In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The enemy of Islam and humanity
The Shah is the bloodthirsty enemy of us all; he is not only my enemy. «1» May God preserve the nation. May God repel this bloodthirsty enemy- this enemy who is the enemy of the existence of this country; the enemy of the existence of Islam and the Muslims. Only a few days ago some of the Shah's agents murdered seven- or eight-year-old children, schoolboys and schoolgirls. He is not only my enemy; he is the enemy of us all; he is the enemy of humanity; he is the enemy of honor. You should all join hands together. Those of us who are outside the country have a duty to raise our voices in support of the people in Iran who stand united against him, and will continue to do so until, God willing, this enemy is destroyed. The regime's destruction is imminent, the bluster and self-glorification of the past is over now, but we should not be neglectful, those of us who are abroad should not be heedless of the situation of our brothers in the country. We have a duty, a moral and a religious duty to help them to the best of our ability. We must propagate their cause in whatever way we can; if we are able to get statements published in the newspapers then we must do so. We must do whatever we can.
Shah, the American agent
The people of Iran today are suffering at the hands of this man. «2» He has a mission to crush (them) and to prevent the interests of the foreigners from being destroyed. He is an agent. He has a mission to exhaust the country's oil supplies so that nothing is left for the people. This is the main reason why he was brought to power. He says that he has a mission for his country, «3» and this is indeed the truth! He has a" mission for my country," the mission America gave to him: to take the country to the brink of non-existence! He has the mission to give all our oil to the Americans and in return buy scrap metal from them, a deal which benefits only them. These arms which are now being bought are of no use to Iran, they are arms that the Americans want to have here so that if a war breaks out between America and Russia, for example, they have all the weapons they need in one place. Iran is one of their bases, which they want armed. They take our oil and in return they bring arms here for themselves. They set up military installations for themselves in Iran to be used should war break out. Do not suppose that they give us arms in return for oil. What good are weapons that we cannot use? These are weapons which no one in Iran can use. These are weapons that they themselves want to bring here, even if they hadn't taken our oil, they would still have brought these weapons here and would still have strengthened their bases because they fear that one day Russia may attack them. So what better than to take our oil and in exchange, under the pretext of doing us a favor, build their bases! They build bases for themselves in Iran that is what we get in return for our oil.
And such great amounts of oil they take! Some people who went to the oil fields said that the pipes through which they are taking the oil are so large that a man can easily walk into them! This was the case a while ago, perhaps by now they are even bigger! In only a few minutes the oil tankers are filled with oil and leave. This is the oil that was supposed to be used for running this country till the end of its days. But now the Shah says that it will finish in thirty years' time. He now says that this large reserve, which should nourish this generation, sustain and make this country prosperous, will finish in thirty years' time. Who is finishing it? One should ask him who is finishing this oil. He is finishing it. The Shah is depleting these abundant, God-given reserves and what does this nation get in return for their oil? Arms! Why does he buy so many arms? Can he fight Russia? Can he fight America? The guns that he has now are sufficient for crushing the people of his country; he does not need to bring in more from America. The guns he has are enough to crush our merchants, our young people, our university students, our girls, our boys, our women and our men. What are those huge pieces of equipment that are coming into the country in return for the large amounts of oil, which go out, is our country anything other than a base for them? So they take our oil and they take the profit from it also. They take our oil and then they take back the money they pay for it and use it to build bases for themselves.
National or Royal?!
We are not fully aware of what this regime is doing to this country; we do not have all the information. If, God willing, this man goes, then those people, who do know what is truly happening, who know the realities of Iran and are aware of the acts of treachery this man has perpetrated, will be able to speak out. But for the moment we do not have all the information. However, even the slight amount we do have shows us that he has destroyed the agriculture of Iran through his" land reforms." Do you suppose that Iran has any agriculture left for itself? He has destroyed it. And then the regime boasts about how much it has imported from abroad! This is laughable really. These boasts in a country, which used to export such commodities as wheat, barley and other items, are truly ridiculous. The situation should be lamented not lauded. Who has destroyed this great agrarian economy of Iran? At one time the needs of the whole country were met by the produce of just one of its provinces. Now we are reduced to depending on the outside world for all our essential needs. They have completely destroyed animal husbandry in the country. They have" nationalized," as they put it, our pastures on which the animals graze. But what they mean by" nationalized" is that everything goes to the Shah; he sees only himself and his family as comprising the nation! So when they say something has been nationalized, they mean it now belongs to them! The nation comprises of no one else. No one else matters. What is the nation? Just a group of ordinary people, merchants and people from the university. What use are they? The nation is the Shah and his gang! They have nationalized the pasturelands and the forests, but their nationalization serves only their own interests. They have prevented the farmers from grazing their animals on the pastures, so these farmers in turn have lost everything. They didn't allow the people to make use of the forests; instead they sold the forests to this place and that and took the profit for themselves. However, we still do not know about everything that they do.
Land reforms program and its consequences
We know about the agriculture of Iran because we can see what has happened to it since he implemented his land reform program. Our agrarian economy has been completely ruined. One way in which these land reforms have proved detrimental to our country is that we have now become a market for America. We are now forced to import wheat from America; the Iranian people now have to give their money to import a commodity that they once produced themselves, a commodity from which they should be deriving profit. And the same goes for everything else, they even say that eggs are brought in from Israel.
Another way in which the land reform program has proved detrimental is that it has displaced the villagers. As a result of the reforms, the villagers could no longer remain in their villages and so they migrated to Tehran and other cities. People have written to me telling me that there are twenty or thirty areas around Tehran. I cannot remember the exact number but these poor migrants have set up tents or some other forms of shelter for themselves in pits, in large holes in the ground. Just imagine two hundred, three hundred, five hundred tents where they live with their children and elderly relatives. And this is happening in Tehran, the capital of a country on the `threshold of a great civilization. ' Not only do they not have electricity, they have no water, there is no asphalt on the roads, and they have to take their jugs and climb up scores of steps out of this pit until they reach a water tap where they fill their jugs and climb down again. Picture some poor woman in the middle of the biting winter of Tehran climbing up and down those steps to fetch a jugful of water for her children. God only knows how many times she stumbles, how much trouble she has to go through, and this is not only in one area, there are forty or fifty more like this around Tehran. I have received reports of the areas where people have left their villages because of" land reforms" and the fall of agriculture. They have left their villages and flooded into Tehran and maybe other cities as well. They have taken refuge in Tehran so that can make a living. This is the situation of these people in a capital where the places are so grand!
Five million dollars are spent on floral decoration while villagers are living in hovels
This is the kind of life that they have while the relatives of this man live as they do. Only a few days ago I read somewhere that one of the Shah's sisters had spent a few million dollars on a villa some place, I can't remember exactly where, but what I do recall is that she spent five million dollars just on flowers and plants for decorating the garden of her «4» villa. Five million dollars! It's beyond imagination. The nation has one lifestyle and they have another. How did this come about? On the one hand, it came about because the Americans ordered him to:" Carry out `land reforms'; create a market for our goods, for we over-produce and we throw the surplus into the sea, but instead we'll sell it to you and get money for it!" And on the other hand because if some small amount of the oil money is left after the Americans have taken all that they want, the Shah and his gang grab it and spend it on their enjoyment.
America, the main criminal
We say that this situation should be changed. This is what anyone would say. Any human being would say this. Our country is in such a troubled situation because of this man and the people have suffered so under his rule as they did under that of his father before him. Now we say this state of affairs has to change. Nothing else. We say that this regime has betrayed this country. Even now treason is being committed. We must sever the hands of the traitors from this land. We say that it is America who has perpetrated the greatest act of treachery against our country. It is America that we now confront; the others are merely the leaves and branches. The Shah is one of the branches of America; he is only a servant; he has to do whatever they tell him. We say that America too must go, for it is the trunk. These branches take the wealth of the people; they are useless. They are traitors; they have to go too. The country belongs to us and we want to administer it ourselves. What has it got to do with America if we do not progress? It is ridiculous.
Carter, the Shah's esteemed teacher
Only today I was shown a newspaper which reported that Mr. Carter had said in an interview that the Iranian people are opposing the Shah because he wants to create a progressive society in Iran and wants to give the people freedom! It was in yesterday's newspaper also. So all these people are opposing him, this nation is opposing him because he wants to give them freedom! They are shouting that they do not want freedom! According to the logic of Mr. Carter, who thinks he knows everything, the Shah is asking the people to let him give them a prosperous life and they are saying no, we do not want it, we want to continue living in these pits! What can we do with such people? What should we say about this Carter? Should we say that he does not know what is really happening in the country, that he is not informed? Is it possible that Carter is not informed while you and I are? He has his experts everywhere; they are deeply involved in everything, so he knows what is going on. Who is he trying to fool? If he were to make such remarks at some other gathering where the people were not aware of the realities in Iran, they would think that all the people in Iran were mad, because this kind man wants to give them freedom, he wants to give them a good life and they do not want it. They would ask," Do not you want to have a car? Do not you want to have a prosperous life? He wants to give it to you, he is offering it to you with both hands and telling you to come and take it. So why are you pushing his hands away and saying you do not want it?" This is the logic of Mr. Carter, the President of America! Yet he knows fully well what he is saying; he is well aware of the situation. By making these remarks he hopes to deceive some people, well supposing that he can; this is devilry.
Torture and imprisonment is considered as freedom in the Shah's logic
We are troubled by such a being in the world. The logic of we, backward people, is that we want to have control of our own wealth. We are people whom they describe as backward. Sometimes they say we are not worthy of freedom. The Shah himself has said that the people of our country do not deserve freedom and because they are not worthy they must be imprisoned. They deserve nothing other than imprisonment. They are not deserving of freedom. Why? Is it because they are shouting," Give us freedom?" Is this why they are not worthy of it? Now everyone from the four- or five-year-old children, who of course learn from their elders, to the elderly are calling for freedom and independence. Well, if they already have freedom, then what more do they want? If he wants to grant them freedom, then why are all these people calling for" freedom and independence?" Obviously our logic differs. According to the Shah's way of thinking, his country is free, but that means everyone is being persecuted. This is his logic. What one man calls freedom is what we call tortured. According to his logic, he has granted freedom to those who were imprisoned, those who were suppressed, those who were persecuted! Independence too in the Shah's logic means something else: a country which is dependent on others in all aspects, which he has made dependent, is according to him independent.
America's anointed representatives
Do you think that the members of the Iranian Parliament, whose selection has nothing to do with the people, are nominated by the Shah? No, the embassies prepare a list of the names of those to be selected beforehand and give it to him. This is not something peculiar only to this period; it occurred at the time of Rida Khan also, only then it was the British Embassy, which prepared the list, and probably before them the Russian Embassy, and now it is the American Embassy that does this. Perhaps they, meaning America, Britain and Russia, all confer together and come to an understanding on this matter. They also come to an understanding on devouring the wealth of the people. One takes the gas while the other takes the oil. These representatives of ours are ordered into the Parliament by America. If it was the Shah himself who did this, then at least we could say he is from this country, even though we do not want a compatriot like this. But even he doesn't order them into Parliament. They say who should be the delegates, they give him the list and he passes it on to those who deal with the referendum, without modification. What say do the people have in the matter? How are the people involved in this? Who are the people? The people should be suppressed. They should work and eat nothing They should work and whatever they earn should go into the pockets of others; and whatever is left over from Carter and America goes into the pockets of the Shah and his Pahlavi relatives. What of the people? Suppression is their lot in life. They have to have something to put into their mouths, well let it be a punch!
The Shah's regime from an Islamic viewpoint
We say that this situation must be changed; it cannot carry on like this. A nation of thirty million «5» or more cannot be constantly suppressed; «6» the people cannot always work while others take the fruits of their labor. This does not conform to any logic. This situation has to be rectified. This is the logic of Islam. Can they in any way question this logic? They say that Islam is `reactionary'; «7» well, what business is it of theirs if it is or not? They call it reactionary because Islam says they must leave the country and let the people live independently. When they say" Islam is reactionary" they do so because Islam tells you that foreigners should not rule over you, it has forbidden you to be ruled by foreigners, it says you should be independent. Naturally then, in their logic, because Islam says you should be independent, it is reactionary. As long as you are independent of America and it is not involved in all of your country's affairs, then you are not progressive. This is their logic, and with this logic they want to make us progressive and take us to the "threshold of civilization." Our logic is different from theirs. Our terminology is different. According to their logic, what is happening in the country now- these actions of the Shah- are all part of taking us to the threshold of civilization.
America, the source of (our) backwardness
At this very moment, as we sit here, fighting is taking place in many places in Iran and shots are being fired. Our people are saying:" We do not want you to take us to the `threshold of civilization'. You leave the country; we know what to do." Let America leave our country; let the American advisers leave; when they go we shall administer our lives ourselves; our lives are none of their business. The Shah wishes to make us a `progressive' country, but we do not want the kind of progress that he has in mind. If we are able we will make our nation progressive ourselves, but if we do not succeed then so be it. We are a group of peasants who want to cultivate wheat or barley on our own land and then eat it ourselves. We are telling you Americans who have come here from the other side of the world and have grasped all the resources of Iran, its oil, copper, steel, everything, and are plundering the wealth of this country, to take your hands off! We will do what we want with our own resources. Carter tells us that we can't, but what has it got to do with him? If I cannot put my `aba on, does that mean he has to come and take it off me? His talk of progress is all lies; he won't allow us to progress.
America, an obstacle to Iran's progress
We have had universities in Iran for some seventy years now. We have had schools from the time of Amir Kabir. «8» We have universities, «9» but they have not been allowed to teach properly. Our educational system is an imperialist system. It is a system which they created for us, which they dictated to us. The imperialists do not let our youth become properly educated. They do not let us progress. If they release their hold on us, then the Iranians will make progress like the rest, they are no less capable than anyone else. But they do not let us progress, because if they were to do this then their interests would be jeopardized. They want to devour the East and keep it in a state of backwardness. They need it to be in this state so they can consume its wealth. They have installed their agents everywhere; in our country it's this Mr. Shah with his" mission for my country" and we can all see what that mission has entailed.
Our goal, termination of foreign rule
Ours is the logic of Islam, a logic which says that Muslims should not be ruled by foreigners, «10» they should not be dominated by others. We do not want to be subservient to others. This is what we are really saying, that America must go, not only America, Russia too, all foreign powers must leave our country. This is our logic and this is what we are shouting for. Now if, according to this logic, anyone has anything to say, then let us hear it. According to the propaganda in these newspapers- and it is said that the Shah spends a hundred million dollars every year on propaganda for his regime, to preserve his regime, «11» of course one expects such statements to be found in these newspapers- the akhounds are reactionaries; the akhounds are worshippers of the old; the akhounds are such and such. Then they turn to Islam and they paint a bad picture of both Islam and the akhounds. Why? Because that which stands in the way of the imperialists is Islam and it is the akhounds who are implementing Islam. The imperialists try to get rid of these obstacles to their designs by disparaging Islam so the people will turn away from its teachings and spurn the akhounds, and then only their agents, and whoever else they want, will be left.
Assault on the (students of) theological schools, universities and (ordinary) schools
They have made our universities such that our students cannot study properly. There is so much pressure on them. Nowadays no one can study in our theological schools or universities. The universities are always on strike. «12» It has been over a year now that they have been on strike; they cannot function; the regime does not let them function. Its agents storm the universities, beating and injuring both men and women, or arresting them and taking them off to prison. The same happens in the schools. Every so often they attack the schools and assault the pupils and teachers there. The religious students and university students cannot study in such a tense atmosphere, and now it is the same for the school-children. Nowadays they are beating the school-children, even killing them. Only today I was informed of the killing of many young schoolboys and schoolgirls by the regime. «13»
Retreat in face of the nation
The situation in Iran at present is unprecedented, and even more unexampled is the spirit of the Iranian people at this time. Their spirit now is so strong that even though tanks close in on them from one side and soldiers with bayonets from another, they raise their fists into the air and go forward; they confront them with sticks and stones. One is slain and another takes his place. They do not give up. It is this spirit which will make this regime retreat, as it has done already.
This Rastakhiz Party was so highly praised by the regime and the Shah insisted so strongly that all Iranians had to join it saying that whoever did not must leave the country because he was no longer an Iranian, he no longer had a nation. «14» But then he later changed his stance and said the Rastakhiz Party was not important, it was like other parties. «15» Sometimes he says something and persists with it so much, but now this very nation has forced him to shift his ground. The people have forced him to say that this Rastakhiz Party is nothing. I said from the very beginning that this was not a party, that this was just talk. His other plans are the same. Gradually, he will say the same about the land reforms, because these were not reforms, they amounted to nothing other than acts of corruption. What did the land reform program do with its Literacy Corps- this corps that does nothing other than send people into the towns and villages to sing the Shah's praises and promote his image?
A united voice in Iran
Now all the people, from the remotest villages to the provincial capitals, stand unified and shout:" We do not want this Shah." Is any referendum better than this? A whole nation is saying we do not want this, so what is America saying? It is our country and we do not want this Shah ruling it. He must go, and it has nothing to do with America. We will determine our own destiny. The destiny of each country must lie in the hands of its people. We do not want him, he must go and we will appoint someone ourselves. Our destiny should be based on rules, on reasonable, rational rules, on laws, and it should be in the hands of those who have the right to determine it.
At any rate, the duty of those of us here today, and the others who are out of the country is to help the Iranians. They have arisen; they have stood up- actually their movement is fifteen years old now, but it is only over the past year that it has become so strong, that it is proving effective. We are at a very critical stage in our history, perhaps there has never been such a period in Iranian history when the people have demonstrated such emotions, when seven- and eight-year-old school-children have taken to the streets in demonstrations shouting:" We do not want the Shah. Death to the Shah!" And as one small child is killed another comes forward and shouts the same slogan. Men and women do the same and the slogan is repeated throughout the country, in the traditional and modern learning institutions, the theological schools and the universities, in the bazaars and mosques. Wherever you go the slogan is the same. This is an unprecedented event; Iran has never witnessed such unanimity. I cannot remember anything like this happening before, and I believe that neither Iranian nor world history can recall such a time when all the people spoke with one voice and shouted one slogan. If the bayonets of America were removed, the army wouldn't support the Shah either. But the bayonets of America are there, America is supporting him. All our troubles are caused by America. If these bayonets were removed, the army would not support him, no one would. This is the situation in Iran now. I am very optimistic that this unity of purpose which exists in Iran now will allow the people to achieve their aims and will lead them to success.
The first fall, Shah and the second fall, America
A nation cannot be kept under martial law for ever. Now that martial law has been implemented, the people continue to resist. A country cannot be kept under martial law and held at bayonet-point for ever. There is no other way but to change the system. Mr. Carter can say whatever he likes, he can say that all that the Shah is doing is for freedom and progress, but nothing can stop what is happening in Iran today. The movement will progress. Yet still we who are over here have a duty to help. If I can speak out, even though restraints have been imposed on my activities, you can surely speak out. Speak to your brothers over here, publish articles, do whatever you can. Help your friends in Iran, help your brothers who have risen up and are shedding their blood, in whatever way you can. The blood of young children as well as adults is being shed; we should do as much as we can to help them. We must speak out for them, we must use our pens and take other steps to help them so that, God willing, we may all join hands together and smash this barrier- this barrier which consists of Muhammad Rida at the front and Carter behind. When this is shattered then the way to happiness lies open. For the happiness of you all and your nation lies beyond this barrier. I beseech God, the Blessed and Exalted, to grant you success. My prayers are with you. May God keep you safe and, God willing, may you all endeavor to be beneficial to your country. God willing, when you return home you will be useful for your country and you will not be like this present ruling body. May God preserve you all.