Statements in Meeting with Thousands of Workers from Across the Country

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

I extend my warm welcome to all of you dear brothers and sisters active in the field of labor and the workers' environment. This is an opportunity for me to sit with you for a few moments each year and share some remarks.

The issue of work, the dignity of the worker, the limits of the worker, and the status of the worker are very important matters both in Islam and in rational logic. In rational logic, if one considers the series of essential needs of life, the link related to work is a fundamental and determining link. That is, if all the money in the world is gathered, without the element of work and the worker alongside it, all human needs remain unfulfilled. Money cannot be eaten, worn, or utilized. What fulfills human needs from the wealth of people and the blessings of the earth is the element of work. Work relies on the worker. Therefore, the role of the capable arm, the skilled hand, and the mind and taste of the worker in human life—both in individual life and social life—is a clear rational matter. Those who disregard and neglect the working class and the worker community do not see or ignore this fundamental and important role. Those who consider the worker alongside the tools of work, as just a means, do the same. This is rational logic and it is completely correct; however, above this is the logic of Islam. Islam considers the work that we do, performed by the worker's hand, as worship and righteous action. That is, the issue of the worker and the work they do is not limited to this world; rather, the Almighty God has established a high status for this truth, for this phenomenon—namely, the phenomenon of work—in the comprehensive plan of human life in this world and the Hereafter. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "This hand will not be touched by fire." When the Prophet took the worker's hand and kissed it, everyone was astonished. The Prophet said: This is a hand that fire will not touch; this is a hand that will not reach fire. That is, when we pray at night, when we read the Quran, when we seek intercession from the Almighty God, we are actually creating barriers between ourselves and the fire. When we work, we also create barriers and veils between ourselves and the fire. This is a very high matter, a very important matter. This is the Islamic perspective.

Now, let us turn to the worker community. I will speak about what pertains to our country and especially to the period of the revolution and struggles. Firstly, the workers played an important role in the success of the Iranian people's struggles. If the worker community—mainly in oil and in some other sensitive and important places—had not entered the field, there would have been problems on the path to the victory of the revolution. Then came the issue of the Sacred Defense. Before the Sacred Defense, the early issues of the revolution arose—which many of you young people either were not present for or do not remember; we witnessed them closely—and the workers and the worker community of the country played a role. I myself was among the workers in one of these factories near Tehran on the 21st and 22nd of Bahman and witnessed how the leftist elements of that day—namely, the communists and their followers—wanted to start a so-called workers' movement and turn the Islamic revolution into a communist and Marxist revolution. This was happening in Tehran. Those who stood against them were the workers. Of course, that factory had only a few hundred workers, but they had made it the starting point of their work. We went there among the workers, and the workers recognized the voice of religion as a familiar voice. They did not know me—I was just an ordinary seminary student—but they saw that the voice of religion was a familiar voice; the voice of the anti-religious was an unfamiliar and foreign voice; it was a denial for them. If any of the workers from that day in that factory were to hear this statement and sit down to explain the events of those three or four nights that we were going back and forth there—spending hours there—it would be a remarkable and important experience in the country. The workers played such a role. That is, those who wanted to raise the worker community against Islam and the Islamic Republic were met with a slap in the face by the workers themselves. Over the years, it has always been this way, and it remains so today. Then came the issue of the Sacred Defense and the vast and significant presence of workers in this arena. After that, there has been the presence in the field of work.

A phrase in the anthem of these dear brothers was: "The field of work is our battlefield." This phrase is true. The Iranian worker, with dignity and honor, considers work as their struggle, their fight. With your work, you are fighting against those who want to plunge the country into economic collapse, recession, and economic failure. Our dear worker community across the country should know; today, the work you do—diligent work, innovative work, work based on the taste and creativity of the Iranian mind—is a struggle, a fight. With your work, you are fighting against the world of global arrogance; everyone should pay attention to this.

Well, what has happened in our country and in the Islamic Republic system, and thanks be to God, is an environment of sincerity, love, and brotherhood among the circles of work. It is not that there are no people who want to oppress workers, nor that in some places rights may be overlooked or needs may not be addressed; well, such things exist; however, the policy of the system, the policy of the officials, the overall current governing the Islamic system is to create empathy, cooperation, and intimacy among the circles of work; both employers, workers, and government officials. The things that the esteemed Minister of Labor and Social Affairs has mentioned are important matters; some of these have been implemented, and some must be pursued with patience, diligence, and as quickly as possible. We must, God willing, with God's grace, make our worker community one of the prosperous and benefiting communities.

This year is the year of economic jihad. Economic jihad focuses on a fundamental point in the issue of managing the country; and that is that today the enemy has concentrated its efforts on the issue of the economy to fight against Islam and the Islamic Republic. It is not that they have forgotten other arenas; no, in the fields of culture, security, politics, and in all areas, they do whatever they can against the Islamic Republic—now whether they fail is another matter; but they are making their efforts—however, their main focus is on economic issues. They seek to create problems in the economic situation of the country to separate the people from the government, from the system, to create distance and gaps. Therefore, economic jihad is necessary; that is, this struggle, this fight, but in a jihad-like manner, with all strength, with all existence, with pure intention, with understanding and insight into what we are doing. The year of economic jihad means this. If the economic sectors of the country in all governmental and non-governmental areas adhere to this struggle with God's grace, a leap will occur, and all people will share in this success.

What I advise the worker community is diligence and thoroughness. I have repeatedly read this hadith: "May God have mercy on the person who does a job and perfects it." The Prophet says: Work must be done thoroughly, correctly; may God's mercy be upon such a person.

We must ensure that Iranian goods remain in the minds of Iranian and non-Iranian consumers as strong, desirable, beautiful, tasteful, and durable products. This must be the endeavor of the entire entrepreneurial and worker community and those responsible for this matter. Of course, this work has prerequisites. It may require training in necessary skills, creating necessary skill courses—which are the work of governmental bodies and similar entities—but this must be the goal. Wherever the Iranian worker applies their taste, their creativity, and their skilled hand, interesting and remarkable work emerges.

These artistic works, a blend of art and labor that Iranians had in the past, still exist today; this is a tangible and observable meaning. Wherever Iranian taste and art come into play—this worker who is working, their innovation, their taste, their artistry, their thoroughness—work becomes interesting and lasting. Fortunately, there are many products in the country that are better than their foreign counterparts, some of which are significantly better; both more beautiful, stronger, and more interesting; we must generalize this in all our production materials; whether in consumable food products, clothing issues, life matters, or decorative matters. In everything that is produced, we must keep this in mind; and we can. The entire worker community, designers, engineers, investors, manual workers, and machine workers can accomplish this work. We must set our sights on this; creating durable, beautiful, and exquisite products. This is a grand task.

Another point that addresses all the people of the country is the consumption of domestic goods. One of the social ailments we have, the root of which is a legacy of the tyrannical past and the dark era, is that individuals are attached to foreign products. At one time, we had no domestic production; at another time, domestic production was unconsumable; today, it is not like that; today, domestic products are high-quality and desirable. At the same time, some people like to say that a certain foreign label is on their clothing or food items; this is an illness; this illness must be treated. This behavior shows a disregard for the fact that we live in this country and benefit from God's blessings in this land. Then, the money we earn in this country goes into the pockets of a foreign worker, to the detriment of a domestic worker. This means that we are indifferent to the domestic needs, to the domestic worker who is working hard and producing goods, and we go after the foreign worker. This is a very bad habit.

In the year of economic jihad, in my opinion, one of the aspects of the economic struggle of the people is to seek out domestically made goods; they should desire them. Of course, the other side of the matter is that domestically made goods must be convincing; their durability, strength, and quality must be such that they convince the customer; both of these together are necessary and obligatory.

Of course, the issues that the country's officials must pursue with effort are numerous in the context of the year of economic jihad. The issue of employment is very important; entrepreneurship is very important; addressing the economic infrastructure across the country is crucial, which thoughtful and knowledgeable individuals have studied and identified; pursuing these is very important. Likewise, the issue of industry, the issue of agriculture, various issues in these areas are important matters. All of these are fundamental tasks, and addressing each of them is jihad in the way of God.

What one observes is that God's grace and favor towards this country and this nation has been such that it will remove these obstacles one after another and will progress. This progress is the destiny of our nation. The efforts that the enemies of the Iranian nation make only serve to harm themselves; they bring upon themselves the wrath of God and worldly and otherworldly loss; they achieve nothing.

Today, the devices of global arrogance, the devices of oppression, the anti-human devices, the devices that have been exposed before nations in the world, are all lined up against the Islamic Republic, hoping to strike a blow to this symbol of the greatness and dignity of Islamic humanity; they do not want it to be an inspiration for others. They are making all their efforts, and the result is that they gain no benefit from these efforts. They wanted to isolate the Iranian nation, but the opposite happened. In this region, how much they have traveled, how many meetings they have held, how much they have mingled with corrupt individuals in the region to isolate Iran. The Almighty God has arranged it such that today the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic, with these popular revolutions, with this series of magnificent and grand uprisings in these countries, are at the forefront of the nations' attention, and Iran is more than ever on people's lips, receiving attention, care, and respect; exactly the opposite of what they wanted.

The U.S. government, which is among the most condemned governments and entities that have acted against humanity and human rights, sought to take action to isolate the Islamic Republic. The President of the United States gave a speech last year in Egypt addressed to the Islamic world, with words that he thought were adorned and embellished to attract hearts and restore America's lost reputation in this region. What has been the result? Today, the most despised governments in this region before the nations is the U.S. government.

This is the nature of work. If a nation moves towards divine goals with the name of God, with the remembrance of God, for God, God Almighty helps them. Today, our nation, thanks be to God, is like this. Our officials, our nation, our government are making efforts, striving. In this country, work is being done towards divine goals; therefore, God Almighty helps.

The opposite of this are those who work against the servants of God, against the path of God, against divine goals. Their fate is a bad fate. Now they may have a few days of dominance. "Falsehood has a period of dominance"; falsehood may have a period of dominance, but this dominance has no end. The result is what the opponents, enemies, and arrogant powers are observing. By God's grace, the future of this region will be much better than today, and God willing, due to the blessings of the nations' efforts and movements towards Islam, God's favors upon the nations will increase.

We must ask God Almighty to grant us success in traversing this path and help us to, God willing, continue this intention, this path, this sincerity in our ongoing movement and seek help from God Almighty. God willing, the blessings and attentions of His Holiness, the Awaited Savior (may our souls be sacrificed for him), and the prayers of that great figure will encompass us. We hope that God Almighty will include our dear martyrs, the martyrs of labor across the country, in His grace and mercy and unite them with the pure soul of our great Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) and his companions.

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