Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Meeting with Basij Students and Pupils

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

I welcome all of you dear youth and hope that your pure, radiant, and bright hearts, which are the manifestation of the divine graces of the Almighty, guide you throughout your long and blessed life, God willing, in the future.

Our meeting today with you young people, my dear children; students and pupils, is on the occasion of the very important day of the 13th of Aban. The 13th of Aban is, in fact, the day of the youth; the student and pupil youth.

Although the first memory recorded in the historical memory of our nation on this day is the 13th of Aban 1343, which is years before your birth. It was the day when the American mercenaries, who unfortunately ruled this country for years, arrested our dear Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) for his struggle against the American capitulation law in Qom and exiled him from the country. However, in response to this incident, years later, it was the turn of the youth to record significant events on this day in their historical context; and they did.

Another bitter incident on the 13th of Aban in 1357 was when our students were killed by the same American mercenaries dominating our country; they were massacred. This was the second blow that America inflicted on our nation and country through its agents. However, after this, a third memory occurred, which is the 13th of Aban the following year; that is, 1358. This time, it was the slap of Iranian youth to America.

For years now, the Americans have been propagating this third incident as an Iranian aggression and making a fuss about it, but they forget the two previous incidents and erase them from history. Such betrayals have become frequent in history, but the truth is that the incident of the seizure of the American embassy, which was the center of American espionage, was, in fact, a severe slap from Iranian youth to that arrogant and interventionist government that had been squeezing our country, our nation, and our resources for many years.

The saga of nations and powers throughout history is the same. Looking at history should make us aware of the general fate of nations and humanity; it is a lesson, it shows the way. This is the fate of nations. The historical narrative of nations is the same. A nation that has been oppressed in the unjust political relations of the world either burns and builds; it endures, or it seeks to respond. There is no other option. The fate of nations is determined by this choice. You young people must reflect and think deeply on this point. This shows us the way. The unjust relations between the dominating powers and the oppressed nations and countries is not a matter of today or yesterday; it has always been a part of history.

Some powers, with their might and military capabilities, feel entitled to oppress other nations, to commit injustices, to invade, to kill, to trample, to abduct, to plunder; this is what unjust relations become. This is what we have termed the system of domination. The system of domination means one side is the oppressor, and the other side is the oppressed.

What decision will this oppressed nation make? How will it act? Its fate is determined by the answer to this specific question. It either chooses the first path, saying, "I will burn and build," which makes it clear what the fate of such a nation that chooses to endure, to remain silent, and to accept a humiliating life for just a few days will be. Its fate will be to remain under oppression. If you want a clear example of such nations, look at the Islamic Ummah over the past two centuries.

Islamic countries in the last two centuries have chosen this path; the path of burning and building; the path of remaining silent. In these circumstances, who is to blame? The intellectuals are to blame, the religious scholars are to blame, the hopeful and needed youth of that society are to blame. The fate of these nations becomes what it has become. With their rich cultural heritage, with their brilliant political history, they have reached a point where almost all Islamic countries were under colonial rule in the last one or two centuries; either overt and public colonialism, like many Arab countries, or indirect colonialism - what is called neo-colonialism - like our country during the tyrannical regime. The result of choosing the first path is just this; scientifically, they lag behind, in terms of international honors, they fall behind, their living conditions deteriorate day by day, their human resources remain idle, their natural resources are plundered; this becomes the result; the destruction of countries. In contrast, those dominating powers, by feeding off these resources, become stronger and more dominant and exert more force.

However, the second path changes the fate of the nation: "Indeed, God does not change what is in a people until they change what is in themselves." The choice is up to the nation. If among a nation that is thus oppressed, great individuals emerge, free people arise, prominent scholars courageously enter the field, and the masses are willing to forgo fleeting pleasures and trivial comforts of daily life and strive and dedicate themselves to martyrdom, they can free themselves from this humiliation of being under oppression. This was the choice that the Iranian nation made with the Islamic Revolution.

The primary role belongs to the Imam and the Ummah. The positive response of our dear Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) - this unparalleled and unforgettable figure in our country's history - and the response of the Ummah to the Imam in this movement turned the tide; we had received a slap, and in return, we struck back. The Islamic Revolution was a great slap from the Iranian nation against the encroachments, aggressions, tyrannies, humiliations, and oppressive domination of America and the arrogant powers over many years. One manifestation of this, of course, is the 13th of Aban 58, which is particularly significant for the youth. The entire Iranian nation played a role during the revolution; women played a prominent role, men played a prominent role, various classes all entered the field; this great incident occurred.

It is clear that the dominating power does not easily and quickly submit or retreat. This struggle must continue until a nation can solidify its position; you are currently continuing this struggle. This struggle is not always in the battlefield; however, it is always in the realm of human capacities; it is always in the realm of wills. When the will of the nation is directed towards continuing the path of independence and dignity, it will progress; this is what happened in Iran. Dear youth! You are the heirs of a glorious reality in this country.

Our country was once a critical and fundamental point of concentration for the arrogant domination in this region. The treacherous rulers, the accursed Pahlavi dynasty, the self-abased and bribed politicians, the silent intellectuals, the indifferent scholars, all collectively conspired to turn the nation into a stagnant body of water. The oppressors did whatever they wanted with this nation, one example of which was the capitulation law I mentioned. They passed a law in the Iranian parliament stating that the Iranian government and judiciary had no right to prosecute American criminals in Iran. That day, the Imam cried out; that day, the Imam clarified the truth for the people. If a low-ranking American military personnel - an American sergeant, an American cook - insulted the highest scientific, religious, and political authorities of our country, the people had no right to prosecute him! This is what is happening in countries where Americans oppress. You see, the American company "Blackwater" in Baghdad is shooting innocent people, and no one dares to prosecute them and ask why they did it. They sought and pursued such a situation in Iran. When they dominate a nation, they show no mercy to that nation. The nation must awaken, be vigilant, and find its path; and the Iranian nation found its path.

Of course, we paid a heavy price. The eight-year war was one of the costs that the Iranian nation bore; however, in return, it gained its independence; it gained its dignity. Today, the Iranian nation and the youth of Iran are a source of inspiration for nations and intellectuals in the Islamic world and many other countries. Today, the respect and credibility of Iran in universities across the Islamic world is greater than that of all other countries. This is due to the will that the Iranian nation has shown and the fate it has changed.

This path must continue; hope lies with you young people. Prepare yourselves. The issue is not just about military warfare, where we say prepare yourselves for military conflict; no, if one day a military incident occurs in this country, these millions of Iranian youth, these sons, these daughters, these mothers and children have proven themselves well; they have shown what they can do in the past, and they will do the same in the future; however, the issue is not limited to this. The path of knowledge, the path of strengthening will, the path of creativity and construction, the path of growth and evolution must be traversed by the Iranian youth. The more we distance ourselves from Islamic teachings, the more we abandon struggle and effort, the more we will suffer, and correspondingly, in this historical battle of life and death, we will fall behind; we will be struck.

The Iranian nation must stand in the field of science, strive in the field of economic activity, strengthen this unity and solidarity among the nation and the government, and also strengthen the centers of knowledge, awareness, and intellectual and spiritual capabilities within the nation, especially among the youth.

In our universities, these centers of knowledge and awareness and politics, various associations - Islamic associations, Islamic society, justice-seeking movement, student Basij, dozens of youth groups - that are active under various names in universities and high schools, each of these is a golden page of the Iranian nation's efforts; these must be strengthened. This is what constitutes the mobilization of a nation. The enemies of this nation misinterpret mobilization; mobilization means this.

Mobilization means that every youth understands and realizes that their country must be independent, free, and prosperous, and they want to strive in this path and take on responsibilities; this is mobilization. The name mobilization is a sacred name. The general mobilization of a nation means the constant readiness and vigilance of a nation, especially the youth who are pursuing knowledge; students and pupils. The officials of the country must also be the same; everyone must be mobilized in this sense. When this happens, the nation becomes invulnerable. Day by day, the nation grows, and this has happened in our country; thus, our country has grown day by day.

You dear youth should know that the current situation of the country in terms of politics, science, economy, revolutionary and Islamic motivation, and the awareness and insight of the youth has changed significantly compared to twenty years ago; we have advanced a lot. What is evident and measurable is our scientific advancements, one example of which is the nuclear issue, and there are many other examples. With this progress, our enemies, of course, oppose.

Today, the main issue of the foreign policy of a country like America has become the nuclear issue of Iran; why? Because this is a sign of the progress of a nation that they do not want to advance; they do not want it to gain power; they do not want it to gain scientific power; they do not want it to gain spiritual power and self-confidence, so they can restore their dominance. For this reason, they oppose.

Today, the main propaganda of America and its political figures in their media, who have been thwarted everywhere, is that they are clinging to the issue that Iranians are killing our soldiers in Iraq; a complete lie! They have come under question; today, the government and ruling system in America is under scrutiny from its own people because of the foolish, stupid, and oppressive behavior they have adopted in Iraq; they say: You are sending our youth to be killed in Iraq. They must answer their own people. Their answer is this; they say: No, we are not killing them, the Iranians are killing them! A complete lie! Their hands are stained with the blood of their own youth and soldiers. What are they doing in Iraq? They have sent their soldiers thousands of kilometers away to Iraq for what? Fighting for what? Today, the main factor of insecurity in the Middle East is the presence of Americans and their interference; they are the source of insecurity in Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine; they are the source of instability. The world understands this today. Fortunately, nations have awakened. You see, in every place where the President of America and American statesmen appear, nations react, burning the American flag; burning effigies of Bush. This is isolation.

Today, America's power, its grandeur, its superpower prestige has diminished in the eyes of nations, and nations have awakened; they have gained courage and audacity. And you are the main factor; you, the Iranian nation, you, the youth, who rose up, stood firm, revolted, spoke the truth, and stood by that truth. "Indeed, those who said, 'Our Lord is God,' then remained steadfast"; you persevered. The result is that the Almighty God sends down His mercy and blessings upon you; "The angels descend upon them, saying, 'Do not fear and do not grieve.'" There is no fear of the enemy in the hearts of Iranian youth. Our youth do not fear the enemy. There is no sorrow and grief over being under the enemy's domination in their hearts. "Do not fear and do not grieve"; do not be afraid, do not be sad. This is the message of the divine angels to you.

And I say to you dear youth! Continue this path. The future of the country is bright, the horizons are very radiant; but it depends on your will, on your activity, on your work, on your commitment to self-building; scientific self-building, religious self-building, keeping the spirit and heart pure - which God has given you - in all fields; activity, effort, vitality; this is the factor that will, God willing, elevate your country to the pinnacle of power and dignity.

I hope the pure souls of the martyrs and the sacred spirit of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) always support you, and the sacred heart of the Awaited One (may our souls be sacrificed for him) be pleased with you, and God willing, you will all witness that bright day and beautiful future.