The Grand Gathering of Pilgrims and Visitors of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza

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 infallible guides, especially the remainder of God on earth.

Our Lord, in You we place our trust, and to You we turn in repentance, and to You is the final destination.

This year's holiday has two congratulations; both the congratulations of Nowruz (the Persian New Year) and the congratulations of the arrival of the month of Rabi' al-Awwal, which marks the birth of the greatest light and the esteemed prophet, Hazrat Muhammad ibn Abdullah (peace be upon him and his family). Nowruz itself is also one of the blessed holidays for us Iranians.

People begin the year with the remembrance of God and ask the Almighty for transformation to the best of conditions. This year, in addition to these, the spiritual reserves of supplications and attentions from the months of Muharram and Safar have also added to the blessings of this holiday. You, the present gathering in this courtyard, who are honored to visit the shrine of Hazrat Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha (peace be upon him), have even greater blessings. It is also an opportunity for me to discuss some issues that will, God willing, be beneficial for us at the beginning of the year.

The beginning of the year is a good opportunity to strengthen national resolve, to bless our lives in this year. If all of us, the people of Iran, focus our resolve from the beginning of the year on making this year fruitful through our efforts and actions, the Almighty God will certainly assist us. Of course, the essence of this national resolve and greatness is pure intention and the decision to seek God's pleasure; the decision to tread the straight path; and then to recognize our situation, our status, our place in the current world conditions, and the challenges facing the nation, and to identify the fundamental lines for confronting these challenges. This is the condition for the success of a living nation; to correctly recognize its situation, its place, its conditions, and to have plans for these conditions, and a firm resolve and decision to confront whatever naturally arises in this path. I will take this opportunity; in this hour that I am at your service, I will speak a little about these matters.

What is fundamental for us Iranians - which we must always keep in mind - is that our nation and we, the people of Iran, have drawn a great goal for ourselves and have pursued this goal over the decades following the revolution. Whenever we look, we feel that we have the necessary capabilities to achieve these two goals. This great goal is the dignity of Islamic Iran, to become a model among Muslim nations, both materially and spiritually. The meaning of this statement is that our nation should advance both materially and in spiritual aspects; to have national independence; to have national dignity; to have national power and capacity; to be able to utilize all its capacities; to enjoy public welfare and have social justice prevailing in its life. In that case, this nation becomes a model for all Muslim societies and even non-Muslims. The Iranian nation wants to be a free, prosperous, and faithful nation, and to have a developed and flourishing country; this is the goal of the Iranian nation.

There is no disagreement on this goal; factional disputes and political differences are all resolved here; this goal is accepted by all segments of the Iranian nation. We want to have a prosperous country, a free and dignified nation, to make good use of our national capacities, to be able to be at the forefront, to carry the banner of social justice, to bear the banner of Islamic faith ahead of all Muslim nations; this is what all the Iranian nation desires and loves. And we can achieve this goal; both the recognition of national capacities gives us this hope, and experiences confirm it.

The Iranian nation is a talented nation, resilient, endowed with religious zeal and national pride, deeply believes in Islam, loves its homeland; these are the things that give us this hope and confidence that our nation is capable of achieving this goal and reaching it; it is not out of reach. Experience shows us the same.

Look; due to the dominance of corrupt and dependent governments, we had been excluded from the field of global competitions for many years. The Iranian nation, which was once at the forefront of knowledge and culture, due to the dominance of tyrannical kings and powers disconnected from the people, reached a point where, for about two hundred years, since the beginning of the scientific and political competition in the world, it was outside the competition field. When a nation is not involved in the competition of nations, its capabilities naturally diminish and its successes become insignificant. Consider a sports team that has power, enthusiasm, and a desire to work, but is not allowed to enter the field of sports competitions; naturally, its capabilities decrease and diminish. This is what was done to our nation.

While for many years dependent powers, corrupt powers, incompetent powers, and tyrannical kings created this situation for our nation, as soon as the Islamic Revolution opened the door for our nation to enter this path, our nation entered the field of global competitions and achieved great advancements. Our nation, both in scientific fields and in political fields, is now a recognized and distinguished nation in the world; it has a face among nations. In scientific fields, we are advanced relative to this time. Of course, the two hundred years of backwardness cannot be compensated in twenty or thirty years; but in these twenty-some years, we have progressed at a much faster pace compared to this same period. Today, look; our youth have made progress in the fields of nuclear energy, in the field of stem cells, in the field of spinal cord injuries, and in dozens of other fields - which if our nation becomes aware of, it will be delighted - our scientific elites have been able to shine in the world and attract global admiration.

In the field of political competitions, it is the same. Today, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is among the most sought-after voices in political fields - both at the regional level and at the international level; its voice is a hearable one. Our country's officials, both in international forums and in travels to other countries, and in their stances, are prominent and distinguished. This situation for our nation indicates the talent of this nation in leading and entering these fields.

Our nation has been able to introduce new concepts into the culture of international politics. The world did not recognize religious democracy; today, religious democracy is a desirable title and slogan among all Muslim nations. The world did not recognize the system of domination; our nation defined this and introduced it into the culture of international politics. The issue of religion-centered politics, law, and governance; all these are new concepts that our nation has been able to introduce. Therefore, we can enter global competitions - scientific competitions, political competitions, industrial competitions, economic competitions, and cultural competitions - and have hope for success in the short term, and hope for excellence in the long term. This is the situation of our nation.

However, the path that the Iranian nation wants to take is not a smooth asphalt road; we have challenges on this path. We have two great enemies. I will briefly introduce these two enemies to you today so that we can see what we should do in the face of these two enemies. A nation must recognize the enemy, know the enemy's plan, and equip itself against it. We have two enemies: one enemy is the internal enemy; one enemy is the external enemy. The internal enemy is more dangerous. What is the internal enemy? The internal enemy consists of bad traits that we may have within ourselves. Laziness, lack of enthusiasm for work, hopelessness, extreme selfishness, pessimism towards others, pessimism towards the future, lack of self-confidence - neither in oneself nor in one’s nation - these are diseases. If these internal enemies exist within us, our work becomes difficult. Throughout the years before the emergence of the Islamic movement in our country, the main affliction of our nation was these. If a nation has these diseases, its progress is impossible; if a nation’s people are lazy, hopeless, lack self-confidence, do not bond with each other, are pessimistic towards each other, and are hopeless about the future, such a nation will not progress; these are like termites that fall into the foundation of a building, destroying it; like a worm that enters a fruit, spoiling it. We must fight against these traits. Our nation must be hopeful, have self-confidence, be optimistic about the future, be interested in progress, and believe in the spiritual values that help it on this path. Thanks be to God, today our nation has such self-confidence and hope; these must be completed. If we can eliminate these enemies within ourselves, in our souls, in the public culture of our society, the external enemy will not be able to harm us.

And as for the external enemy. The external enemy of this goal of ours is the international system of domination; that is, what we call global arrogance. Global arrogance and the system of domination divide the world into dominators and the dominated. If a nation wants to defend its interests against the dominators, the dominators will oppose that nation; they will exert pressure on it and try to break its resistance. This is the enemy of a nation that wants to become independent, dignified, honorable, and advanced and not submit to the dominators; this is the external enemy. Today, the manifestation of this enmity is the global Zionist network and the current government of the United States of America. Of course, this enmity is not new; methods change, but the policy of enmity towards the Iranian nation has been present since the beginning of the revolution until today. They have exerted pressure in every way they could, but in vain; their pressures have not been able to weaken the Iranian nation or force it to retreat; neither their economic sanctions, nor their military threats, nor their political pressures, nor their psychological warfare. Today, we are much stronger than we were fifteen years ago, twenty years ago, or twenty-seven years ago; this indicates that the enemy has failed in its enmity against the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic system; however, this enmity exists.

Today, there is a contradiction in the world. The Iranian nation is seen by Muslim nations and nations in the region - Asian nations, African nations, Latin American nations, and Middle Eastern nations - as a brave nation, a defender of rights and justice, and a stander against oppression; this is how the Iranian nation is recognized. They admire and praise the Iranian nation. However, this same Iranian nation and this same Islamic Republic, which is so praised by nations, is accused by the oppressive powers of human rights violations, accused of undermining global security, accused of supporting terrorism! This is a contradiction; a contradiction between the views of nations and the demands of powers. This contradiction threatens the global system of domination. Day by day, they are distancing themselves from nations; this has created a corrosive breach in the structure of Western liberal democracy and this breach will increase day by day. Ultimately, the propaganda of the arrogant powers can hide the truths for a while; they cannot always hide the truths; nations are becoming more and more aware. Look; the President of the Iranian nation travels to Asian countries, to African countries, to South American countries, and the nations chant for him, demonstrate in his favor, express support; the President of the United States travels to South American countries - that is, the backyard of America - and the nations burn the American flag upon his arrival; this signifies the erosion of the foundations of the liberal democracy that today the West, and foremost America, claims to champion. The contradiction between their demands and the desires of the people and the observations of the people is increasing day by day. They talk about democracy, they talk about human rights, they talk about global security, they talk about fighting terrorism, but their wicked essence indicates their warmongering; it indicates their trampling of the rights of nations; it indicates their insatiable appetite for global energy resources; this is what nations see. Day by day, the reputation of liberal democracy and the reputation of America - which is the vanguard of liberal democracy - is diminishing in the eyes of nations. In contrast, the reputation of Islamic Iran is increasing. Nations understand that the Americans are lying in their claims of defending human rights; one example of this is their behavior towards our country. Iran during the tyranny - during the Pahlavi regime - was completely in the grip of the Americans; the Americans dominated all of Iran; they established military bases in Iran to dominate the movements of Arab countries in the region; they wanted to keep an eye on them from the base in Iran. Iran was allied with Israel; the worst dictatorships ruled this country; they tortured the fighters in prison; throughout the country - in this city of Mashhad, in Tehran, and in all cities of the country - the oppression and harshness of the tyrannical regime's agents dominated the people; they plundered our oil; they looted public assets and national wealth for the benefit of rulers and foreigners; they prevented the Iranian nation from participating in the scientific and industrial competition of the world; they humiliated the nation. That Iran was America's number one ally in this region; its rulers were also favored by America; there was no objection to the violation of human rights and democracy against that tyrannical regime. Today, Iran is a free country; with this clear democracy - which is very rare in the world - with this strong connection between the people and the officials of the country; this Iran is considered an undesirable country by the Americans, by the American government and politicians; this indicates the orientation of global arrogance against the existing truths in the world. Of course, the Americans have gained nothing from this enmity and will not gain anything. The Iranian nation is becoming stronger day by day, and the values of the revolution are becoming more prominent and fresh.

We have duties in the face of these two enemies. First, we must recognize the enemy, then we must know its plan. Today, our external enemies also have a plan for the Iranian nation. We define our five-year policies; we define our twenty-year outlook; to clarify our path. Our enemy has the same; it also has a plan for us; it also has a policy. We must recognize its policy.

I summarize the plans of global arrogance against the Iranian nation in three sentences: first, psychological warfare; second, economic warfare; and third, countering scientific progress and power. The enmities of global arrogance against our nation are summarized in these three main points. Of course, these should be explained more by the propaganda and media apparatus and political figures to the people. I will briefly present an outline and summary of the matters to you.

What is psychological warfare? The goal of psychological warfare is intimidation. Who do they want to intimidate? The nation does not get intimidated; the vast masses of the people do not get intimidated. Who do they want to intimidate? The officials, the political figures, and, as we say, our elites; they want to intimidate these. Those who can be bribed, they want to bribe; they want to weaken public will; they want to change people's understanding of the realities of their society; this is the goal of psychological warfare. If a person is not sick, a hundred times telling him, “Sir! You are ill, you are sick,” he will feel a bit sick. Conversely, if someone is sick, a hundred times telling him, “You are well,” he will feel healthy. They want to change the realities of our country in the eyes of our nation through suggestion. Our nation is a talented nation, endowed with capabilities, with capacity, with immense natural wealth; such a nation can be at the forefront. There is no reason for this nation to be hopeless; but they want to change the realities and make the nation hopeless; they want to weaken the nation’s trust in the officials; that the people trust their government and officials is a great blessing for a country; they want to take this blessing away and make the people distrustful, both of themselves and of their officials; they threaten the people with rumors, sanctions, and violence; in propaganda, they switch the roles of the accuser and the accused. Today, America is the accused, and nations are the accusers of America. We are the accusers of America today. America is accused of being an arrogant power, of colonialism, of warmongering, of military occupation, of inciting sedition. We are the claimants; we are the accusers. They want to place themselves in the position of the accuser and the Iranian nation in the position of the accused. In America itself, the human rights situation is deplorable and there is insecurity. In one year - the year 2003 - they reported thirteen million arrests of American citizens themselves! They grant permission for torture, they grant permission for phone tapping. After the incident of September 11 a few years ago, they interrogated several million people. Such an insecure environment exists within America; abroad, they have the Abu Ghraib prisons and torture and Guantanamo prisons and the secret prisons they have in Europe and elsewhere. They must answer. They are the accused; they violate human rights; and then they become the claimants of human rights, and the Iranian nation or wherever they wish to point their fingers, they want to hold accountable for human rights violations! They are the ones promoting terrorism. This is the psychological warfare they are conducting.

One part of the enemy's psychological warfare is to exacerbate divisions. Within our country, they promote ethnic divisions, sectarian divisions - Shia and Sunni - factional divisions, and professional rivalries. They also have mercenaries and agents within who carry out their objectives in various ways. They spread rumors. In the matter of Iraq, they accuse Iran. Those who have come to occupy Iraq, have humiliated the Iraqi nation, have insulted Iraqi women, men, and youth in various ways, even now American and British soldiers are acting with utmost disrespect in Iraq, they accuse Iran of interfering in Iraqi affairs. The day when the American government and many Western governments supported the executed Ba'athist Saddam, the Iranian nation opened its arms to the Iraqi freedom fighters; the Iraqi freedom fighters came here, and we saved them from Saddam; today, those same people have come to power and government in Iraq. Terrorism in Iraq is incited by the intelligence services of America, Britain, and Israel. These fratricides in Iraq are not due to a Shia-Sunni war; Shia and Sunni have lived together in Iraq for centuries and have not had a war. Many Iraqi families have some Shia and some Sunni; they have married each other, they have lived together. These murders have been created by them; they are the ones who benefit from the insecurities.

Regarding the influence of Shia and the promotion of Shia Islam by Iran and the so-called Shia crescent and such rumors, they spread rumors. One branch of their psychological warfare is this: first, to sow discord among the Iranian nation, secondly, to sow discord between the Iranian nation and other Muslim nations. The policy of America has been to scare our neighbors in the Persian Gulf from the Islamic Republic system. Of course, some of them have understood the conspiracy consciously and wisely, while some may make mistakes and fall into this American conspiracy. We have always extended a hand of friendship to our neighbors in the Persian Gulf - which is the major oil region of the world - we are friends with them now and extend a hand of friendship, and our belief is that the countries of the Persian Gulf should have a common defense pact and should cooperate with each other. To defend this important region, we should not let America, Britain, and foreigners and other greedy powers come; we ourselves must maintain the security of this region; and this is possible through cooperation among the countries of the Persian Gulf.

On this occasion, I also advise the internal political elements in a friendly manner; they should be careful not to speak or position themselves in a way that aids the enemy's objectives in this psychological warfare; do not help the enemy. Today, anyone who discourages the people and makes them distrustful of themselves, of the officials, and of the future, is helping the enemy. Today, anyone who exacerbates divisions - of any kind - is helping the enemy of the Iranian nation. Those who have a pen, a voice, a podium, a position, must be careful; they must not allow the enemy to use them. The enemy's psychological warfare is the most important part of the enemy's struggle against the Iranian nation.

Economic warfare is another aspect. They want to put the Iranian nation in a bind economically. I say that the field for the economic movement of the Iranian nation is open. With the policies of Article 44 that have been announced and the government is diligently pursuing to realize them, and must pursue them, the field for economic work is open; not only for the wealthy, but even for all people. The year 1386 (2007) and perhaps for one or two years after that, the government's approach and the approach of the country's activists must be economic. We can make our economy flourish. They threaten that they will impose sanctions. Sanctions cannot harm us. Have they not imposed sanctions until now? We have reached nuclear energy while under sanctions; we have achieved scientific advancements while under sanctions; we have achieved these vast constructions in the country while under sanctions. Sanctions, in some conditions, may even benefit us; in that they encourage our determination for more effort and activity. The country's approach in the year that is today the beginning of it, and even for one or two years after, must be economic. Everyone must utilize the policies of Article 44. Those who have the capacity for investment, even those who can invest collectively and in companies, have avenues. All people and various sectors can invest; they can partner with each other in this path. Besides the justice shares that include nearly ten million people - which belong to the lower two deciles of society - the rest of the people can also benefit from these policies; there are avenues. Government officials must inform the people about the ways to involve them in economic activities. These policies mean producing public wealth for society. Producing wealth is not prohibited from an Islamic perspective. Producing wealth is different from plundering the wealth of others. At one time, someone reaches material gains through illegal means, without following the law; these are prohibited; but through legal means, producing wealth is desirable and commendable from the perspective of the sacred law. Produce wealth for yourselves, but do not waste it. Islam tells us to produce wealth, but do not waste it. Extreme consumerism is not acceptable in Islam. What you gain from producing wealth should be used as a means to produce further wealth. Do not let wealth become stagnant and barren - which in Islam is called hoarding - nor let it be spent extravagantly and carelessly on unnecessary things; but with these considerations, produce wealth for yourselves. The wealth of the people is the wealth of the entire country; everyone benefits from it. The spirit of Article 44 and the policies of Article 44 are this. It should be such that the income sources of all people, especially the weaker classes, become diverse; people should be able to find relief; this is a significant step towards public welfare.

Regarding countering scientific progress, one important example is the issue of nuclear energy. In discussions, in political dialogues, etc., they say that Western governments do not agree with Iran having nuclear power; well, let them not agree. Did we ask anyone for permission to obtain nuclear power? Did the Iranian nation enter this field with the permission of others that they say we do not agree? Well, do not agree. The Iranian nation agrees and wishes to have this energy. Last year, I also said in the gathering on the first of Farvardin (the first day of the Persian year) here that nuclear energy is a necessity for our country, a long-term need. Today, if the officials of the country neglect to obtain nuclear energy, future generations will hold them accountable. The Iranian nation and the country of Iran need nuclear energy and this capability for living - not for weapons. Some sit and repeat the enemy's words: “Sir! What is the necessity?” Is it not a problem to endanger the future of the country, to completely disregard the needs of the future of the country? Do the officials of the country have the right to betray future generations? Today, should we take oil and consume it; one day this oil will run out. On that day, the Iranian nation will extend its hand to other countries for electricity, for its factories, for its warmth, for its light, for its life; is this permissible for today's officials? Some repeat the enemy's words. Those who praise the nationalization of oil, which was carried out by Dr. Mossadegh and the late Ayatollah Kashani, today - that act was smaller compared to this; this is greater than that - those same people today say the same things about nuclear energy that the opponents of Mossadegh and Kashani said back then. These are unacceptable. We have advanced in this path, we have advanced with our own initiative. Our country’s officials have not violated any laws. All our activities are under the watchful eye of the nuclear agency, and there is no objection; we have no issue with them being under their supervision. Creating a fuss and exerting pressure on the Iranian nation regarding this issue, using the UN Security Council as a tool, will bring harm to the powers opposing the Iranian nation. Let me say this; if they intend to use the Security Council as a tool, and intend to disregard this legitimate right, we have done everything we have done according to international laws; if they want to act unlawfully, we can also act unlawfully and we will. If they want to behave with threats and acts of force and violence, they should undoubtedly know that the Iranian nation and the officials of Iran will use all their capacities to strike back against enemies who attack them.

I want to conclude my remarks. These recommendations are from the servant of the Iranian nation to the Iranian nation. My recommendation is this: the slogan we have raised this year - that is, national unity and Islamic cohesion - should be observed. National unity means the integrity of the Iranian nation. Islamic cohesion means that Muslim nations should be united. The Iranian nation should strengthen its relationship with Muslim nations. If we want national unity and Islamic cohesion to be realized, we must rely on the principles that we share. We should not occupy ourselves with the branches that are contentious.

My next recommendation is that our dear nation, especially our youth, should not lose their self-confidence. Dear youth! Dear youth of the Iranian nation! You can; you can do great things, you can elevate your country to the heights of dignity and honor. Self-confidence, trust in the officials of the country, trust in the government, is what the enemies want to be absent. The enemies want the people to be distrustful of the government - which is responsible for managing the affairs of the country; strive to thwart this enemy plan. I support the government. I have supported all governments in power and elected by the people, and I will continue to do so; I specifically support this government. This support is not without reason or without accountability. First, the position of the government in the Islamic Republic and in the political system of our country is very important, secondly, the government bears the most responsibilities; and then these religious orientations and these revolutionary and Islamic value orientations are very valuable. Hard work, great effort, connection with the people, provincial trips, a focus on justice and a popular demeanor; these are very valuable, and I appreciate these efforts. For these reasons, I support the government. Of course, this support is not without expectations; I have expectations from the government in return. My first expectation is that I tell the government officials not to become weary; do not lose trust in God; trust in God and trust in these people; maintain their popular demeanor; do not fall into the traps of extravagance that some individuals fall into; be careful and vigilant; do not enter into factional disputes; do not waste their time with political quarrels; work with all their being and all their strength for these people; what they share with the people, they should realize and pursue.

We must open our eyes. We must turn to God, we must be mindful. The Iranian nation is a great nation, a capable nation, has great goals, and has a path towards these goals that it can traverse. I hope that the Almighty God continuously showers His blessings upon you, the Iranian nation; may He rain His grace upon you, and God willing, today, which is the first day of the year 1386 (2007), will be the beginning of a blessed year for the people.

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