the fields of economy, politics, culture, and state organization - its material and spiritual problems will be resolved. If, for instance, an official in the security sector performs their duties well, the people feel dignity and power. If an official in the economy strives and demonstrates their effectiveness - strengthens the national currency, controls inflation, creates economic prosperity in society, and ensures that the deprived classes receive their rightful entitlements - the people feel empowered and capable. They see themselves in that official and consider them a representation of themselves. When, on the international stage, the officials of the country participate in global forums with dignity and pride and independence, courageously express their rightful demands, and consider national interests in dealings and exchanges with other countries, and work for the benefit of the country, the nation, which is aware of these actions, feels empowered.

National power requires two main elements: one is that all individuals perform their duties decisively. The second is that the three branches of power cooperate with each other. Again, I must refer to the propaganda of the enemies that has manifested itself in the mercenary radios against the revolution. If you open any of these radios, you will see that they attack one branch, elevate another to the heavens; they support one group and insult another. They want the branches not to intertwine; they want hands not to be joined; they want to create a rift in the national sovereignty of the Islamic Republic and prevent the hearts of the officials from becoming kind to one another.

According to the constitution, the leadership has the duty of coordinating the branches. The counter-revolution, through its vast and numerous propaganda, has taken on the opposite of this duty; the duty of separating and distancing the branches from one another. That day, I said in the shrine of the Imam, and today I say in the shrine of Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha (peace be upon him): let no one be deceived by the claims of a foreign official who says we support this faction, this group, and these personalities. Their support is a disgrace, not an honor. Recently, a member of the American regime said that we support a certain faction inside Iran! You who supported the Shah! Your support is of no benefit to anyone. America provided the most support to the Shah's regime. The people saw the connection with the enemy America and the realities of that corrupt regime became clear to them. Whoever you support becomes despised by the nation.

From this spiritual and moral base, I convey a message to all high-ranking officials of the country that they should make the year 80 a year of understanding, a year of camaraderie, a year of cooperation, and a year of helping one another. The executive and judicial branches are two branches that must work like active arms in the country. There are duties on the shoulders of the executive branch; there are also duties on the shoulders of the judicial branch; the legislative branch must also provide the necessary laws to support and assist these two branches for good execution and to avoid difficulties in the path of implementation, so that they do not suffer from a lack of law. In the Islamic Consultative Assembly, laws must be in accordance with the interests of the country, the interests of the nation, and in accordance with Islam, so that the executive and judicial branches can perform their duties using the law and the proper legal channels. This is what constitutes national power. National power requires serious and decisive work from all officials in various sectors and coordination among different institutions in the interest of the nation. They should not undermine each other, as the enemy wishes.

And now regarding the issue of employment. Dear ones! Work in Islam is worship. Islam is averse to laziness, idleness, and unemployment. Work is not just sitting behind a desk; all kinds of work are needed in the current situation of the country. Intellectual work is work, physical work is work, administrative work is work; various jobs in different sectors are work. Both sides must be seriously coordinated in this matter: one side is the people - our youth with their various abilities and talents - and the other side consists of officials and planners. There is plenty of room for work in the country. When I travel to provinces and inquire about some of their issues from officials who are adjacent to these matters, I find that fortunately, there is ample opportunity and field for productive employment in the country. Even for students during their summer vacations, temporary jobs can be created.

Last year, we had a small experience. Before summer, I asked the Basij of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Jihad for Construction to urgently plan for the youth during the summer. We did not want to make a lot of noise about it. After summer, the report I received was astonishing. The Basij forces collaborated with the forces of Jihad for Construction - which this year merged with the Ministry of Agriculture to form the Ministry of Jihad for Agriculture - and named it "Basij for Construction." I have been recommending this to these two organizations - namely, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Basij - and also to the Ministry of Education from here to plan. They can find a lot of temporary jobs for the youth - even during the summer. The opportunities for employment in this country are abundant. The persistent efforts and endeavors of the officials are necessary to engage and occupy this vast multitude of youth in productive and progressive work. The material and spiritual life of a nation depends on work and action. Good programs have been designed in the year 79 - especially in the last couple of months of the year - and they have had good meetings. I have also strongly recommended that this issue be pursued seriously. Thanks be to God, the respected President and the government officials have entered this matter seriously. Therefore, this year can be a year of employment.

Be aware that we have a very important presidential election at the beginning of the year. Everyone should be cautious - both the people, the officials, and political elements - that excuses do not lead to the hearts of the people becoming dirty with one another. The elections should be held, the electoral competitions should take place in their place, and the people should freely cast their votes in the ballot boxes; while there should be no discord, hatred, or separation. This is possible. Some imagine that elections cannot be held without bitterness, hatred, and slander against one another! This is not the case; it is possible to hold healthy and enthusiastic elections.

Of course, regarding the elections, at the appropriate time, I will convey what my duty is to our dear people; but what I am saying today is that the elections themselves are a manifestation of national power. If the dear Iranian nation can bring forth its numerous votes in this election and the people's presence is significant, this will be the greatest manifestation of national dignity and power. I hope that the Almighty God grants the officials the success to hold good elections and that our dear nation participates in this election with enthusiasm and complete awareness - which, thanks be to God, they possess - and once again demonstrate their dignity and bravery to the world.

O God! Please be pleased with the sacred heart of the Awaited Imam and with the great movements that he has undertaken and continues to undertake. O God! Include this nation and the officials of the country in the prayers of the pure ones of the Awaited Imam. O God! Make us aware of our duties and enable us to act upon them. O God! For the sake of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, make our life and death for You and in Your way. O God! Unite our dear martyrs and the Imam of martyrs with Your saints in Your presence.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.