Speech to the People of Jaafarabad Village, Ilam

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

Thanks be to God, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings upon our Master and Prophet Muhammad and his family.

We are pleased to have visited you, brothers and sisters of this village, in person. Your sentiments and expressions of loyalty and affection towards your servants are truly commendable and worthy of gratitude. I hope that Almighty God grants you goodness and prospers your worldly and eternal life.

It is these sentiments of our nation, the people of cities, villages, tribes, and various parts of the country, that have raised the flag of Islam high in the world. Today, thanks be to God, Islam is honored worldwide, and the Islamic Republic is a powerful country in this region and globally, due to your loyalty and sentiments.

The enemies imposed eight years of war upon you, the nation. You yourselves witnessed the Iraqi planes, bombings, and missile attacks; yet these eight years of war could not deter our people from their Islamic goals. The people remained Muslim, faithful, and sincere. I personally saw the brave and courageous youth of Ilam and these tribes in the battlefields at the beginning of the war. It was these young people, it was you who preserved the country and its borders, and it is you who have raised the flag of Islam.

Today, Islam is honored in the world. The enemies of Islam want the Iranian nation to remain humiliated, oppressed, and poor. See how much injustice was done to these villages and deprived provinces during the tyrant's rule. No one attended to these provinces and villages, no one cared for the people. The enemies of Islam want Iran to remain poor, oppressed, and deprived forever; but our people want Islam and the Iranian nation to be honored, and the flag of the Islamic Republic to be raised high.

I tell you, dear young people, that your efforts and hard work will build the future. I tell you, the people of the village—men and women—that your faith and loyalty to Islam and the servants of the country and the government of the Islamic Republic, and those who consider themselves your servants, will guarantee the future. Thanks be to God, you have always been and will continue to be loyal.

I advise all these young people—both boys and girls—to value education and knowledge. Knowledge and literacy are not just for children; adults too. This sister who came to teach literacy to other sisters asked me to encourage the sisters to go to her to study and learn literacy. This is very good. Here, too, I advise you, men and women who are illiterate, to learn literacy; it is beneficial for yourselves.

All the people of Iran, in the east and west of the country, in the provinces of this region, in other provinces, in cities and villages, have rolled up their sleeves to develop their country. Young people—especially children who do not remember or know about the past—should know that in the past, American servants ruled this country and did not allow it to develop; but now the country belongs to the people and is in their hands. Everyone must work hard, God willing, to develop the country. The government, governmental bodies, the Construction Jihad, and other officials are busy, so that, God willing, the country will be developed, and it will be. In the war, too, thanks be to God, you performed well, and surely among you are families of martyrs, to whom we hope God grants patience and reward.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings