In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The current situation in Iran is the cause of great anxiety for me. I am concerned that the extreme pressure on the Shah and his relatives may intensify their insane attacks on people and further their bloodshed. The massacre in Kerman, the burning of mosques and the Holy shrines of the Muslims and assaulting the defenseless men and women inside, the merciless massacres in Hamedan and other cities on the east, west, north and south, of Iran, in so many places that naming all of them is impossible. They are samples of their insanity. These types of crimes are what I had expected from anyone who has lost hope of keeping his brutal regime and is taking in his last breaths.
The noble and oppressed people of Iran, and the wings interested in Islam and the country, must take away the enemy's mind power and put an end to their dictatorship as soon as possible; because this is a satanic plan prepared by foreign diplomacies, to wear out the zealous nation of Iran by continuous murdering and the burning down the shops of the combatant believers, in order to stop their Islamic movement and leave the battlefield wide open for their acts of plundering and treason. They are unaware of the fact that the brave, alert and aware nation will not stop until they overthrow this corrupt regime and cut the hands of the foreign looters from national resources.
As I have been informed, the Shah has committed another crime; and that is the withdrawal of the royal jewelries, which belong to this poor nation, from the country; and also, he and his relatives are selling the properties and assets that have been built with the people's money. We must continue our positive and negative struggles, and remove this bully from the country as quickly as possible. Suggesting the motto of abiding by the constitutional law, which has recently been brought up in the two houses of parliament by the Shah's authorities, is a betrayal to Islam and the country. The intention of saving the regime and ousting the Shah is the same as killing a viper and raising its offspring.
Our dear people have registered their honorable name in history and in the first row of the Islamic crusaders, by their brave rising and giving their own and their dear children's blood. Today, retreating means shame, disgrace and suicide. The Shah's opponents, in any group or party, must remember that if they give a chance to this injured snake, they will be stricken back so hard that they will writhe under the domination of foreigners and their servants forever. We are responsible for the future generations before the Exalted and Supreme God.
My dears! Do not be afraid of sacrificing lives and wealth for the sake of God, Islam and the Muslim nation, for this was the way of the glorious Prophet (s) and the succeeding leaders and Imams (`a), and we are no better than the martyrs of Karbala who were killed in opposition with the ruthless sultan who had resorted to Islam and introduced himself as the Caliph of Islam. You, who have stood up for Islam and are sacrificing lives and wealth, are of the rank of Karbala martyrs; because you are following their school. Now, I must remind you of a few points:
1. Our people, the clergy, universities, traders, farmers, laborers or workers must not take even one step back from their strong position they have thus far held, regarding the removal of the degraded Pahlavi regime, that will acquire them independence and freedom under the auspices of an Islamic just state, because regression will increase the Shah's cruel killings, and showing weakness on this matter will be ignoring the shed blood of our innocent youth, and the responsibility of this act will fall upon every one of us.
2. Do not be afraid of the nonsense jabberings of America, Britain and Russia regarding their supporting of the Shah for protecting their own interests. History testifies that no power can put out the fire set in the hearts of an oppressed nation who has stood up for its freedom and independence. Our people will not tolerate the Shah and his gang's crimes and the Shah's supporters will suffer great losses. We are demanding our rights and we do have the right to do so, and God, who is above the Eastern and Western superpowers, is with us. God's Hand [i.e.help] is above all hands. «1»
3. Give my regards to the esteemed chiefs of the armed forces, and tell the land, sea and air forces, that Iran is your country and the people of Iran are your people; join the people. I am sure that many of you are faithful to the people and country of Islam and are disgusted with these killings and lootings of the traitor Shah, his relatives and the international criminals. I occasionally receive your concerns. Your people are going through some crucial moments and you, more than anyone else, are responsible before the Almighty God, the brave people and the future generations; make a brave effort and break the chain of slavery. Do not give a chance to this traitor to Islam, and guarantee pride for yourselves and your nation. God, the Exalted, helps those who serve Islam and their country.
4. Now that our trustworthy writers, who have been living in isolation for many years, and the regime of strangulation and terror had taken away their chance to speak their minds, have earned their limited freedom at the price of Islam's brave children's holy blood, do not neglect the divine ideal, and begin the important and essential task of unveiling and showing the focal point of the recent crimes, which is the Shah, and sincerely uncover the unseen crimes that people are not aware of, and by doing this valuable service, pay your dues to Islam. Today, that all social orders have stood up for their independence and freedom, the responsibility of the respected and reliable writers has entered a very crucial stage. People are at the junction of life or death, permanent independence or eternal slavery; diverting from people, even for one step will result into destruction and extinction of the courageous nation, and that will be a treachery to Islam and the Muslims. Honorable writers should deservingly reflect people's wishes and help the great Islamic movement.
5. Occasionally, some slogans are used in the universities that are being taken advantage of by the regime. Our youth should know that China and Russia feed on our blood just as America and Britain do. My request from you is to avoid using the Shah's slogans, and to stand on your own feet without having any inclination toward the West or the East. Do not be deceived by international looters. Those pulling you into the direction of these types of slogans are of the regime affiliates; keep away from them and join your other friends, and by using the slogans of monotheism and Islam, cut the hands of Pahlavi dynasty and the gang of oil guzzlers from the country, and return to the arms of Islam. Contrary to other ideologies that have made false claims that their leaders have never acted upon, and have made us poor and dependent by taking away Iran's resources. Islam answers the call of all deprived people. We welcome you with open arms and we are at your service. Islam has come for the salvation of the poor.
6. The release of some of the political prisoners after several years of torture, agony and deprivation of their primary rights, is just as being freed from one prison into a bigger one. Are the people of Iran ever going to forgive the Shah's medieval crimes and his torturing of their children in the dungeons of the prisons? Isn't this a prosecutable crime, to take, for years, every right from the people who are ready to make any sacrifices to save their country from the evil acts of the Shah and foreigners? Isn't the Shah himself the main criminal for all the crimes committed on people, especially on political prisoners? Should not this major criminal be tried and punished for chaining down a group of oppressed people? However, he cannot be truly punished for his crimes until the Day of Judgment. Our political prisoners are aware that they have earned their freedoms through heroic sacrifices of the Muslim nation of Iran, and the way to thank these sacrifices is to continue their endless fights till the fall of the regime and the freedom of their other brothers and sisters.
Now, as I am writing this letter, I am concerned about all sisters, brothers and mothers in Iran. Fourth of Aban is the national mourning day, and the origin of all the miseries of oppressed Iran.
My dears! Be patient for God is with the patient. Do not fall prey to demonic temptations, although your frequent uprisings have proven otherwise. Those who drive you to despair are the Shah's and foreigners' agents who are intending to protect the Shah's and the looters' interests by satanic temptations; usher those people toward the divine direct path, and if they do not surrender, abandon and disappoint them.
Your uprising is for God's sake, and for the salvation of the Islamic nation, and consenting to forbearance and suffering in that path is of the greatest worships, and by God's grace, you shall receive the same rewards as the fighters of the early Islamic era. May the longevity of the divine path toughen you, just as the twenty some years of sufferings made the honorable Prophet (s) tougher and tougher. May God, the Exalted, grant victory to Islam and free Muslims. May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.
Rouhullah al-Mousawi al-Khomeini