Statements in Meeting with National and Military Officials on the First Day of the New Year and on the Eve of the Blessed Month of Ramadan

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

I reciprocally extend congratulations on this blessed Eid to the esteemed gentlemen, to the entire nation of Iran, to Iranians residing all over the world, and to other Muslims, especially to the awakened Muslims of Soviet Azerbaijan, who also celebrated Nowruz this year. I hope that this Eid and this spring will be a beginning for further progress, prosperity, and happiness for our Muslim nation, which truly deserves increasing divine blessings due to its sacrifices, sincerity, and selflessness.

What is important is our actions and intentions. Nowruz means a new day and a new state. In terms of nature, the first day of Farvardin, considered the beginning of spring, is regarded as a new day. However, a new day is not limited to a renewal in nature. As mentioned in some narrations from the Imams (peace be upon them) regarding Nowruz, one can sense that these great figures, according to the custom of Islam—which adopted customs and traditions everywhere and changed their content—intended to do the same with the word Nowruz and the day of Nowruz. When asked by the Imam (peace be upon him), 'What is Nowruz?' the Imam, according to some expressions, replies, 'Do you know what Nowruz is?' They do not ask, 'Do you know when Nowruz is?' They say, 'Do you know what Nowruz is?'

At that time, in the meaning of Nowruz and what Nowruz is, there are various expressions in different narrations. For example, the day when the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) appointed the Commander of the Faithful to the caliphate was Nowruz. Or in another narration, the day when the Dajjal will be killed by the hand of Imam Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him) in the end times is Nowruz. Or even in some narrations, it is mentioned that the day Adam descended was Nowruz. Nowruz means a new day in human history and a new state in human life. Apparently, in these narrations, the Imam does not intend to say that the day these events occurred or will occur coincides with the first day of Farvardin. No, it is very unlikely that this is the intention; the intention is to understand the meaning of Nowruz.

Nowruz means the day you make it new with your actions, with an event that occurs. The 22nd of Bahman, when the Iranian nation, with God's help, realized a great event, is a new day (Nowruz). The day when the Imam of the nation decisively struck the arrogant, bullying power of the world—namely, America—that day was a new day and a new path (Nowruz); it was a new event that happened and occurred. We must make Nowruz a new day. Nowruz, according to nature, is Nowruz; the human aspect of the matter is also in our hands to make it Nowruz.

This year, coincidentally, the spring of nature has coincided with the spring of prayer and the Quran. In a few days, the blessed month of Ramadan will begin, which is the spring of renewal and self-building for humans and the spring of intimacy with God. Can we neglect this aspect of the matter? All errors and mistakes stem from neglecting this aspect of the matter. The one whose mistakes were fewer, whose heart was illuminated by the light of God's knowledge and guidance, whose gesture was a guide and leader for this nation, for us, and for the lovers of Islam in the world—namely, our great departed Imam—was so because his relationship with God was established.

In the world, revolutions, governments, administrations, and leaderships become flawed and deviate from the point where they neglect this aspect—namely, the aspect of spirituality, the aspect of the relationship with God, the aspect of the connection and attachment of the heart to God. If we also pay attention, where we advanced, succeeded, acted well, and are satisfied, is where we secured this aspect. Wherever we suffered a blow, it was due to weakness in this aspect of the matter.

The connection with God should not be underestimated. Everything we have is contingent upon this relationship. It is this relationship that strengthens our hearts so that we do not fear enmities. It is this relationship with God that fills our hearts with love for the believers and the seekers of God's path so that we do not see differences of opinion and differences of taste. It is this relationship with God and connection to God that prevents us from trampling on the truth for our desires and sacrificing expediency for personal purposes. It is this relationship with God that prevents us from deviating from God's path and from becoming regretful, tired, and weary of traversing this path. This relationship with God is always possible and never too late or impossible.

Human life is constantly on two parallel roads. One road is where the travelers on it constantly ascend. The other road is the path where its travelers move towards the lower, towards the bottom, towards the valley, and towards hell. These two roads are side by side and parallel to each other. The trajectory of these two roads is exactly the same. Those who move towards downfall and descent and the lower move away from the same place where the travelers of the other road approach. They move away from God and approach Satan and hell. Those who move towards elevation, towards the higher, towards transcendence, towards light, towards God, towards monotheism, and moral purity and purity of soul, move away from the same place and distance themselves from where the other group moves towards that downfall.

These two roads are neighbors along the way, and moving from one to the other is extremely easy. The path is a close path. If we, God forbid, are moving on the second road and are descending in terms of personal and moral ethics, if we decide to enter that other road and move towards elevation and transcendence, at any moment, this is possible. 'And indeed, the traveler to You is close in distance.' Whoever moves towards God, their path is close. If we want to enter God's path, the distance is very close. If you take one step, you will enter that road from which the people of it move towards eternal happiness, towards light, towards the abode of the truthful and the highest assembly.

On the other hand, it is the same. The moment we listen to our desires and commit an act that distances us from Almighty God—God forbid—in that moment, we have stepped from that road to this road that takes us downwards. In that moment when we decide to act against our desires and oppose this selfishness and pride and following the satanic self—which our great Imam constantly warned us against throughout these ten years and more, and in all matters, told all of us and the entire Iranian nation, including us officials: Be careful, do not become captive to it—in that moment, from this close distance, 'And indeed, the traveler to You is close in distance,' we have stepped onto that road and are moving upwards. And this is possible in the month of Ramadan. Controlling desires is easier in the month of Ramadan than ever. So, this year, our Nowruz can truly be Nowruz; not just Nowruz in nature, but Nowruz in our essence and existence and movement. And today, this is very important.

Today, the eyes of the world are watching you and me. The world is attentive to this nation. Millions of hearts beat for this nation and its goals. You have become a model. You have become 'witnesses over the people.' You have become the standard-bearers of freedom and resistance against the imposition of oppressive and arrogant global powers. Today, nations dare to express that they do not want to be under the yoke of great powers. There was a time when this courage was taken from nations and they were not allowed. You opened this path.

This nation gave courage to the world. It was the behavior of this nation, along with the decisiveness and strong guidance of that celestial Imam and unparalleled leader, that opened the way; encouraged nations; belittled global arrogance; made it feel humiliated and showed that humans and nations have power. They denied the inherent power of nations and handed them over to the puppet powers of countries—who were puppets in the hands of global powers. Today, it is not such that nations do not understand their inherent power. Today, nations have awakened. Of course, according to apparent power, today global arrogance has become very strong and large in the field of politics and economy; but to the same extent, it is more vulnerable, hollow, and in reality, more fearful of the power of nations.

This is the state of our nation that has acquainted the world with their duties and rights in this way. The burden of this responsibility is on your shoulders, especially the officials. We must feel what a heavy responsibility is on our shoulders. We must understand the responsibility of bringing this heavy burden to fruition. We must not neglect or be negligent for a moment; we must not tolerate coldness, despair, and depression in anyone—even in ourselves.

We must move forward with hope; just as the horizon is illuminated with hope. Everything indicates hope, and today our situation, with the facilities at our disposal, is very good. Thanks be to God, a strong government holds the reins of affairs. This is also one of God's blessings that at the head of the government is a scholar, a jurist, a seasoned fighter, a well-known and beloved figure, tested and constantly endorsed and loved by the Imam, with good colleagues, with a solid and promising program, and with public support from the people. Thanks be to God, the parliament is also awake, aware, responsible, completely free and immune from the influence of global conspiracies, and independent, standing alongside the government. This is an extraordinarily valuable situation that is at the disposal of our nation. It is enough for us to act with pure and good intentions and to act for God.

This lesson was also taught to us by Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) that action and initiative are not for the result. The result is in that pure intention you have during the action. The result is with God; we must fulfill our duty. Fortunately, this fulfillment of duty over these eleven years has been accompanied by results.

Today, we have a more aware, more alert, more efficient, and more experienced nation, and we can move forward. The enemy must also know that this nation, on the day it began its work, had not properly tested global arrogance, it was possible that the threats and intimidation and enticement of its massive and seemingly great enemies in the world would be taken seriously and deceived, that day it was not deceived by the threats and enticement and enticement of enemies. Today, having become experienced, having traveled a long path, having gained additional awareness, having recognized friends and enemies on the international stage more than ever; it will not be deceived by the threats and enticement of great enemies.

We hope that God will grant His blessings to all of you dear brothers and sisters and make the sacred heart of the Guardian of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for him) pleased with us and make the pure soul of our dear Imam pleased with us.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings