Message [Reply to a message of congratulations on the New Islamic Lunar (Hijri) Year]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

His Excellency Mr. Rashid Bin Sa`id Al-e Maktoum, Deputy Head of State and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates,

The receipt of your congratulatory telegram on the start of the New Islamic Lunar Year is acknowledged with gratitude. With utmost regret, last year we witnessed the greatest tragedy inflicted on the body of the dear Islam. We saw that the mercenary Sa`oudi family on the order of the criminal America butchered thousands of defenseless pilgrims to the House of God in the holy sanctuary for the" crime" of declaring disavowal against polytheists. By committing this crime, it hurt the heart of every committed Muslim.

I beseech God, the Exalted, to deliver the holy land of Hijaz and the place of descent of the divine revelation from the hand of these enemies of Islam and agents of imperialism. May peace be upon you.

Rouhullah al-Mousawi al-Khomeini