Statements of the Supreme Leader in the Holy Presence 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 be upon our master and prophet, Abu al-Qasim Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen progeny, the guided, infallible Imams, especially the Awaited Savior, may God hasten his reappearance.

I express my gratitude to the Almighty God for granting me the opportunity this year to begin the solar Hijri year under the lights of the holy shrine of Imam Reza (peace be upon him), in the presence of you dear brothers and sisters from Mashhad, as well as the esteemed pilgrims of this blessed shrine. I congratulate you all on the joyous occasion of Nowruz (the Persian New Year) and hope that, God willing, illuminated by these sacred lights, and like the first day of the year which, thanks be to God, was spent in the remembrance of God and His saints, your entire year will be filled with the lights of monotheism, guardianship, and the spiritual lights of the pure and sacred religion of Islam and the teachings of the Imams (peace be upon them).

At the outset, I would like to say a few words about Nowruz. In my opinion, what the Iranian nation has done regarding Nowruz is one of the most beautiful and commendable actions that can be performed with a historical and traditional ceremony. The beginning of our solar year, that is, the beginning of spring, is Nowruz. Firstly, the Iranian nation takes pride in the fact that its solar year is also a Hijri year; that is, just as our lunar year, which is 1418, is based on the migration of the Seal of the Prophets (peace be upon him), our solar year is also based on the migration. Other Muslim nations use the Gregorian calendar for their solar year; however, we Iranians have made the migration of the Prophet Muhammad the basis for both our lunar and solar years.

This first point, in my view, reflects the art, love, and affection of the Iranian people towards the sacred teachings of Islam and the pure and holy prophetic legacy. Moreover, we have chosen the beginning of the year to coincide with the beginning of spring, while Christians set the beginning of winter as the start of their year! Of course, the difference between them and us is that the birth of Jesus Christ does not have a specific date and is a conjectural matter; whereas the migration of the noble Prophet of Islam is historically precise and well-defined. In any case, we have established the beginning of spring as the beginning of our year, which is also a reflection of Iranian taste and sensibility. The beginning of spring is the beginning of nature's revival, the awakening of gardens, orchards, and parks, and the flourishing of all living beings. This is better than winter, which is a time of death and the freezing of nature and plants.

In Islamic teachings, there is a point that it is good for brothers and sisters to pay attention to. Islam interacts with traditions that existed before Islam in two ways. Firstly, it completely abolishes and destroys some erroneous traditions because they are not correct. For example, before Islam, Arabs did not keep their daughters, or most non-Muslim nations belittled and insulted women! Islam completely eradicated this tradition because it was entirely wrong.

Secondly, Islam has not abolished some traditions. It has preserved the form of the tradition while changing its content and spirit; like many of the acts and rituals of Hajj. The Tawaf (circumambulation) that you observe was also present before Islam; however, the content of Tawaf was filled with polytheism! Islam came and emptied this act of its polytheistic content and filled it with the content of monotheism. Tawaf at that time was a manifestation of human inclination towards imaginary deities and lords; it was transformed into a manifestation of human devotion to the center of existence - that is, the Almighty God and the sacred existence of the Creator. The outward form was preserved while the inner meaning was changed.

Islam often does this with traditions. Our people did the same with Nowruz; they preserved Nowruz but changed its content. Nowruz in Iran was a celebration in service of the tyrannical governments before Islam! That is why it is called "ancient Nowruz"! "Nowruz" itself is good, but "ancient" is bad! "Ancient" means that all these celebrations throughout the year - like the celebration of "Nowruz", or the celebration of "Mehrgan", or other celebrations such as "Khordadgan", "Mordadgan", and various other celebrations that existed before Islam - were in service of tyrannical governments and the decayed monarchies of the pre-Islamic era in Iran! The content of Nowruz was not popular or divine; there was no attention or devotion to the Almighty God in it; there were no emotional, human, or popular aspects in Nowruz! The Iranian nation preserved Nowruz; however, they changed its content. The content of today's Iranian Nowruz is different from the ancient content.

Nowruz for our nation today means, firstly: the people's attention to God. At the beginning of the year, people recite prayers, saying, "O Turner of the seasons and states," they begin the year with the remembrance of God, increasing their focus on God. This is valuable. Secondly, they use Nowruz as an opportunity for visiting and reconciling, removing grudges and animosities, and fostering love for one another. This is the same Islamic brotherhood and compassion and the same family ties emphasized by Islam; it is very good. Additionally, they use Nowruz as an opportunity for pilgrimage to holy shrines; they travel to Mashhad - which is always one of the most crowded times of the year in Mashhad during the Nowruz holiday - this is very good.

Thus, you see that they preserved Nowruz, changing its erroneous content into a correct and proper one. This is the art and taste of the Iranian Muslim nation. We affirm Nowruz from the perspective of those who are engaged with Islam. Nowruz is a good thing. It is a means by which hearts are made joyful, people connect with one another, and family ties and friendships are strengthened; because friends and companions also need connection just like relatives do. One must connect with relatives, and one must also connect with friends and companions; that is, establish relationships. This is the connection of Nowruz, which is very good.

There is a fundamental point about Nowruz that has been noted in our narrations. I would like you dear ones who are present in this courtyard and in other courtyards and centers of the holy shrine of Imam Reza (peace be upon him) - the great gathering of people - and those who hear this speech to pay attention to it. Each individual of the Iranian nation who hears this should also pay attention.

Nowruz means a new day. In our narrations - especially the famous narration of "Mu'alla ibn Khunays" - this point has been emphasized. Mu'alla ibn Khunays, who is one of the prominent narrators of the companions and is considered trustworthy, is among the distinguished personalities and secret keepers of the Prophet's family. He lived alongside Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) and later attained martyrdom. Mu'alla ibn Khunays - with these characteristics - goes to the presence of the Prophet; coincidentally, it was the day of "Nowruz" - in Arabic expressions, "Nowruz" is pronounced as "Nayruz". The Prophet asks him: "Do you know what Nayruz is?"

Some think that the Prophet is stating a historical event in this narration! That on this day, the descent of Adam occurred, the event of Noah took place, the guardianship of Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) was established, and so on. My understanding of this narration is not that. I interpret it as the Prophet defining "new day". The implication is: the day that people have named "Nowruz" is a new day! What does a new day mean? All days of God are alike; which day can be "new"?

There is a condition. A day that has a great event occurring in it is Nowruz. A day in which you can realize a great event is Nowruz. Then, the Prophet gives examples and says: The day when Adam and Eve set foot on the earth was Nowruz; it was a new day for humanity and mankind. The day when Noah - after the universal flood - brought his ark to the shore of salvation was "Nowruz"; it was a new day, and a new story began in human life. The day when the Quran was revealed to the Prophet was a new day for humanity - the essence of the matter is this; the day when the Quran is revealed to humanity is a turning point in history that marks a new day for people - and the day when Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) was chosen for guardianship was also a new day.

All of these are "Nowruz"; whether they coincide with the first of the month of "Hamal" or not. It is not that the Prophet wants to say that these events occurred on the first of "Hamal" - the first of Farvardin - no. The discussion is that any day that has such characteristics occurring in it is a new day and "Nowruz"; whether it is the first of Farvardin or any other day of the year.

Now, I will tell you. The day when the revolution triumphed is "Nowruz"; it was a new day. The day when the Imam entered this country was Nowruz for us. The day of the great victories of our faithful youth and our martyrs on the battlefield - against the military forces that were supported by NATO, Warsaw, America, the Soviet Union, and many other centers of power - the day of victory of our youth - with their faith - over them is "Nowruz"; it is a new day.

Now, if you want to consider the first of Farvardin as your "new day" and Nowruz, there is a condition. The condition is that you must do something and take action; you must create an event. Where is that event? Within yourselves! "O Turner of hearts and sights. O Manager of night and day. O Turner of seasons and states. Change our state to the best state." If you change your state, if you can make your human essence shine brighter, it is truly "Nowruz" for you! If you can convey the message of the revolution, the message of the prophets, the message of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified), and the message of the pure blood of the best youth of this nation - which has been shed on this path - to your hearts, it is "Nowruz" for you.

My dear ones! Strive to make the first of Farvardin your "Nowruz". Some people do not have their first of Farvardin as "Nowruz". For them, the first of Farvardin may be worse than any other day! The first of Farvardin - "Nowruz" - for those who, within themselves, lean towards corruption and decline, for those who distance themselves from God, for those who separate themselves from the lofty goals of this nation and this revolution, is not "Nowruz"; it is not a day of celebration or joy; it is ominous! This is the essence of the matter regarding Nowruz.

Thus, "Nowruz" is, in summary, good. It is the first of the solar Hijri year, a new day, the beginning of spring, the beginning of nature's revival and the emergence of beauty in the world of nature. Make it for yourselves the beginning of flourishing and emergence, and make it your "new day".

I have mentioned two points in this year's Nowruz message; I want to briefly discuss these two points. Firstly, these Nowruz messages are not mere formalities; they are essential words that reach the ears of the dear nation at this opportunity. Secondly, this year, I have presented several necessary points, one of which is the issue of saving.

Dear ones! Our enemies abroad, in order to inflict the greatest blow and completely empty their poison into the body of this nation, carry out several actions simultaneously! Firstly, they propagate that the economic situation of Iranians is dire. Now, the situation is not dire at all, but they depict the economic situation in such a way that if someone does not see this nation, they would think that people are fighting over bread! They think there is famine here!

Some individuals who come from abroad to our country - in Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Tabriz, and every point in this country - tell those with them: "We never imagined Iran would be like this!" Our enemies first create a very negative economic portrayal! This is to demoralize the people and anyone who hears their voices. It is to tarnish the image of the revolution in the eyes of other nations who regard the revolution highly and have affection for it. They want to tell them that this revolution could not solve the "economic problem". This is one action they take.

Well; if the economic situation of a nation is truly chaotic, what should it do? It must impose hardship upon itself. They propagate that "in Iran, certain people want to invite the people to economic austerity!" They want to preemptively say something so that no one in this country dares to invite the people to moderation, lest they say "economic austerity"!

On the other hand, they do everything in their power to make the economic situation of the people chaotic! They launch all their venomous arrows simultaneously; they carry out all their conspiracies together! If you see that it does not have an effect, or has a minimal effect, it is due to the greatness of this nation and the greatness of the revolution. I am not saying that domestically, officials, and we ourselves have no shortcomings; no, that is not the discussion. The discussion is that in addition to the shortcomings and deficiencies that may exist in the actions of certain officials, the enemy is also conspiring from the outside!

Some want to pretend that we have no enemies at all! Some want to pretend that there is no conspiracy against the Iranian nation! They write about it; these are the same friends of those who are doing this! They write in newspapers and sometimes say in speeches that there is no conspiracy; it is all in your imagination, it is all fantasies!

No; the enemy conspires from all sides! The price of oil, which unfortunately is the greatest source of income for the Iranian nation and government, has this year dropped to about two-thirds - or perhaps even less. I am not saying that the target of this action is only Iran; no. Iran and non-Iran are both targets! I am not saying that only the enemies have done this. The enemies have done it, unfortunately, ignorant and inattentive friends have also helped them, and this bad action has taken place.

Well; a living, awake, and aware nation that is in control of its own affairs, what does it do in the face of such phenomena? It immediately seeks to find a remedy. It tries to counter the opponent's blow with its own technique. This is exactly what is happening now; that is, the economic officials of the government are adjusting the country's program in such a way that no blow is inflicted on the fundamental issues of the country. They have done this and are doing it; it is very good. The price of oil during the war was even lower than this, but we managed well. During my presidency, the price of oil, which today is about twelve dollars per barrel - has dropped from eighteen dollars to twelve dollars - it reached eight dollars, seven and a half dollars, and we managed! When officials are in control of their work and the people are behind them, they can achieve this. We had the war then too - which was a very large expense - so this is not enough. Alongside this, the issue of saving is raised.

Dear ones! In our country, wastefulness is rampant! We are suffering economic blows from several directions; we are also suffering economic blows from oil! Oil is the wealth of the Iranian nation and the wealth of the government - which represents the nation - but the income of the oil-producing government is less than the income of the government that buys our oil from oil companies and taxes them! You see what a great injustice is being done in the world! That is, traders and industrialists of a certain industrial country that buy oil from the Persian Gulf and take it there, the government taxes them - for the oil they buy and import - the tax that it receives for this oil is more than the price that the producing and exporting government receives for selling its own oil! Is this not injustice?! This is the injustice that industrial countries commit; it is the influence they exert. This is one loss!

For several years now - two or three years ago - I have shared the slogan of relying on "economy minus oil" with the officials of the country; they have also, honestly, welcomed it. Of course, it is not an easy task. This work cannot be accomplished in one year, two years, or five years; it must be done gradually, so that we do not have to sell our oil, which is our reserve, to manage the affairs of the country, for various tasks, for imports and services, for education and the current budget, and instead import wheat or powdered milk! This is wrong.

We have been telling this to the officials for several years; the officials - both in the previous government and in the current one - have seriously pursued this issue, hoping to achieve it; however, it is a difficult task. This is a crooked brick that was laid during the Pahlavi regime. Those young people who do not know what the previous regime did to this country should know that one of the many treacherous acts they committed was this! They made the economy of this country dependent on oil, which cannot be easily changed or transformed! This nation, if it can, must manage the country through various exports - exporting fruits, various minerals that exist in this country, industrial and agricultural products, and services.

Oil is the everlasting reserve of this nation and will remain. Firstly, it is used for building lasting infrastructure and other essential investments of the country. Secondly, through the power of oil, the Iranian nation can assert its power in the international political arena. At one point, it can announce that it wants to stop selling its oil for six months! This will affect the entire world; it will influence all policies. Or it can say it wants to reduce this much or increase that much! This takes place over time. Thus, on one side, the Iranian nation suffers losses, and on the other side, the officials of the country use this oil money for the needs of the country and import wheat! Then, when this wheat is imported, when it is milled, becomes bread, and reaches our tables, it is wasted there! Today, the amount of loss we incur from wasted bread is greater than any material loss! That is, this dry bread that leaves our homes - which seems insignificant to us - is equivalent to a large portion of the price of our imported wheat! This is what the government officials - our representatives - say!

See what wastefulness does! Wastefulness in bread, wastefulness in water, wastefulness in electricity, wastefulness in building materials, wastefulness in various goods, wastefulness in children's toys, and in luxury items! My dear ones! This wastefulness does to the country what the enemy wants! The enemy inflicts blows on the Iranian nation through oil, through economic sanctions, and various types of blows; and on this side, we ourselves, through wastefulness and not saving, complete his blow! This is my point.

In my message, I said that I do not invite the people to economic austerity; absolutely not! What austerity? Thanks be to God, our nation does not need austerity. I invite them to moderation, to saving, and to not waste. Wastefulness is forbidden. It is also not acceptable that I and you keep advising others. Everyone must strive to eliminate wastefulness from their personal lives and their work lives.

I mentioned in the message that government officials should create a list and inform the people about instances of wastefulness. This is one of the points we presented in this year's message; now we emphasize it and expect the people to pay attention and follow it. God willing, the country will benefit from it.

The second point is that if a nation does not possess dignity in the eyes of other nations, its affairs are miserable! Its work in politics, trade, and culture is miserable. The first major enmity that arrogant and tyrannical powers have with a nation is to humiliate it; they take away its dignity. The Iranian nation, with this historical background, with this greatness, with this potential, with these good youth, with all this beauty - both human and natural and historical beauty that exists among this nation - during the era of the previous regime, had become a nation in the eyes of foreigners that they only recognized for its carpets or pistachios! They said these are the ones who weave carpets for us and produce pistachios! There is no greater insult to a country and a nation than this!

The revolution came and showed the world that the Iranian nation is the nation that stands against the demands of arrogant powers and voices its own demands, and if all arrogant powers unite, they cannot impose their will on it in any field! Today, whether the Americans want it or not; whether the Zionists want it or not; whether the enemies of this nation want it or not, the Iranian nation is recognized in the world as: a strong, determined, willful, fearless, and courageous nation that thinks for itself, decides, and chooses! No one can say: O government of Iran, O nation of Iran, cut off your relations with such and such a country, or establish relations with such and such a country, or trade here or not there! No one can give us orders. This is the dignity of the Iranian nation today.

In war, this matter was understood. It was understood in the essence of the revolution, in confronting economic blockades, and in various political and diplomatic matters. It was also understood in the case of the Mykonos court! We handled the matter nobly and silently; however, the truth of the matter does not go away. All of Europe conspired together regarding the Mykonos court case, which I had said, "Since Germany has behaved this way in this matter and the ambassadors have gone, if other ambassadors want to come, they may come; but the German ambassador must come later. He has no right to return with them." They tried to eliminate this statement, so that the German ambassador, even if it was with someone else, could come back with them. The government and the Iranian nation stood firm.

They exerted pressure and took action in every way they could. They did everything they could. From the middle of 1996, it started; by 1997, elections were held, and the great gathering of people - the thirty million votes and the thirty million participation of the people in the elections, which was a source of pride for the Iranian nation and the sacred Islamic Republic system - caused them to be under constant pressure! They also kept applying pressure, hoping to establish relations with the government and the new officials! No one answered them, and finally, at the end of the day, they were forced to accept what we had said! Just as it had been stated, they acted.

Well; this is the dignity of the Iranian nation. Political analysts are not blind! They see what is happening in Iran; they all know that this is due to the revolution and due to Islam. They try to carry out various types of propaganda against these positions of the Iranian nation; they attack from all sides - of course, diplomatic and political attacks - claiming that the Iranian nation has no choice but to establish relations with America, otherwise it cannot succeed! They convey this to us through a hundred different means; this is not related to today!

The year I went to New York for the UN summit, one of the high-ranking officials of one of the European countries came to me and said: "You must ultimately resolve your issue with America!" They thought that since we had gone to New York and were in America, perhaps they could take advantage of the situation! I said it is not possible. The UN issue is a different matter. I have come to the UN to speak to the people of the world, and this has nothing to do with America! The issue of America is another matter.

One of the foreign ministers of well-known and large European countries - whom I do not want to name now - during my presidency, came to Iran and spoke. I told him this; now I also tell you dear ones - these are the conversations we had with these diplomats over many years, which are recorded on paper, and there has never been an opportunity for them to reach the ears of the people. If one day these words are disseminated and understood - that during my eight years of presidency and after that, what we said, I believe that the Iranian nation will feel even more dignified. Thanks be to God - I told that foreign minister who came to Iran on behalf of his government - perhaps also on behalf of the European community - during the blessed life of Imam - that as the Islamic Republic, we do not want to cut off relations with the West. We want our relations to be established; however, the West does not mean only America. The Americans want to imply that the West means America! If you establish relations with America, you have relations with the West; otherwise, you are isolated! I said we do not accept this. Of course, that European was pleased with this statement.

Europeans are part of the Western bloc, but they have many differences with the Americans. Some should not think that if a certain European official supports the revolution, supports Iran and the Muslim nations, or supports the nations of the East or the Middle East, it means the same thing; no. The differences between them are very significant! The differences between America and Europe - in terms of depth - in some cases, are even less than the differences between Europe and the non-Western world! They have many disagreements that are not the subject of discussion now.

We have repeatedly stated that we are a nation that makes our own decisions. We cannot wait for a certain country, a certain government, a certain foreign minister, or president to advise us that you have no choice but to establish relations with America! No, sir, we have alternatives; the alternative is to stand firmly on dignified positions, which stem from Islam, from the Iranian nation, and from our Islamic and national power, so that all those who are foreign to us feel that they cannot speak to this nation with arrogance!

In my Nowruz message, I wanted to convey to our nation that, O dear nation! The dignity you possess stems from your faith-based and revolutionary positions. My dear ones! Within the borders of our nation, there are those who, unfortunately, say the same things that the CIA of America disseminates through its paid agents in the world's magazines and press! They want to say, "Connection with America is the key to resolution; until you establish relations with America, nothing can be done!" Some also disseminate this enemy message in our own newspapers, using the freedom that the Islamic Republic has fortunately created, allowing everyone to express their opinions!

What I emphasize is that the dignity of the nation comes from its establishment on revolutionary positions and the firmness of its religious and national positions; not from leaning towards this or that. Not from relying on this or that. Not from begging and creating relationships with this or that government. Unfortunately, some in the interior speak this way, act this way, and think this way. Of course, I doubt that this is their own thought. No one can think so wrongly and crookedly in this healthy, spiritual, and revolutionary atmosphere! Now they write, let them write; of course, those who write with the public treasury must understand what they are writing. Some have no right to take the money of this nation and, with the public treasury - with the public money that belongs to the people - speak against the interests of the people and give treacherous opinions!

Thanks be to God, today the dignity of the people in our country is due to this spirit of opposing arrogance. And opposing arrogance does not isolate any nation. The Americans themselves want to imply that if the Iranian nation does not establish relations with us, it will become isolated! We did not establish relations with America, we also rejected the relationship; not that we became isolated, but rather in the case of the Islamic Conference Organization summit in Tehran and another matter before that, the whole world said that America became isolated in front of the Iranian nation! The steadfastness of a nation does not lead to its isolation; rather, it increases its dignity. Just as relations with the American government or any other government do not solve any problems for a nation that cannot remedy its own pains.

Look at the nations of East Asia! One of the well-known leaders of these Asian countries, who recently suffered losses in the economic crisis, said to me during the Islamic Conference that came to Tehran: "Our nation has suddenly become a poor nation!" He said the cause of this was the Zionist and American capitalists! That country has friendly relations with America. Can a relationship solve a problem for a nation?! Do the arrogant and their agents, when their interests dictate, show mercy to a nation?! They show no mercy to the economy, to culture, to people, to money, or to international economics. They show no mercy to anyone!

Now, a certain writer takes advantage of the open atmosphere that we fortunately have in our country and calls the steadfastness of the Iranian nation "isolation"! Is this isolation?! Is a nation that the whole world speaks of its dignity and greatness isolated?! If isolation means that a nation is independent and does not submit to this or that, then this isolation is better than anything else! This is not isolation. Do you think that if the Iranian nation disregards its principles, turns away from the glorious path of the blessed life of Imam, and extends a hand of friendship in a pleading and humiliating manner towards the powers, all the economic problems of this country will be solved overnight?! Absolutely not!

Those countries that had much stronger friendships with America suffered that blow from their own American capitalists! Do the Americans show mercy to the small and the great?! In the unhealthy and increasingly unhealthy cultural and media atmosphere of these last few months, unfortunately, some are spreading poison and sowing discord! Of course, our policy is not to blame anyone for writing something and spreading a matter, as long as it is not against the law; but we expose them and introduce them to the people. If they do not stop, the people themselves know what to do with them!

These were the two fundamental points that I presented in the first message of the year; now I wanted to discuss them with more elaboration.

O Lord! Bestow Your blessings, mercy, goodness, and favors upon this nation more than ever, upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.

O Lord! Grant this great nation, this faithful nation, these revolutionary youth, and these dear families of martyrs Your attention and prayers; hasten the reappearance of the Awaited Savior.

O Lord! Prosper this nation in this world and the hereafter, keep us alive with the Quran, let us die with the Quran, and elevate the banner of Islam and the Quran day by day. Grant all Islamic nations dignity, independence, and the other great national and human blessings.

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