Speech at the Grand Gathering of the People of Mashhad and Pilgrims 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 upon our Master and Prophet, Abul-Qasim Muhammad, and his pure, chosen, guided, and infallible family, especially the remaining proof of God on earth.

I thank God for granting me the opportunity to be among the faithful, revolutionary, and pioneering people of Mashhad during these early days of the new solar Hijri year, under the shadow of the illuminated shrine of the eighth Imam (peace be upon him), and to be counted among the devoted pilgrims of this great figure. I ask Almighty God to always keep us under the guardianship, leadership, and love of this noble figure and to bless the dear country of Iran, which belongs to the family of the Prophet and is beloved by the Noble Prophet, with the blessings of these great figures.

I find it appropriate to mention to you, the people of Mashhad and the sincere pilgrims of this sacred shrine, that our great late Imam, like all lovers of the Ahl al-Bayt in the Islamic world, had the desire to be among the pilgrims of the eighth Imam (peace be upon him). I hope that God will unite that great Imam and the great Mojahed of the Islamic world and unparalleled leader with the guided Imams and the sacred lights of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and elevate his ranks day by day.

Today, I want to mention one point: God has completed the proof for all the people of the world and those who seek the truth regarding your Islamic Revolution, the people of Iran. Many pure and sincere people in the world may be in doubt about an event and unable to analyze or judge it. Even for us, sometimes an event occurs in the world, but we cannot decisively express an opinion about it. For example, a government comes to power in a country, or a conflict arises between two factions somewhere in the world, and sometimes sufficient reasons and enlightening evidence are not available, so one cannot judge the matter.

I say that there is no one in the world who cannot correctly judge the Islamic Revolution of the Iranian nation and remain in doubt. God has completed the proof regarding this revolution for everyone. There are so many clear reasons for recognizing this revolution that if anyone in the world truly wants to find and know the truth, they will certainly not remain in doubt. We do not concern ourselves with those who speak out of malice, whose interests have been threatened or lost due to this revolution, or with those tyrannical rulers who fear the awakening of their people and nations and therefore are enemies of this revolution and judge it poorly. We speak of unbiased, sincere truth-seekers who genuinely seek the truth to recognize it. Such people, wherever they are in the world, if they have heard of this revolution, are not in doubt about it, and their judgment is clear and evident.

I will mention two of the reasons that God has manifested for guiding truth-seeking people in the world and placed in front of everyone; there are more reasons than these.

One reason is the enmity of the world's wicked with this revolution. This is an indicator. Wherever you find someone or an institution in the world that is wicked and a source of evil and corruption—whether in the East, the West, among advanced countries, or among backward countries, among politicians, or among cultural figures and writers—they have an irreconcilable enmity with this revolution. I do not know of any other revolution in the world and throughout the history of revolutions—from about seventy years ago to now—that is like this.

The superpowers oppose our revolution. They are the embodiment of evil and corruption. The real and primary wicked ones are the superpowers, meaning the governments and leaders who have a part of the world under their power and interfere in the affairs of nations other than their own. Of course, there was a time when there were two superpowers in the world: the Western superpower, which was America, and the Eastern superpower, which was the Soviet Union. Today, this division does not exist, and the political composition of the world is different. But even today, as always, the leaders of the great satanic powers, whose existence is the embodiment of evil and corruption, are fundamentally opposed to this revolution.

Who doubts that a government like the United States is the embodiment of evil and corruption? What evil act in the world do you know that they have not committed? You have seen over the years, in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, at sea and in the desert, wherever the Americans felt they had interests and those interests depended on the killing of people, they did not hesitate! Yet they also claim to support human rights! The devils of the world have always been like this.

Claiming to support human rights does not settle the matter. The issue of human rights raised by American leaders, whether now or in the past, is a shop and a means for further exploitation. They do not believe in human rights. They are the ones who, in front of their eyes, the Zionist government in Palestine puts the Palestinian people under the worst pressure, killing, oppression, and torture, and they are not even willing to condemn its actions verbally. Are Palestinians not human? Does human rights not apply to Palestinians?

They are the ones who rely on the most reactionary and tyrannical governments in the world, receive help and assistance from them, and destroy people. Look around the world and see which countries do not even have a council—albeit in form and name. There are countries now—there is no need to name them; you all know these countries—where the administration of affairs is carried out without the slightest involvement and opinion of the people. Their governments are absolute individuals. They do not have parliaments or elections, and as a result, the people do not have a legislative representative or a president to elect. One person or one family rules over the people and the wealth and oil of these countries absolutely and does whatever they want, from killing, oppression, imprisonment, torture, and other insults and humiliations, to the people of these countries. These suffocating and reactionary governments, so far from the world's political progress and indifferent to human rights, are the darlings of America, and America is the greatest defender of these countries! Is America a supporter of human rights? If so, why does it not send a small note of protest to these oppressive, suffocating, corrupt governments indifferent to democracy and human rights, saying that human rights are being ignored in your country?

One of the most sensitive regions in the world is the strategic region of South Africa, located at the Cape of Good Hope at the southernmost tip of Africa; a place that has had great strategic importance today and in the past in terms of politics and economics. A long time ago, a group of white people went there and became rulers; they exploited the ignorance of the native people and took over the government and administration of that country; they owned the valuable diamond and gold mines and kept the black people in animal-like conditions. Meanwhile, America and Britain and many Western countries claiming human rights did not take any serious action against South Africa! I have seen an example of the quality of governance in South Africa in another country neighboring this country up close. Of course, that country has managed to gain independence and expel the white supporters of racial discrimination. I saw how the whites, during their rule, treated the native people and owners of that land, simply because they were black; how much insult, humiliation, pressure, and torture they imposed on them.

Sometimes you see scenes on television where black people in South Africa are beaten by the ruling white police there. What kind of human rights is this?! Human rights is a trick. America and many of the great powers do not believe in human rights at all; they lie. Raising the issue of human rights is for deception and a means of pressure; it is so that if they want to put a government under the pressure of public opinion, they can accuse it of violating human rights and introduce themselves as the guardians of human rights in the world; and where they deem necessary, even under the guise of supporting human rights, they can send military forces into a country and change its government!

Which of the major crimes have the American rulers not committed? How many national governments have they overthrown? How many times has the American intelligence agency—the CIA—intervened in Africa, Latin America, the Americas, the Middle East, and Asia, where it deemed necessary, and plotted and conspired to overthrow a government it disagreed with? There are many such examples. The current President of the United States—Mr. Bush—who was once at the head of the American security and intelligence apparatus, knows what has been done in this apparatus. Perhaps he himself has carried out many of these actions; plundering nations, attacking nations, spreading lies, spreading corruption in the world, deceiving many segments of people, even in the United States. These are the actions that American leaders and other oppressive and tyrannical powers have carried out.

These satanic apparatuses are the enemies of the Islamic Republic. This itself is a proof in the world. Anyone who looks with insight and precision can recognize the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Revolution from the opposition of these wicked and corrupt elements. It is very easy to understand that the government and revolution and system that the satanic apparatuses of the world are so hostile to must be a rightful system. This country and this revolution must be the enemy of their wrongdoing, which is why they are so hostile to it. This is a clear matter.

Of course, our noble, intelligent, and self-sacrificing nation should know that there are people who, unfortunately, are also named Iranians, belong to this land and soil, claim political understanding and intellectualism, but cannot see this clear and evident proof. They oppose the Islamic Republic; while you see that the devils and wicked and bullies and hated apparatuses of the world are hostile to the Islamic Republic. They should have understood that when there is a system like the Islamic Republic and the devils are lined up against it, every person who is against the devils and devilish people should stand behind this system and defend it.

I am amazed at those who claim to have political acumen or claim to be intellectuals and see the enmity of the enemies of humanity with the Islamic Republic, yet are not ashamed to express opposition to the Islamic Republic. Their conscience is dead, and their heart's eyes are blind; although they may have political understanding and be considered part of the so-called intellectual class.

I believe this is God's proof that has been completed in favor of the Islamic Republic. Wherever there is a wicked, vile, and hated faction, they are hostile and opposed to the Islamic Republic; just like in the time of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), when the corrupt nobles and oppressors and enemies of the oppressed and deprived classes and those who oppressed these classes themselves and the hypocrites who had disease in their hearts opposed the Prophet's call. Today, exactly the same factions stand against the Islamic Republic because the Islamic Republic follows the path of the prophets.

The second point, which is also very important, is that despite all these oppositions from the beginning of the revolution's victory and before that until today, the revolution, the Islamic Republic, and the Iranian nation have overcome all their various and colorful enemies and defeated them. This itself is a divine proof. A government, a system, and a nation that all the vile and wicked and corrupt powers of the world oppose, have force and money and weapons, have propaganda and radio and newspapers, have servants and mercenaries and intelligence and espionage apparatuses, conspire, set the stage for coups, strengthen enemies, yet cannot shake this nation, this revolution, and this republic. This itself is one of the divine signs and a sign of your revolutionary and Muslim nation's legitimacy.

They did not think at first that they could not defeat us; but they could not. They repeatedly promised and said that the Islamic Republic would fall in six months; but when they saw it was not possible, they extended the time and said one year; but again, when they saw it was not possible, they extended it and said two years, five years!

The power of the Iranian nation forced the enemies to retract their words. They postponed it to an uncertain time. They said that after the passing of the Imam, the Islamic Republic would be defeated. Our great Imam passed away and went to the divine mercy; but just as every second and every moment of that sacred existence during the revolution strengthened the revolution, due to that great spirituality and that great popularity, the passing of that great figure also strengthened Islam and the revolution more. The sincerity and love that the people showed to their departed Imam, that funeral, that adherence to the will, that respect for the guidance and line of the Imam, multiplied the honor of the revolution and the Iranian nation in the world; just as it also multiplied the honor of the great Imam in the world. Thanks be to God, day by day the revolution has become more steadfast, the Islamic Republic more solid, and the Iranian nation more resilient and will continue to do so.

I want to tell you, the great and courageous nation, that you should know, the enemy is not capable of defeating this revolution and this nation; which of course you know and your behavior has shown that you are aware of this truth. As long as the nation is present on the scene and feels responsible—as today all segments of our nation are on the scene and feel responsible—as long as the nation adheres to Islam and the Quran—which adherence to Islam and the Quran is increasing among our nation—as long as unity of word prevails among our nation—which thanks be to God, unity of word is evident among our nation—the enemy has no choice and no outcome but failure and despair. You have made the enemy despair.

Today in the world, the government and system of the Islamic Republic is the most popular government and system. The true votes of the people, love and emotions, the hearts of the people, are behind this system and its officials. The enemies want to show and reflect that the people have distanced themselves from Islam. The people do not distance themselves from Islam; rather, day by day they get closer to Islam. The people of the world, those who were distant from Islam for seventy years, thanks to your Islamic uprising and movement, are getting closer to Islam. Today, Muslims around the world feel proud of their Islam; whereas in the past they felt humiliation and disgrace.

Thanks be to God, today the country's officials are thinking about meeting the needs of the people and shortages, and the means are at the disposal of the officials, and you see its signs. By God's grace, I say with complete confidence that the progress of the Islamic Republic in material and spiritual matters will make the enemies more angry and desperate day by day.

Of course, people should not forget that whatever we have is thanks to pure Islam and revolutionary Islam; Islam that thinks about the deprived and oppressed classes, not Islam that serves the powerful and the rich. Yes, there are others in the world who claim Islam; but their Islam is not the Islam of Muhammad; it is the Islam of Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab; it is the Islam of America. There are those who have made the claim of Islam and the name of Islam a means for plundering and further exploitation and deception. That Islam is an Islam that benefits capitalists and hoarders and those with billions of dollars in foreign banks. We do not accept that Islam.

The Islam for which the Noble Prophet and the divine guardians gave their lives, and for which Hussein ibn Ali (peace be upon him) sacrificed his blood and the blood of his loved ones, the Islam for which our great Imam spent his life inviting to, is the Islam of the weak and the barefoot classes, the Islam that gives power and dignity and lordship to the lower classes of society and takes them out of humiliation and poverty, the Islam that pulls down the oppressors and tyrants and oppressive powers from the throne of power—as you see in the world and saw that it pulled down Mohammad Reza and the cursed Pahlavi family—that Islam is our intended Islam.

Whatever you have is from Islam. Whatever you have is from attention and reliance on God and connection with Him. Do not forget the connection and attachment to God. The month of Ramadan, the spring of self-building and worship, the spring of the Quran, the spring of attention and remembrance and seeking forgiveness and supplication to God, is ahead; value it. All segments of the people—especially the youth—should consider the month of Ramadan valuable, seek refuge in God, ask for His guidance and grace, rely on Him, and not fear His enemies in the slightest. God willing, the grace and mercy of God and the guidance and help of the Lord will be upon you, dear and great nation.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings