Speech [The need for the rejection of the monarchical regime and establishment of an Islamic government]

I seek refuge in God from the accursed Satan

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

The Iranian nation, in whose path we tread, demands three basic principles as aired in all the demonstrations which were, and are, being held across the country. The people's objective is nothing but the realization of these three principles. Of course, the third principle, that is, the establishment of an Islamic government, an Islamic republic, is the main and principal goal, which is their ultimate objective. The other two principles are intertwined with the third one, that is, even if the people only voiced this third principle, the other two would intrinsically follow as imperatives to the third. People are calling for the formation of an Islamic government or Islamic republic, the realization of which necessitates the downfall of the monarchical regime; and the negation of this system is a negation of the person of the Shah even if he were lawfully enthroned, let alone if his rule were totally baseless.

Well, these two other principles, although not as significant as the third, seek the same end. The ultimate goal is the establishment of a just Islamic order; yet the people's call for this man's (the Shah's) and this dynasty's removal from power has now become an objective in itself for the Iranian nation. It has become so because over the past fifty years, the regime has perpetrated countless crimes against the Iranian nation and has subjected the people to numerous afflictions. It is this very regime that has staved off the young generation's attempt to attain intellectual growth. Just consider how much debauchery has been spread by the regime through its establishment of countless centers of corruption and prostitution. The diffusion of immorality by these centers, such as the proliferation of liquor shops (everywhere), casinos and places such as these; the magazines which were vehicles of moral depravity published merely to corrupt the youth, the deplorable state of affairs in the radio and television stations and the movie theatres- all these are consequences of the fact that this regime and government are aiming at depraving our youth. All these centers of corruption were established everywhere in order to drag the youths out of universities into taverns of hideous and evil activities. To make our youths indulge in corruption is, therefore, one of the plots hatched by this corrupt government. If this government were an upright one and cared for the expediency of Muslims and the nation, it would never let this great force of the youths and this immense national power fall prey to corruption, transforming them into otiose citizens. The people consider the present situation a handiwork of this very ruling clique established by the Shah and his corrupt regime.

On the other hand, the Iranian nation also believes that all afflictions that are now extant in Iran in the educational, economic, and other realms stem from the ruling clique. It is a fact that a corrupt government is to be blamed for all the depravities beleaguering us. As such, it is now the objective of the people to get rid of this man and this regime. This is indeed now a noble and a necessary goal for the people although, if we look at it, this is only a prelude and an imperative to the achievement of the main objective (in this uprising). The toppling of this regime is a must in the setting up of a rightful Islamic regime. Therefore, no one can object to these two principles and a rational being who is not dependent on the US and the Shah can never accept the remaining in power of this system considering the iniquities associated with it. Nor can anyone deny the fact that corruption has been so rampant that even the Shah himself has realized it. That was why, as you heard over the radio a few days ago, he admitted committing all those acts which he chose to call `mistakes'. He confessed, however, that whatever has been done so far has been against the law and he promised to stop them.

Yet, there are times when people, who are more fervent in supporting the regime than the Shah himself, who are either mentally retarded or drowned in wishful thinking and who still love to keep the country under the Shah and the Americans, would like to exonerate the Shah of his crimes, while he himself has admitted that many mistakes had been committed during his rule. From our point of view, however, these have not been `mistakes' but willful acts. Since his coming to power, all the measures he has taken have been against the nation. Even if we announce that a king reigns through legally right procedures, once he betrays the nation, he is not fit to rule anymore; he is defunct and hence, deposed.

Therefore, the nation's first and second adopted principles call for the Shah's abdication. Besides, ever since its inception, the monarchical regime has always been an outdated invalid regime that runs counter to conventional wisdom. Let us assume that these kings came to power at the nation's behest, although we know it has never been the case. We know how the founder of the Qajar dynasty took the reins of power and how he disturbed the national scene in order to establish himself. We have seen how Rida Shah grabbed the helms of the government. It was indeed spectacular and sensational how he made his debut onto the scene. I remember how he acted and how he, in complete disregard for the nation, established his domination and monarchical rule using coercion and the force of the bayonet. Let us now assume that a nation has brought a monarchy to power, or let us say that, some 700 years ago, the Iranian nation assembled and chose a man to be their king who, in turn, bequeathed this monarchical legacy to his descendants. Well, the nation's choice then only concerned the king ruling at their time and with whom they dealt. The country and its affairs belong to you and you may choose any person to rule over you. But let us ask the people living some 70 or 700 years ago this question: What relation do you have with us? What business do you have with our affairs? For what reason did you appoint a man to be our king? Because it is we who should choose a ruler in our time. If a man or a dynasty were chosen to rule 700 years ago, could this choice be logically, legally applied to us at this time? If so, for what reason? Any law article compelling us to submit to a choice made 700 years ago regarding someone's selection as king is not valid. So, even if we could assume that Rida Shah's rule had been made possible by popular consent and that the then National Consultative Assembly, although unlawful, had been lawfully set up, the majority of those who voted for these, except for a very few found here and there in cities, have passed away. Furthermore, it is not clear whether those who are still alive today were of the proper age to vote then. Most of them were either minors or quite young. Well, let us assume that 70 or 60 odd years ago, the Iranian population, who were the forefathers of the present population, elected a group as deputies to the Parliament to choose someone as the king. Let us also assume to be true, that these deputies were free in casting their votes and had the right to select someone to hold the reins of power. But these deputies were not our deputies. You were not living then to have deputies. So, these deputies were not yours. On what grounds then did they decide to give the rein of your fate to the son of Rida Khan? What right did our fathers have to do such a thing? Neither had we deputized our fathers, nor had we appointed those Parliament deputies. They had no right to do such a thing.

So the monarchical regime carries this absurdity within itself. The very constitutional law of that time with all its spurious by-laws holds that the kingship is a divine gift granted to `His Majesty' by the people. Now it is a `divine gift' and the people grant it! How the people became God's deputies to grant this divine gift is in itself a mystery! What nonsense is this?! Well, perhaps at that time they (the deputies) saw that they could not oppose Rida Shah and the other kings and they were forced to draft the Constitution the way they did thereby adding insult to injury! All these are nothing but nonsense. This monarchy is a decadent and false order. But anyway, the Constitution holds that the kingship is a divine gift granted to the king by the people. Now, we want to apply the very same law article to him (the Shah): that the people should bestow the kingship on the king. Now, we ask people all over this country this question:" Did you grant the kingship to this man?" No one can answer this question in the affirmative. Even if this statement were right, although I believe it is false, and your fathers had given this divine gift to Rida Shah, he is now dead and so his rule is now over. Neither were our fathers our deputies or guardians, nor were the majority of the people residing out of the country that their fathers had to act on their behalf. On what grounds then does Muhammad Rida Khan within the framework of the present Constitution which regards the kingship as a divine gift granted to the Shah by the people, now consider himself the king? We ask him:" Which people gave you such a vote?" He, himself (the Shah), admits that the people gave their vote to his father, not to him. Moreover, among those who cast their votes- if ever they had really cast their votes- only but a few have remained alive; most of them have passed away. So, according to the same constitutional article to which he refers as the basis of his rule, the Shah has no right to rule, because this divine gift should be granted to a person to become the Shah, and the people have not given him such a mandate.

And I must remind you once more that the foregoing is based on the assumption that the people did grant Rida Shah the kingship, but we know very well that the people did not. Let us assume that the kingship was a divine gift given to the Shah by the people. We now make this assumption that the people themselves gathered together and presented this divine gift to Mr. Aryamehr! But now the people are saying that they do not want him anymore. So, the issue is resolved!( Audience laughs ). The people granted it and are now taking it back. A thing can be given by someone and taken back by the same.

Let us assume that one day all the people unanimously endowed this mandate upon and presented this divine gift to Muhammad Rida Khan. What are you saying now? He wanted to rule basing his right to rule on the previous monarchy! Yes, that was presumably the case in the past; and as you claim, it was done legally! But what about now? People are saying" no" to your rule. Sometime ago, the people of Isfahan were setting everything on fire and this wretched man, or one of his cronies, was praising the Isfahanis as the" king-loving" people of Isfahan! (Imam and the audience laugh).

They are describing the people as the" king-loving" people of Iran! Well, these" king-lovers" have gathered and are now unanimously voicing their opposition to him. They are saying:" We have deputized someone and he will be our deputy for as long as we have not revoked his appointment as one. Once we do, then he can no longer argue that because we have appointed him, we have no right to voice our opposition to him." Well, the kingship was something to be granted to a person by the people and we assumed that the people gave him this right. But they are now saying they do not want him as king anymore. What excuse can he resort to for staying in power? He is but a usurper now! I sometimes refer to him in my writings as a usurper and this is not an exaggeration. He is a usurper. A usurper is a person who, contrary to law, imposes his rule and deceives the people. Whatever abuses he has committed all these years have been out of rebellion and deception. If we assume that a king should be given a certain salary and he received this salary, this act is tantamount to deception because his rule has not been legal and as such he was not entitled to receive any remuneration!

Even if we assume that being a king entitled one to a salary and even if he ruled without violating any laws and then received this salary, we want to ask him this question:" What right did you have to get this salary? You were not the legitimate king to have done so. Now, the people are shouting" no" to your face. For what reason that you have occupied a place that rightfully belongs to the people and have continued to rule? You call on the people; what right have you got to take away the people's money? How can you justify such an act for the people?"

It is then a principle in this movement that he (the Shah) should be deposed the people are now saying that he should no longer stay in power. Perhaps the majority of people have neglected the fact that this man should not have been in power from the very beginning. No longer (being in power is) for someone who was there in the first place. But anyhow, we are now saying:" Hey, mister, you've been in power up to now. Fine. What about from now on?" We are saying that the hustle and bustle should stop!" Whatever good or bad you have done so far, well, we do not want you to continue ruling anymore." If we delve further into this issue and look into the history of his monarchy, whatever may still have remained in some people's minds, and whatever has been written in history books- if indeed anybody found the courage to write it down, apparently, they did write it, although not very clearly- those who know the truth realize that the monarchy of Rida Khan, the father of Muhammad Rida, was not granted to him by the people as held by the Constitution. The monarchy of Rida Khan, the father of Muhammad Rida, was imposed through bullying and the force of the bayonet and by a Parliament that was formed at gunpoint and whose deputies were coerced to ratify a law that when one dynasty «1» bowed out, another «2» should come to power. But neither dynasty was legitimate.

The Parliament was not a legitimate one, nor were the votes. We do not believe in the legitimacy of your regime from its very inception. The Shah has not been a legitimate king from the beginning. His father was imposed on the nation by the British. He, himself, was installed by the Allies (during World War II). In other words, he was imposed on us by Britain, Russia and America! Who has ever said he should be king other than those who, up until now, have been staunchly backing him and have been shouting night and day that they want him and that they cannot find anyone better than him? Carter has explicitly said:" He is our man and should stay in power." But we do not want him Mister (Carter)! You have installed him for your own vested interests. But we should consider our own interests. The Iranian nation is saying it wants to safeguard its own interests, not those of the America. America, Britain and Russia are united in propping him up. But the outcry of the nation is:" Who are these powers to say that the Shah should stay on the throne? It is our nation and land. None of you has any right to say that he should remain in power."

Some (foreign powers) claim," He preserves our interests better than others." Well, he safeguards your interests, but what does it have to do with us? If he preserves your interests, then take him anywhere you wish and do away with him as you please. What logic is there to this that a person safeguards your interests but he, in effect, steals from us and gives our property over to you! We want him to steal no more. We intend to tie up his hands so he will not be able to steal and give away our people's property to you. We have two archenemies: the US which plunders our wealth, and this man (the Shah) who loots the people's wealth.

Yet, this man is making other comments. He repeatedly says that" Once I abdicate the throne, this country will disintegrate. It is now an integrated Iran but it will crumble into fragments which can be dominated by Russia, becoming part of it as Uzbekistan is; and I do not know what else is going to happen next; Iran will be a fragmented Iran: on the one hand it will be partitioned into four parts and on the other, one part of it will be under British, Russian or American hegemony; Iran will crumble into pieces." In other words, he claims that Iran is now whole only because of the blessing of his presence! If he is not there, Iran will disintegrate, with each chunk falling prey to a different power! Now, if each part of Iran is seized by a certain power, will it be to the interest of those powers or not? It is definitely to their advantage. Now let us see if the country will disintegrate with him in power or with him off the scene. He says that once he bows out, the country will crumble. Such an event is then to the interest of those powers. So how come these powers are all supporting him?! He says that if he is not in power, the Russians will devour Azerbaijan. It is, of course, the great wish of the Russians to annex our Azerbaijan. The British too would love to take possession of parts of our territory, and presumably, other parts would be taken over by others such as America, which would love such a thing! Now, if his removal from power serves their interests and will cause Iran's disintegration, how come they all stress that he should stay in power? Why does Carter, time and again, voice his support for him and say plainly that they (the US) need the presence of this man (in the region), he should stay in power because this serves their interests, while according to him (the Shah) his disappearance from the scene gives them access to parts of our land, which is, in reality, to their greater interest! Are you (the Shah) saying that the foreign powers do not understand and only you understand the situation?! (Laughter from the audience.) Are you saying that Carter and these Americans and the British do not realize what will happen if you are removed from power, while this will be to their advantage, and this is why they are supporting you?! This absurd statement is unverifiable. It is quite evident that the country is in a state of disintegration with you in power! We do not have an independent country now. Our armed forces are run by one power; its educational system by another and the Parliament, too, is controlled by another power. What do we really have? A country is a country if it has a valid Parliament. But we do not have a true Parliament. He, himself, has admitted in his own writings and speeches that foreign powers would send lists containing the names of would-be Parliament deputies to his father during his reign. The Shah does not really know what he is saying! At times, he praises his father and at times, he admits that until a few years ago" foreign powers would send us lists with names of deputies of their choice for the governments to determine the Parliament members there from." He admits to the same thing being practiced for quite a while during his father's time as well as during his own. But now he is saying that it is not the case anymore. Anyway, this is the situation of our country; they provide the list of deputies to be elected by the people for the Parliament. Not even the king has a say in this. The foreign embassies dictate to him as to who should become deputies, so it means we do not have a Parliament, then the Constitution and its implementation make no sense at all! ... There is no Parliament to legislate on the Constitution. We have no Constitution to act upon. It was drafted and then shelved.

Our educational system too, as you know, is one imposed by foreigners. The same is true of our armed forces. And the state of our economy is the worst; all its sectors are under foreign control. Now our country is a disintegrated country, one that is supervised and controlled by foreigners who are plundering all its resources. Moreover, they are corrupting our youths, causing their energies to be dissipated and obstructing them from advancing in their studies. Even some of our students, in particular, a group of students who went abroad to study atomic energy, one or two groups of them came to me the other day telling me that hurdles were being put in their way, barring them from advancing. They said they were being intentionally kept below their true academic level. The authorities do not allow them to study in our own universities either. They do this to our youths to stunt their intellectual growth, to keep it at a certain level so that they cannot become potential threats to those in power in the country. Therefore, the removal of the Shah from power will eliminate the danger of disintegration and lead to the establishment of true independence in the country.

He (the Shah) says that our plan for an Islamic government is a plan to disintegrate the country. The people's call for the establishment of an Islamic government, according to the Shah, will lead to a disintegrated government! But the people's ubiquitous and unanimous call for an Islamic government is, in itself, tantamount to integration. This means that the people are united in this demand. Disintegration and dispersion is when one group wants something and another wants something else.

One of the things he says is that with his removal from power, Kurdistan would become detached (from Iran)! According to this line of reasoning then Balouchistan, Lorestan, and other provinces too would become detached from Iran, each one opting for an independent and an autonomous government. Right now the whole country is in a state of turmoil. But the fact that all the people are crying for an Islamic government means that they do not want the country to be disintegrated. It means that Kurdistan and other provinces wish to have an Islamic government. Everywhere, cries for the establishment of an Islamic government are echoing. Go now to Kurdistan, you will hear cries for an Islamic government; go to Balouchistan, people are crying out for an Islamic government; go to Khurasan and it is the same; everywhere you go, it is the same talk of an Islamic government- the same thing is being said everywhere- people are crying out for an Islamic government. Now, with the entire nation demanding an Islamic government, will the country be disintegrated?! Can anyone ever call this disintegration? This is nothing but a propaganda ploy of the regime. I now feel exhausted to go on explaining about the rest of the Shah's `remarks'.

May God support you all and rectify the affairs of Muslims and those of Iran, God willing.