Statements in Meeting with Students on the Eve of November 13

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

The occasion of the thirteenth of Aban belongs most of all to the finest youth of our country; to the students, to the schoolchildren. This session, which is a sample of the great gathering of the youth of the country across this divine homeland, is a session filled with knowledge, insight, and overflowing with enthusiasm for the great revolutionary aspirations and ideals. For me, this is one of the sweetest opportunities to meet with you dear youth, my dear children, and I will present a few points that should be discussed among us here.

Historical occasions often serve as a symbol and a sign. The thirteenth of Aban, in itself, does not differ from the days before and after; however, it is a symbol. What does symbol mean? It means a sign that carries numerous meanings behind it, within it. A person utters a word, and there are many meanings and truths hidden in that word; the thirteenth of Aban is of this kind. This day is a symbol and has a vast background of important matters, issues that are not historical at all, but rather are also considered our current issues. Let us take a look at the occasions of this day.

The first occasion of this day is that in the year 1343 (1964), on a day like this, our great Imam was exiled. Why was he exiled? Because a few days before that, in a passionate speech delivered in Qom, which was immediately disseminated throughout the country via tape and writing, he demanded a national right. That national right was the abrogation of the oppressive capitulation law. It is good for our youth to know these things clearly; to understand what paths we have traversed to reach this point.

The Americans had tens of thousands of agents in Iran - the exact number is not important; fifty thousand, sixty thousand, more - these were political, security, and military agents; they were embedded within the management structure of Iran - whether in the army, in intelligence organizations, in planning sectors, or in various other sectors - they were sitting there, receiving their salaries multiplied from the Iranian government, but working for America. This was a bad thing that had happened in our country. The Pahlavi tyrannical regime, due to its dependency on America, due to its servitude to America, gradually brought these people into the country over several years. Up to this point, it was bad; however, what happened next was a compounded evil, an evil to the power of several. That compounded evil was that they came to the National Assembly and the Senate of that day and approved that American agents were exempt from Iranian courts and judicial and security facilities. This means that if, for instance, one of these agents commits a major crime in Iran, our courts have no right to summon him to court, to try him, or to convict him; this is called capitulation. This is the ultimate weakness and dependency of a nation, that foreigners come to this country and do whatever they want; the courts of the country and the police have no right to make the slightest move against them. The Americans demanded this from the tyrannical regime, and the tyrannical regime handed it over to them with both hands: the capitulation law.

Of course, they did this quietly, not allowing it to be reflected in the press; but the Imam became aware. In a speech before the thirteenth of Aban, in front of the students and people of Qom, the Imam cried out, "What kind of law is this?" The Imam's expression was that if a low-ranking American agent insults a religious authority, runs over him with a car, and commits any crime, the laws of Iran are completely neutralized against this agent; no one has the right to touch him; the Americans know what to do with him; and it is clear what they would do. The Imam cried out against this oppressive law. At that time, the Imam had just been released from prison. His several-month imprisonment had just ended. The Imam stood up and raised the suppressed cry of the Iranian nation to everyone's ears. Of course, many people were not even aware that the Iranian nation was being humiliated in this way, but the Imam was aware. The true watchman of the interests and welfare of a country is like this; when he becomes aware of what calamity is befalling the nation, how they are humiliating the nation, how they are trampling on the dignity of a nation, he does not remain silent; he cries out. That day, the cry was dangerous; hence, the Imam was immediately arrested and brought to Tehran. They did not keep the Imam in Iran; they exiled him to Turkey. This was the first incident.

Thus, the thirteenth of Aban became a symbol of two great truths, two very sensitive and critical truths: one is the greed of the Americans; that if a nation does not defend its rights, its dignity, the tyranny and arrogance will advance to the point that they impose an oppressive law like capitulation on this nation. This is the goal of the arrogant powers. It is not that the governmental relations, like that of the United States with a country that does not have as much power, are like those of two ordinary countries; no, in the eyes of the Americans, the relationship between America and the so-called third world countries is that of master and servant; they are the masters, and these are the servants. They have every authority in this country; they can take its oil, take its gas, take its profits, take its money, secure America's interests here, and humiliate the nation in this way.

An American officer would slap a senior Iranian army commander in the face, and no one would respond! In these various barracks of the country, when a low-ranking American soldier faced a senior Iranian officer, he spoke like a master! The army personnel were upset; they did not dare to act; but they could do nothing. This is the first point, that the thirteenth of Aban symbolizes American arrogance; it symbolizes the spirit of aggression and transgression of arrogance against nations, including the Iranian nation.

The presidents of the United States in various periods after the victory of the revolution have bent over backwards, have said many sweet and soft words, perhaps to reopen this closed path. They seem to speak professionally, but the essence of the matter is the same iron fist that I mentioned hidden beneath the velvet glove.

Thus, the thirteenth of Aban reminds us of a bitter and very important truth, and that truth is the spirit of arrogance in the arrogant powers and systems of domination. The people of various nations - including our nation - must never forget this; they must know that this face that stands there is the face of an aggressor, the face of an assailant, with the intent to advance; to the point that it tramples on the dignity of a nation, commits aggression against its honor, commits aggression against its life and property, and no one can question or demand an explanation from it.

The second matter that the thirteenth of Aban symbolizes is the loud cry of our great Imam. That cry was the healthiest and purest of cries that came from the purest of throats. Many may say something here and there, make some remarks, or raise some objections; but the throat that spread the cry of the thirteenth of Aban in 1964 was the purest of throats. First, this cry arose from a sense of faith; secondly, it arose from that pure sense of Islam and nationalism - it could not tolerate the enemy's dominance over this nation - thirdly, it was a cry supported by the general public. I said; although the people were initially unaware, when the Imam's cry rose, the people supported him. It was that support that led to the victory of the Islamic Revolution fourteen years later. That pure cry was like the resounding cry that the divine prophets raised among the people and attracted the hearts of the people. The Imam carried out such a great movement in the country, and then he bore its costs; the Imam was separated from his home, life, family, friends, and loved ones and was exiled to a corner of the world. Thus, the second point is that the thirteenth of Aban symbolizes such a cry.

The very important third matter that lies behind this symbol is the issue of the students in 1978. Fourteen years after that incident, in 1978, our youth, our teenagers, our high school students, as the purest and most untainted segment, came into the field and were killed. The thirteenth of Aban is the day of the massacre of students in the streets of Tehran. When these teenagers and youth came into the field and echoed the Imam's cry from fourteen years earlier, the mercenary executioners of America took revenge on them; they opened fire on them, and their blood stained the asphalt of the streets of Tehran. This is also an important matter; not only because a number of young people and teenagers were martyred - although this is important - but because of the more important point that the great movement that the Imam began in 1962 and 1963 is so alive, vibrant, and energetic that a group of pure young students come into the field, feel responsible, feel committed, and stand against the bayonets of the tyrannical regime. Such a thing is rare in the world.

Today is the same. Today, our high school students, alongside the students, alongside other segments, alongside the Basij and in other places, are among the most proactive social groups. During the Sacred Defense, students were also considered among the pioneers and the front lines. If you contact the families of the martyrs - I have contact with many of them and see - and ask them how old their young ones were, they say sixteen, seventeen, fourteen years old. What does this mean? It means a sense of commitment, a revolutionary spirit, a sense of responsibility stemming from awareness and insight has reached the point that the student youth of this nation comes into the field, shields themselves, gives up all their youthful aspirations to realize the great divine and Islamic ideals in society. This was another great incident that occurred in 1978; another very significant concept that lies behind the term thirteenth of Aban. The thirteenth of Aban symbolizes these.

The last issue that arose on the thirteenth of Aban was the seizure of the spy den. In 1979, on the anniversary of the Imam's exile and the martyrdom of the students, the youth again did something that astonished the world and brought America to its knees. This is the reality; these are not slogans. You should know; on the day the spy den was seized, the American government had much more prestige and credibility than today. Do not look at today when America has become diminished in the eyes of people, when nations openly curse America and condemn them. It was not like that back then; at that time, America had a first-class superpower prestige in the world. Our student youth, with courage and bravery, as the main front line of the resistance of the Iranian nation, seized that American embassy; they imprisoned those who were there. Of course, the Imam showed kindness, showed compassion, and after a while said that some of them - like their women - should return to America; however, the main elements remained here for a long time. This was also a great movement that shook America's power in the world; America, with all its prestige and greatness, suddenly diminished in the eyes of nations. It reached a point where the President of the United States resorted to a covert and nighttime military attack on Iran to rescue these hostages. They mobilized their spies here, prepared numerous arrangements, saw people, saw places, came with helicopters and planes, intending to land in Tabas and come from there to rescue the hostages and take them away; and that famous Tabas incident occurred, and God Almighty humiliated them, their planes and helicopters caught fire, and they were forced to return from Tabas. These are the events of the thirteenth of Aban.

The thirteenth of Aban is a symbol; it carries numerous meanings within it, behind it; these meanings are all lessons for us; we must remember them: the greed of America, the dependency of the tyrannical regime on America and the corruption of that system, the steadfastness of faith based on the insight of our great Imam and the people, the presence of the youth generation, the courage and audacity of the revolutionary youth in the face of the facade and made-up face of America; all of these are contained within the term thirteenth of Aban. Thus, the thirteenth of Aban is not a trivial matter.

Now, reflect for a moment; last year - in 2009 - on the thirteenth of Aban, a limited unfortunate crowd came into the streets of Tehran, shouted against the thirteenth of Aban, hoping to tarnish this great occasion. Of course, they failed, it was clear they would fail - this was obvious - but see what was behind their movement? What were they opposing? They were opposing this symbol that carries these great concepts behind it. In reality, they were opposing these concepts. They wanted to revive the American arrogance once again. They wanted to cover up the arrogance and interventionism of America. They wanted to question the great movement of the Iranian nation against that great oppression.

When one understands the meaning of the thirteenth of Aban, one understands who those are that thought they could ruin the thirteenth of Aban, who they are, what they are, and what their goals are. This insight that we repeat, that we emphasize, is this. We must reflect, we must pay attention.

I want to say to you dear youth; today you are the forefront of the movement of the Iranian nation. The Iranian nation is gazing at peaks and is moving towards those peaks. Friends and enemies acknowledge that the Iranian nation is rapidly moving towards the peaks. Of course, the road is still very long; we must not be naive. The path we have ahead is not a one-year or two-year path; it is a long-term path; but it is moving forward. Without movement, reaching the goal is not possible. By sitting, wishing, and yawning, no one reaches the goal; one must step onto the path and move forward with determination. The Iranian nation is doing this.

In the scientific field, in technology, in politics, in various services, in the development of the country, we have achieved remarkable progress. Today, fortunately, the entire country is like a large workshop where work is being done everywhere, services are being provided, and developmental projects are being carried out; both Iranian officials gain skill, expertise, and experience, and the people benefit, and we become self-sufficient from others.

In the past, if they wanted to build a bridge in this city, a foreign expert had to come; if they wanted to build a dam, they had to rely on several foreign governments; more complex tasks are another matter. Today, the Iranian nation is self-sufficient in these respects; it has a rich, abundant, talented, and numerous human resource; it has dedicated, interested, and efficient managers. The nation is moving forward. But who are the ones that stand in the way of this great movement? They are the youth, the students, the young clerics. It is the youth who are driving this movement forward. The engine of this great movement, this great train that is moving forward, is the youth.

Of course, efficient, experienced, and seasoned managers are needed. Relying on the youth does not mean that we disrespect experienced people who have seen life and have gray hair; no, their presence is also necessary and essential; but without the youth, this movement does not take place. Today, by God's grace, with divine support, the youth are present, they are in the scene; this is a very important and significant thing. You youth are the forefront of this movement; both in political arenas, and in economic fields, and in the field of science.

In the political arena, our youth quelled the sedition of 2009. More than various other factors, our youth, you students, you students played a role; otherwise, the sedition was a great one. Let me tell you; a few years from now, the pens of international aware individuals will be freed, will be opened, and they will write. I may not be there that day, but you will be; you will hear, you will read what a great conspiracy was behind the sedition of 2009. This sedition was a very significant matter; their intent was very strange and bizarre; in reality, they wanted to seize Iran. Those who were behind the sedition - in the streets, or some of their spokespersons - often entered this field unknowingly; however, some were guiding them, they did not understand. Now, how some entered this field, how unknowingly they helped the enemy, has its own precise psychological analyses; but the reality is as I said. This was a very significant matter; you youth brought it to fruition.

Stay in the scene, my dear ones! The country belongs to you. These peaks that I mentioned earlier belong to you. In the era when you reach maturity, God willing, you will see these peaks and will bring pride to your nation. Of course, no movement is ever completely finished. The movement towards the peaks continues and will never stop. The important thing is that a nation learns, gets used to it, and resolves to move towards perfection and elevation. This resolve must never weaken.

Today, fortunately, the Islamic Republic and the dear nation that supports this Republic and protects it are stronger than ever, more capable than ever. Today, our path is clearer than ever, and we know what we are doing; we understand where we are going; we recognize our friends, and we also recognize our enemies.

The enemies of the Iranian nation today are weaker than ever before, they are despised, they are facing problems; they are facing economic problems, they are facing political problems, they have all sorts of problems. Of course, this does not mean that we should become complacent, lay our heads on soft pillows, and forget; no, never "the enemy cannot be considered weak and pathetic"; we must always remember that the enemy is lurking, is watching; but know that today the enemy cannot use the methods of the past. Today, the Iranian nation is vigilant; our youth are vigilant, aware, and awake. The largest group of youth in this country is today serving these very goals; whether in the university environment, in the market environment, in the student environment, or in religious environments; in all environments, the youth are involved.

O Lord! Grant these youth Your grace and mercy. O Lord! Establish righteousness over this country. O Lord! Educate us, the various segments, as Islam desires and approves. O Lord! Assist the Iranian nation in its numerous victories. O Lord! Make the prayer of the Awaited One (may our souls be sacrificed for him) a support for this nation and include it in the favor of this nation and accepted at Your threshold.

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