Statements at the Fath al-Mobin Operational Area

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 al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure and chosen progeny, the infallible guides, especially the Awaited One of God among the people of the earth.

The purpose of being present in this historical place and among you dear brothers and sisters is, first and foremost, to pay respect to the spirit of the warriors and martyrs who have shown their bravery and sacrifices in this land during the imposed war and the sacred defense.

Secondly, it is to express gratitude and appreciation to the dear people of Khuzestan and the brothers and sisters who, in this region, at the most critical times and under the most difficult conditions, demonstrated a successful test. The enemies of the Iranian nation had a different perception of the dear people of Khuzestan, and what transpired was contrary to their expectations. The front line of the fighters and warriors consisted of the devoted youth who were the children of this land and nurtured by this region: the dear people of Khuzestan; their women and men. During the sacred defense, I visited some villages that were under the oppression of the Ba'ath enemy and witnessed the situation and spirit of those people up close. Their connection to Islamic Iran and to the fighting and heroic nation, and to Islam - whose banner was raised in Iran - was such that the Ba'ath enemies could not weaken this strong bond with their temptations of ethnicity and linguistic affinity. Therefore, our presence in this region is, on one hand, an appreciation for the dear people of Khuzestan.

The third aspect is to express gratitude to you travelers who have come from distant and nearby points of the country to these areas, showing your spiritual connection with those youths, those men, those warriors whose sacrifices are witnessed in this region; whether in this area - the Fath al-Mobin region - or in other areas of Khuzestan and in the war zones of other provinces: such as Ilam, Kermanshah, and Kurdistan. The people of the country have taken up this commendable tradition for several years now, to come to these regions annually - especially during such times at the beginning of the year - to pay their respects. This is a place of pilgrimage.

Dear youths! My dear children! Most of you were not present during those days; you did not witness those hard and bitter days; this beautiful plain, this picturesque scene, this fertile land, was once under the feet of your enemies; the booted soldiers of the Ba'ath regime had turned this land, which belongs to you, into a hell. During the hardships of the war, before the Fath al-Mobin operation, I had seen this vast landscape from the northern area overlooking this plain; this memory will never fade from my mind that the enemy forces were scattered here in this vast land with several divisions; they trampled your land, your soil, with their boots and humiliated the Iranian nation. The ones who saved your country were these devoted and fighting youths; this Basij, this army, this Guard, these devoted warriors, who today still have their survivors present in various regions of the country; some of them have also attained martyrdom; "So among them are some who have fulfilled their vow, and among them are some who are still waiting, and they have not changed in the least".

My dear ones! The youths who are present in this gathering, in this plain, and all the youths of the country! Know that the young generation of the sacred defense was able to save the country from the enemy through their sacrifices, intelligence, will, and steadfast determination. The enemies of the Islamic Republic aimed to humiliate the Iranian nation by separating a part of the Islamic homeland; they wanted to impose their tyranny on the Iranian nation; they wanted to humiliate the nation and dominate the lives, properties, and honor of our people. Who did not allow that? The devoted fighting youth, with their steadfast determination and strong faith, stood against the enemy despite its overwhelming size. America was helping our enemy; the Soviet Union of that day was helping; the European countries that today speak of human rights were assisting this wicked enemy to kill, destroy, and set fire to the land and its people. The enemy acted without restraint; however, your youths, the youths of this nation did not allow it. In this Abbas plain, in this vast plain, in this long region, they came into the field with their lives, defeated the enemy with their steadfast determination, humiliated them, and thwarted a conspiracy in which all the arrogant powers were partners and involved in its execution.

I want to tell you: dear youths! It is always like this; your steadfast determination, your intelligence and insight, your resilience and decisiveness, and your courage can lead all enemies, no matter how seemingly large and powerful, to defeat. Today is the same; tomorrow will be the same. If the Iranian nation wants to reach the pinnacle of happiness in this world and the hereafter - which it desires and, God willing, will achieve - its path consists of courage, insight, prudence, steadfast determination, and strong will from both men and women; and all of this is based on faith, Islamic faith. What guaranteed this steadfast determination and strong will in our warriors was their heartfelt faith. They believed in religion, God, the Day of Judgment, and human responsibility before God; this belief, if it exists in any nation, in any society, makes it invulnerable; they can resist.

Dear brothers and sisters! Today we are much further along than the days of the imposed war and sacred defense, we are much stronger, and the influence of the Iranian nation in the Islamic world is broader; today we are more capable. The Iranian nation has gained this capability thanks to its steadfastness. Today, there are many conspiracies; however, the Iranian nation, with its steadfastness, scoffs at the enemy's plots and continues its path with determination.

What is important is that the Iranian nation never forgets this sensitive historical period - the period of sacred defense - and never forgets the years of hardship, yet honor of the imposed war. These visits, these expressions of will, these memorials help keep these memories alive in people's minds. I am very pleased with this movement of the نور راهیان (Wayfarers of Light) - which has thankfully been developing day by day in the country for several years - and I consider this movement to be very blessed. I believe this sensitive period is an experience for us. You youths today, if you had been there then, would have presented yourselves in this field with steadfast determination.

Today, in the fields of science, politics, effort and work, national solidarity, and insight, you youths have demonstrated your perseverance and proven your steadfastness. Sometimes military warfare is easier than intellectual warfare; easier than warfare in political arenas. The Iranian nation has shown that in the political and security arenas, its insight and steadfastness are no less than its steadfastness in military warfare. Therefore, our youths, thanks be to God, are capable, well-prepared individuals who should not settle for this level; they should strive harder, work harder. Raise your ambitions. The Iranian nation must compensate for the backwardness of long periods of tyranny in this country and foreign interference and influence. I have firm confidence that the youth of our dear country today are unparalleled or rare on a global scale. And this is a promise for the future of the country. God willing, you youths will witness the day when your country will be at a level scientifically, technologically, politically, and in international influence that is worthy of Islamic Iran and worthy of the great Iranian nation.

We hope, God willing, that the prayers of the Awaited One of God (may his soul be sanctified) will encompass you, that the pure souls of the dear martyrs, the martyrs of the imposed war and sacred defense, especially the martyrs of the Fath al-Mobin region, God willing, will be included in divine blessings and be pleased with all of us, and that the pure soul of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) will be pleased and satisfied with all of us.

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