Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Meeting with Teachers and Workers

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

Dear brothers and sisters! Welcome. I congratulate you on the auspicious days of the Week of Unity, as well as Teacher's Day and Worker’s Week. I ask the Almighty God to elevate the ranks of the great martyr of the revolution - the late Ayatollah Martyr Motahhari - who was truly a great teacher for the past, present, and future of the country; a devoted, hardworking, and faithful thinker of religion. Teaching and labor, in their broadest sense, were manifested in the most beautiful form in this great personality of the revolution. The tribute we pay to the status of the teacher or the worker - whether on this occasion or on various other occasions - is not merely a verbal courtesy; it expresses the logic of Islam regarding education, training, work, and the worker; it presents Islamic culture in these two areas. In many cases, the problem of a society is misunderstanding. When a worker is viewed merely as a means of production and his human personality and dignity are overlooked, no matter how much material reward is given to him, it will not be satisfactory. Or if a teacher is considered a ceremonial member of society and substantial support for teachers in programs, policies, and laws takes on an economic aspect while the human, moral, and value aspects of the teacher are ignored, it is an insult to the teacher. Certainly, livelihood is an important issue and must be addressed; however, the issue of humanity and human value is not limited to livelihood. In Islam, the teacher holds a truly high status. If Islamic culture prevails in a society, all people should consider themselves indebted to the teacher; because the teacher is the one who transforms raw human material into an active, constructive, vibrant, useful, specialized, and knowledgeable force; this is the greatest work that can be accomplished in the natural world. The worker is the one who carries the most important part of the movement of society on his shoulders. A significant portion of work, effort, construction, and production is concentrated on human resources; that is, the work done by the worker. If the value of the worker is understood in society, all those who benefit from any of the blessings of society will consider themselves indebted to the worker; this creates a sense of honor, dignity, and respect for the worker and the teacher. In a society, this is important. If policymakers, planners, and lawmakers also believe in this dignity and respect for the teacher or worker class, they will draft laws and organize executive policies in such a way that their rights - as they deserve - are fulfilled. If we look with a discerning eye, the worker class and the teacher class - who are considered the main builders and producers of the country and the true administrators of a society - have hundreds of times more honor than those who sit at a ready-made table and only consume; without contributing any good to society or its progress.

Regarding the issue of the worker, what is necessary is that within the limits of the government's capabilities - not beyond those capabilities; to the extent that the executive capacity of the government and the country allows - laws should be organized and executive policies arranged so that the worker feels both job security and that the value of his work is recognized. On one hand, the rights of the worker should be addressed, and on the other hand, actions should not be taken that make investors feel apprehensive about hiring workers. Both sides of the issue must be viewed realistically and wisely so that the result is both job security for the worker and his attainment of his rightful rights.

Regarding teachers, it should be noted that the work that rests on the teacher's shoulders is one of the greatest tasks that humanity can undertake. His production is the most important production; the production of wise, knowledgeable, and efficient human beings. He is the one who brings forth the springs of talent within individuals and transforms this raw human material - which is our children and adolescents - into an efficient human personality, thoughtful and beneficial for society, the country, and history. All the powerful hands that have set history in motion have gained strength through the hands of teachers; it has been teachers who have made them effective; otherwise, if the care, kindness, effort, and labor of the teacher are not behind many talents, they will be buried and lost within individuals; therefore, the teacher must be valued.

The Islamic system is indeed indebted to the teacher and worker classes. Both at the beginning of the revolution's emergence, these two classes provided great assistance; and in preserving the revolution and the Islamic system until today; whether during the Sacred Defense, before it, or after it until now. Many hands were at work to separate these two classes from the system; they relied on weaknesses, grievances, and complaints, exaggerating or highlighting them to position these two faithful, interested, and service-oriented classes against the revolution and the system; they have not succeeded, and these efforts have been unsuccessful until today.

Let me tell you; the effort to revive the demands of these classes and to derive conclusions from all this to confront the revolution and the system is to the benefit of the enemies of the system, and this effort still exists today; they are still trying; everyone should be vigilant. This is separate from our recommendation and emphasis to the government, officials, and lawmakers to ensure that the rightful rights of these two classes and other classes are not violated; this must be preserved and should be done. On this side of the issue, our workers and teachers have been the central focus of the enemies since day one; efforts have been made to separate them from the system and the revolution; but the vigilance, faith, nobility, wisdom, and understanding of these two classes have neutralized the enemy's efforts. The community of teachers today is a well-respected community in our country; however, some have decided to tarnish this reputation in the eyes of the people; we see this in some of the efforts. Some knowingly serve the enemy, while others do so unknowingly; they do not understand what they are doing. Today, as the country needs to accelerate in the fields of education, training, research, and building noble human beings to compensate for the backwardness of previous eras - and by God's grace, we have made significant progress - one of the tasks is to introduce a halt to this movement; they are targeting universities - perhaps to disrupt them - and they are also targeting schools. Of course, our teachers are awake and vigilant and appreciate their service and reputation, and they know how any provocation from the hands of foreign conspirators or foreign agents positions them against the guardians of the students. Who are the guardians of the students? They are the entire nation. These are conspiracies; similar actions have been taken against workers. Just now, there was talk of a conspiracy that occurred at the beginning of the revolution in factories around Tehran, which the Almighty God thwarted. They had designed it very precisely; however, the hands of the people's faith, the vigilance of the people, and our devoted youth in these factories struck back at them and pushed them back. Of course, they retreat, but their greed does not go away. This is not an illusion; it is a reality. Today, the arrogant powers of the world have opened their mouths like during the colonial era of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to swallow any point that creates more wealth and power for them. What is the plan of the "Greater Middle East" that the ruling gang in the United States, orchestrated fundamentally by the Zionists, has designed? What does it mean?

The Middle East is a wealthy region; their greed to swallow it does not allow them to rest; their intention is to devour this region. Of course, they cannot; this morsel is too big and will choke them. These policies and these ill intentions are also directed at our country, but they fear the Islamic Iran. It is not that they fear me or people like me; no, they fear you; they fear the nation; they fear your faith; they fear your presence in the arena; they fear your elections; hence, they do not approach; however, their greed remains.

Look at what they are doing to Iraq! Look at what they are doing to the oppressed nation of Palestine! Today, the banner of the fight against terrorism is in the hands of America; they have taken this banner and are constantly charging here and there, claiming that they want to fight terrorism; meanwhile, they endorse the clear terror with prior announcements against Palestinian figures that the Zionist butchers and criminals carry out; they do not even feel ashamed! This itself is evidence that they are declining and do not understand. For a regime and a political system, true weakness and decline of power begin when this regime and this system lose their political reasoning and convincing justification for their actions and political legitimacy. When a regime loses its political legitimacy and its reasoning for its existence and actions is taken from it, then it has lost its spiritual power and its downfall has begun; even if nothing is understood on the surface and they themselves do not realize it. They are so intoxicated with power and lust that they do not understand how the weakness of reasoning and the lack of political legitimacy affects them in the world.

He congratulates the Zionist criminal - namely Sharon - for killing Ahmad Yasin or for assassinating martyr Rantisi! What is his reasoning for this action? It is that the Israeli government is defending itself. Amazing! Is not the logic of the world's dictators, where they suppress and torture their people and opponents, anything other than this?! All the infamous and wicked political figures in the world, known for their malice and dictatorship, have crushed their opponents with this same logic; they say we are defending our existence. He says Israel is defending its existence. Sheikh Ahmad Yasin, the paralyzed old man sitting in a wheelchair, could do nothing but speak and think! You who say you support freedom of expression and freedom of thought. They martyr him, and he congratulates them! Look at how brazen they are! Did the world accept this? Absolutely not. Even the Westerners and public opinion did not accept this. This means the loss of political legitimacy; it means they no longer have logic, and what they say is not accepted by the fair-minded public opinion of the world. The same thing is happening in Iraq right now. The recent turmoil in Iraq and the confrontations in Najaf, Karbala, Basra, and other areas began when the Americans seized a publication solely because it criticized the Americans and wrote against them. Do you not say you support freedom of the press? Do you not falsely claim to be advocates of freedom of thought and freedom of the press and freedom of expression? Then why did you shut down a newspaper? Because it wrote against the occupiers and the booted men who have invaded people's homes? This massacre and this suppression follow such an issue. Today, the Americans and the British have no justification or reasoning for their presence in Iraq. They said they came to fight terrorism and to defend human rights and to establish democracy. Is this democracy?! Is this human rights?! For an Iraqi woman, child, man, and young person to see a foreigner dominating him and bullying him in his own home and land? At first, they concealed why they came; but now that public opinion in America is gradually opposing them, the ignorant President of America just a couple of weeks ago stated in his speech that if we can use Iraqi oil, we will not need oil from such and such countries! He admitted that they came for oil; he admitted that they did not come to defend human rights and democracy; the interests of their companies brought them to this country. This logic has failed in the world; even if some are afraid and do not speak, or speak and the Zionist media do not reflect their words. A regime that acts based on such a failed logic in the world, and behaves in this way, is doomed to failure and destruction. America has begun the process of destroying its own arrogant regime, and it has progressed significantly, and the people of the world will witness this; even though they make noise using power. In Iraq, the Americans are trapped and have no way out; like a wolf whose tail is caught in a trap; it struggles, howls, and if anything comes to hand, it bites. This trapped wolf either has to exert pressure and have its tail ripped off to free itself, or it must remain stuck. They are mired in filth. That is the situation of the Zionists in the oppressed land of Palestine, and this is their situation in the oppressed land of Iraq. Ultimately, the power of the oppressed will prevail over the power of the unrestrained and unaccountable oppression they are carrying out.

They are very hostile towards Islamic Iran; because these same truths are present in Iran. The realities that we can so easily express in the atmosphere of the country and that our people intelligently understand, do not find the opportunity to be spoken in the world. If anyone expresses these truths somewhere, the media completely restricts and boycotts him and does not allow these words to spread; even at the level of a great nation. Their fear of Iran is fear of the nation; fear of Islam. Let there be no mistake; they do not fear individuals. I and people like me are nothing without the support of the people and without deep popular faith. Politicians are like a thin wall without support that can be destroyed with a little pressure. What can stand against them is the solid dam of nations. Nations must awaken, and today, Islamic nations are awakening. They fear this enthusiasm, vitality, faith, and intelligence, and your presence in the arena; in the recent elections, your presence frightened and demoralized them. Elections are ahead again. I strongly recommend to the people of the constituencies where elections are to be held in the coming days to participate with utmost seriousness. Although elections are not held everywhere, dozens of representatives are to go to the parliament. Let the enthusiasm and fervor of the people in the areas where elections are to be held again be a sign of the massive presence of the people. In other matters as well, the presence, vigilance, and awareness of the people speak the first and last word, and this is due to the blessings of Islam and the teachings of Islam and the guidance of Islam. Without Islamic guidance and without deep religious and Islamic faith, neither such resistance would have formed nor would this support have remained against the plots, tricks, and deceptions of the enemies. The fact that our nation stands so firmly is due to this spiritual faith; and this will continue, and by the grace and power of God, and to the dismay of the enemies, the faith of the people will deepen day by day, and the support of the people for the system will increase.

I ask the Almighty God for the success, happiness, and prosperity of all of you dear brothers and sisters, all the dear workers and teachers, and the officials who are involved with these dear ones, and I seek the support of Islam and Muslims around the world, especially the oppressed countries from the Almighty God.

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