Speech in Meeting with Members of the Islamic Associations of Guilds and Bazaar and National Trade Assemblies

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

I extend a warm welcome to the dear brothers of the guilds, tradesmen, and bazaar merchants, as well as to the brothers in the production sectors and others who are engaged in trade and service in the market and the Islamic society and are present here. I hope that the Almighty God will bestow His grace and guidance upon all of you and us in fulfilling the heavy duties and responsibilities that lie upon our shoulders.

One point regarding tradesmen in the Islamic system and country is that from past eras to the present, tradesmen, guilds, merchants, and those involved in trade have been practitioners of religion, believers in religious scholars, and have stood by them. No one can deny this point. From ancient times to the present, tradesmen in our country have been among the religious sectors. This religiosity and closeness to scholars have ensured that wherever religious scholars have been present—in struggles, in various political or religious stances—the presence of guilds, tradesmen, and market people has been certain. When the religious scholars wanted to demonstrate decisive popular presence during struggles—whether in the recent movement of the 1960s and 1970s or before—they would order the markets to close, and the merchants and tradesmen would comply, standing behind the scholars, which had a significant impact. The tyrannical regimes understood this, and thus sought in various ways to separate this popular army from the clergy, either through pressure, intimidation, and threats, or by imposing heavy exceptional taxes during the oppressive monarchy, or through propaganda, often to no effect.

Since the beginning of the revolution, our urban tradesmen and guilds have had a good presence in the arenas of the revolution—marches, fronts, and financial support. Therefore, we consider this sector an Islamic and revolutionary sector. The meaning of revolutionary is precisely that they are present in the positions of the revolution; that is, wherever the revolution expects them to be, they are present. This has been the case in many past periods and in a significant part of the period after the victory of the revolution for a large number of the country's guilds. No one should dispute this point.

Some have become accustomed, or are accustomed, to speaking ill of guilds, tradesmen, and merchants in absolute terms; this is wrong. Yes, according to thoughts alien to Islam—Marxist thoughts and others—the very existence of guilds, tradesmen, and merchants is considered superfluous. They do not accept the essence of this sector, have nothing to do with their religion, sect, or beliefs, and do not distinguish between their good and bad. Some atheistic thoughts prevalent during those times of struggle did not accept this sector at all. No one should be influenced by those words and slogans. As far as we have understood, seen, and experienced, in Islamic Iran, the guilds have been in the service of Islam and the revolution, obedient to Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified), and have been present in all arenas of the revolution.

Another point is that the guilds themselves must maintain this Islamic and revolutionary position and should not allow a situation to arise within the guilds and trade units that first separates them from the revolutionary position and secondly opens the mouths of those who may not be well-intentioned. Guilds must serve Islamic laws and be obedient to the laws.

I want to say to you dear brothers who are members of the Islamic associations of guilds, and we believe in these Islamic associations, and your officials are revolutionary, experienced, and trusted by the Imam and us, that during the years of war and generally in the years after the revolution, some guilds, tradesmen, and merchants acted very poorly. They acted in such a way that if someone intended to speak ill of tradesmen and the market, there were plenty of excuses and examples available.

Some took advantage, violated laws, and amassed great wealth. While people—salaried sectors, workers, employees, and military personnel—were enduring economic hardships due to war and economic blockade, they did not share in bearing the pressure with these people; rather, some of them even increased this pressure! This is not suitable for the Islamic and revolutionary image of the Muslim guilds of the Islamic Republic.

The policies of the Islamic Republic system and the serving government are not to create problems for the general guilds through very strict controls; but this should not lead to exploitation by some. Let me tell you—and you certainly know, and I am not unaware—that many have exploited.

I once told a group of Islamic associations of the Tehran bazaar who came to me during my presidency years ago that you must not allow anyone to exploit; you must expose the exploiters; you must reveal the special tricks used to evade taxes, evade the law, and commit violations and fraud to government officials and country authorities. This work must still be done.

Of course, the country's economic situation is not always on one course. The country's economic issues are tied to various factors, many of which are beyond the borders. The state of global inflation, the state of various global supplies, the state of money in the world, and many such issues affect a country's economy. The economy of an independent country like ours, which wants to live independently, is often accompanied by some fluctuations. You must not allow anyone to take advantage of these fluctuations and ups and downs for their personal gain, and as soon as a tax is imposed on a guild, that tax immediately reflects in the life of the consumer who refers to that guild. This is not right and does not conform to Islamic justice. You must be vigilant about these. Islamic associations must act vigilantly.

Let me tell you that tax is a mandatory and religious matter, and in an Islamic society, if necessary, the government must collect taxes from incomes according to the law. There are those who, despite having large incomes, evade this mandatory legal religious duty—which is for the benefit of the country and for the low-income classes and in the service of Islamic interests. You must find a way and not allow this to happen.

Faithful guilds, religious merchants, revolutionary figures, veterans, young people, those who saw the fronts, supported the fronts, organized those caravans, endured so much hardship, those who fought in the past regime, showed those resistances in the market, those who showed themselves in all political presences during the revolution and disappointed the enemy, must have an active presence in the most fundamental arenas—that is, the economic arena—in the service of governmental, Islamic, and revolutionary goals, and not just for personal profit.

It is not right for someone to think that yes, I am a tradesman, a merchant, and I work for profit; no, we know faithful and religious people who, for the sake of the revolution, kissed and set aside their shop, business, buying and selling, and profit and came to the field of revolution and spent their lives day and night for the revolution. Of course, we do not expect everyone to be like this; but we expect fairness from everyone.

I consider this duty of general oversight over the work of guilds and preventing various violations that some exploiters in the guilds commit to be the responsibility of the Islamic associations, especially the heads of the associations and the respected trustees of the market. They were trusted by the Imam and are trusted by us as well. We have known them for many years. They must help the government and prevent exploitation by those who think that as soon as they see a chaotic market, they immediately seek to exploit and fill their pockets. Is the issue of Islamic life like this? Is it just about filling one's pocket? This is the second point I wanted you dear brothers of the Islamic associations of guilds and the faithful of the market and the brothers of the production sectors—those who are engaged in good deeds—to pay attention to. This is a duty.

The next point is that you must not allow schism and division to be created in the guild society and the entire guilds of the country under various pretexts. Guilds have always been a unified entity; for God's sake, remain so. Today, what frightens the enemy is the unity of the Iranian nation. These global bloodsuckers fear your people's unity more than anything else. If they cannot confront a nation, it is not because they do not want to confront; no, they fear the unity, courage, and faith of that nation; otherwise, global colonialism and global arrogance have shown that they are not afraid of committing crimes.

A few years ago, around these days, an American warship in the Persian Gulf targeted an Iranian passenger plane with nearly three hundred passengers, shot it down, burned it, and drowned it, killing all of them. Then, when protests and uproar ensued and the world became aware of the Iranian nation's righteousness in this incident, they offered an apology and said, 'Sorry, we made a mistake!' Really! You made a mistake?! Contrary to the existing norms among these current global powers—who do not pay much attention to humanity and moral principles—you shoot down a passenger plane, which is respected and no one is allowed to attack a passenger plane, with nearly three hundred passengers and then say you made a mistake! You made a mistake, indeed! If the commander of that ship made a mistake, then why did you not prosecute him?! Why did you award him a medal?! Why did you continue your hostilities against the Iranian nation with various statements?! What mistake?! You never make mistakes in finding sinister targets; you never make mistakes in reaching evil deeds against independent nations; you go straight and find the ugliest and worst point. Today, global arrogance is like this, today America is like this, they are not afraid of committing crimes.

If they do not act somewhere, it is because they do not find it profitable for themselves and consider certain things. Among the main things they consider is the unity of the nation; preserve this unity like a precious gem. Thanks be to God, today our nation, like all periods after the revolution, is a united nation; everyone is behind the system's officials and in the service of the revolution's goals.

Some try to create division among the people; some also try to make the people distrust the officials and the system. They should know that this work is treason, and I will not tolerate the continuation of such actions. A period for reflection is given, perhaps they will come to their senses; otherwise, the hand that today seeks to use any means and any kind of false propaganda and illegal actions to create division among the people or to separate the people from the country's officials—these servants who dedicate their lives and existence to the Islamic system—and this valuable president we have today, is a criminal and a traitor. This is not a small matter.

You should also not drag the guilds into divisions, factionalism, and political maneuvering. Everyone must be in the service of the Islamic Republic's policies. All guilds must be politically aware; but do not let these divisions arising from political factionalism infiltrate the guilds. Be a united, cohesive, and unified society in the service of Islamic and system goals; especially you Islamic associations, be vigilant and attentive to what I mentioned in the second point. This is a duty and responsibility.

Your respected officials are reputable figures. I have known some of these gentlemen for many years in the fields of war, in prisons, and under torture and pressure, and we have all experienced them. They were respected and accepted by the Imam. These reputable figures must guide the people. Members of the Islamic associations, in the field of guild work, should consider this oversight for themselves throughout the country. To prevent violations within the guilds, you must be in the service of the system.

God willing, may God grant all of you and us success and guide us so that we can correctly recognize and follow God's path. May God make the holy existence of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his soil) pleased with us and include us in his prayers and make the holy spirit of the Imam happy with us.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings