Statements at the Meeting with the Organizing Committee of the Congress Commemorating the Martyrs of the Kurdish Muslim Mujahedin

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

We are very grateful to the dear brothers who have endeavored to revive and keep alive the memory of the esteemed Kurdish Muslim Mujahedin martyrs and not allow their sacrifices to be forgotten; we thank you for the efforts you have made and also thank Mr. Hosseini, Mr. [Rajabi] the commander, and Mr. Mollaqader, our old friend, for their statements. God willing, may God grant you all success and assistance.

As you pointed out, there were no shortage of brave and sincere brothers in the Kurdish region, and in every part of the Kurdish area, there were faithful and devoted brothers who truly sacrificed for the revolution. The crown jewel among them were the youths who gathered in the ranks of the Kurdish Muslim Mujahedin, took up arms, and went into the field; they risked their own lives as well as their families' lives; this is an important point. In Isfahan, Tehran, Yazd, Mashhad, and Tabriz, if a child from a family went to the battlefield and was martyred, people expressed their respect for them; no one dared to threaten them; however, it was not like that in Kurdistan; in Kurdistan, some families whose youths went to martyrdom or fought were threatened by the counter-revolution. This youth who bravely came into the field among the Kurdish Muslim Mujahedin - I remember well and was completely familiar with this group; I had gone there repeatedly, seen them, they came and went - put his life at risk, as well as the peace of his family; they knew and came; this is very important. They passed a good test; truly and honestly, they passed a very good test.

From the very first day, the enemy focused on the Kurdish region; for two reasons: one due to ethnicity, and the other due to religion; they hoped to penetrate from this point; in Baluchistan in one way, in Turkmen Sahra in another way, and in Kurdistan in yet another way. The numerous documents related to the Kurdistan region that were in the secure hideouts of the tyrannical regime all fell into our hands; we understood what their policies were there and what they were doing. They wanted to use these policies after the victory of the revolution to turn the Kurdistan region into a vulnerable and damaging point against the revolution; that was the goal. Now they were giving various slogans; some gave leftist slogans, some even gave Islamic slogans. In the same Kurdistan region, among the counter-revolutionaries opposing the Islamic system, there were those who recited verses from the Quran - which we all remember; those who were involved in this matter remember - but in reality, they were working for the counter-revolution, for America, for the Zionist regime, and they consumed all their forces to try to make that region insecure; well, that region did not become insecure. Yes, our youths went from various places to Kurdistan, but if the hearts of the Kurdish people were not with the revolution, could they have worked? It is clear that they could not; even if ten times the number of forces we sent to Kurdistan went there, if the hearts of the Kurdish people were not with them, they could not have worked; the Kurdish people and many of the Kurdish scholars were with them; some Kurdish scholars were martyred by the counter-revolution, the last of whom was the late Sheikh al-Islam just a few years ago; this pure and clean man was martyred in Sanandaj; therefore, the work that was done in that region was due to the efforts of the brothers.

I have many memories; now Mr. Mollaqader mentioned Paveh; I remember the day we first went there after the events of Paveh, it was cold, we went to that upper area of the city and saw the youths who were there and went to their mosque. Truly, the people in that region, with the estrangement they had in their own homes, were striving and working for the Islamic Republic and putting in effort; it was really like that. Well, thanks be to God, it had an effect; today, the situation in those areas is still the same. What is important is that we must know the enemy does not rest; if we think the enemy will rest, no, the enemy will continue to act as long as it can and will plot and take action; they have money at their disposal, their security apparatuses are extensive, their propaganda machines are also extensive, and they are trying; we must be vigilant, we must be vigilant. As I mentioned, the issue of Shia and Sunni is an important matter. They have focused on the Shia and Sunni issue; they have tried to incite prejudices from both sides; that is, to ignite the fire of prejudice, both among Shia and Sunni. Some people, out of negligence, always become playthings in these matters. Caring and concerned individuals must be very attentive not to fall prey to these meanings. It is truly the case that the one who, in the guise of supporting Sunni, begins to attack Shia and exceeds the limits of enmity, has no interest in the center of the matter regarding Sunni and Islam. The same situation exists regarding Shia; there are those who incite the fire of prejudice among Shia against the Sunnis, while they have no religious motivation; who do they use? They use intermediaries who do not pay proper attention to the aspects of the matter; they have religious interest but lack the necessary wisdom and understanding to realize what the enemy's goal is. They incite from both sides; everyone must be careful, we must not allow this conspiracy to succeed. I have been saying for a long time that the British have a lot of experience in this matter; they have more experience than the Americans; their experience in sowing discord between Shia and Sunni is much greater; they know very well how to provoke both sides against each other. Sometimes they speak in a way that seems to support the Sunnis. Now you saw in the U.S. Congress, they proposed a plan in support of the Sunni Arabs of Iraq! Now do they really care about the Sunnis? They are against anything that has a sign of Islam; for them, there is no difference between Shia and Sunni; this point must be noted. Therefore, the issue of religion is one matter; fortunately, the issue of ethnicity is not the case with the Kurds; the enemies cannot use the Kurdish factor; although in some other countries they can effectively use the Kurdish factor, in Iran they cannot use this factor, but they do carry out propaganda, using the factor of religious differences; ethnicity is one issue. We must take the excuses away from them.

The cultural work that Mr. Mollaqader mentioned is completely correct; cultural work is very good. Now this very movement you are undertaking regarding the Kurdish Muslim Mujahedin is itself a cultural work; if you carry out this work well, cleanly, and comprehensively, God willing, it will be a valuable cultural work, and it must be done. Service and economic works must also be carried out; truly, the youths must not remain idle; unemployment is the source of corruption, and the issues related to youths are of primary importance. We hope, God willing, that the Almighty God grants you all success, and you can complete the works you have started in the best possible way, God willing.

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