Statements of His Excellency at the Grand Gathering of Mourning for the Ninth Anniversary of the Passing of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified)

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, our prophet, and the beloved of our hearts, Abu al-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen progeny, especially the Awaited Savior on earth. God, the Wise, says in His Book: "In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Indeed, We have granted you al-Kawthar. So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone]. Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off." During the blessed life of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified), when the presence of that great man and his guidance shone like a radiant sun over all parts of this system, illuminating and warming everything, it was difficult to imagine that one day this system could continue its existence without this shining sun. Friends found it hard to believe; enemies hoped for such a day. However, by God's grace, the Almighty God did not limit His blessings upon this great man to his lifetime; after his passing, divine grace and blessings continued to flow upon him, and the fountain he had set in motion with his immense faith, reliance, and sincerity remained active. It has been established that the foundation laid by the Imam in this country is enduring and is not dependent on individuals. Individuals may come and go; however, the great movement of the Islamic struggle of the Iranian nation and their great Imam will remain. Today, after nine years, anyone who looks at this country sees the signs of the presence of the great Imam. The Imam is present among us, his thoughts are alive, his path is enduring, and it will continue. This path, with God's help and the prayers of the Awaited Savior, is a lasting one, and the Iranian nation wholeheartedly accepts the Imam's path and is loyal to it and steadfast in it. There were two fundamental points in the movement of the great Imam, which are the valuable assets of this revolution: one is that the goal of this revolution is Islam. The second is that the soldiers of this revolution and its army are the oppressed and the barefooted, as well as the youth. It was the barefooted who brought this revolution to victory. It was the youth of this country who brought the long, imposed eight-year war to a conclusion. Today, the youth are still on the path of God and Islam. If any danger threatens this revolution today, the first ones to come to the field will be these youths; the youth from seminaries, universities, and various sectors across the country. The great Imam spoke of Islam with all his being. Today, everyone accepts the Imam with their existence and their hearts. The words of the Imam are clear; they are firm and evident. The statements of the Imam still resonate in the atmosphere. The will of the Imam is the everlasting covenant of the Imam with the nation. Everyone must understand these words correctly and reflect upon them, so as not to misinterpret the Imam's path. Those who speak of the Imam but are unwilling to accept his thoughts and path and submit to them are mistaken. Today, the nation, the government, the President, the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the judiciary, all high-ranking officials of the system, the people, universities, and seminaries, all have hearts that beat for Islam. The world, which values our revolution, does so because it sees the immense support of millions for this revolution. The dear Islam, the pure Islam, the Islam for which our great Imam dedicated his life, and for which this nation has made so many sacrifices, has proven its effectiveness. The Iranian nation has shown, both in bringing about this revolution, in the imposed war and defense of the country against the invading enemies, and in the period of reconstruction, that this Islam is effective and can build a devastated country; and God willing, in the other fields that remain - in various economic and cultural areas - the dear Islam will demonstrate its effectiveness. The nation must not separate from Islam, and it will not. All officials are in the service of Islam and are committed to Islam. The prayers of the Awaited Savior for this people and this nation will always endure. Islam will defend this country. The world and the hereafter of the Iranian nation will be secured by the blessings of Islam. This vast multitude of millions of people, especially the dear youth, are the soldiers of Islam and are on the path of Islam. As long as Islam is ruling among you and as long as this great unity of word, thanks be to God, prevails among you, America, the Zionists, and the defeated and disgraced enemies will not be able to do anything against this nation or inflict any harm. I will suffice with this much today; for more than this, friends and doctors have not allowed me to speak. I will make a few prayers: O Lord! By Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, make us all soldiers of Islam until the last moments of our lives; grant victory to Islam in Iran and in the world, and lead the Islamic nations to complete victory. O Lord! Unite the pure soul of the Imam and the pure spirits of the martyrs with the Prophet. O Lord! Strengthen the unity of this nation day by day. O Lord! Strengthen the unity among the people and all segments of the nation with the officials of the country, with the government, with the Assembly, with the judiciary, and others day by day. O Lord! Foil all the plots of the enemies of Islam - both the open enemies and the hypocritical enemies. O Lord! Keep us alive on Your path and let us die on Your path. O Lord! Make the sacred heart of the Awaited Savior pleased and satisfied with us. Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.