I seek refuge in God from the accursed Satan
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Gratitude and condolences
We have undergone difficulties- great difficulties- during this period. However, the partial victories that have resulted are, of course, also great.(I mean) difficulties borne by women who have lost their young sons, men who have lost their children, children who have lost their fathers. Whenever I lay my eyes upon those who have lost their children, I feel a heavy burden weighing down upon my shoulders which is unbearable for me. I am helpless in face of all the damage inflicted on the nation. I can never thank this nation enough for sacrificing everything in the way of God. God, the Blessed and Exalted, will reward them. I extend my condolences to those mothers who have lost their children and I share their grief. I offer my condolences to those fathers who have lost their young sons. I give my condolences to the young people who have lost their fathers during this period.
The monarchial regime contradicts wisdom and the law
Well, let us consider for what reasons have all these miseries been inflicted on the nation. What has this nation said, and is saying that since its voice (of discontent) rang out, killing, oppression, plundering, and such things have continued until now? What has the nation said that it should deserve such a punishment? One issue raised by this nation was that the Pahlavi monarchy had been founded against the law at its inception. All thee people of my age know and had seen that the Parliament was established at bayonet point. The people never had any discretion in its establishment. It was set up through the coercive force of the bayonet and its representatives were coerced into voting for Rida Shah's monarchy. Therefore, this monarchy has always been null and void from its inception because the principle of the monarchy is against the law, the rule of wisdom, and human rights from the very start. Well, assuming that one nation unanimously voted for a person to be the king, thinking that it would have control over its fate and have the freedom to determine its own destiny; its vote applies only to itself during its own time. However, if one nation voted, say unanimously, even for a king to succeed the present one, what right does that nation of fifty years ago has to determine the fate of a nation of fifty years later? The fate of each nation must be in its own hands. We did not live in the previous era- say during the early period of the Qajar dynasty. «1» If we assume that the Qajar monarchy came into being through a referendum and that the whole nation unanimously voted positively for it, it did so for Aqa Muhammad Khan Qajar, not for the succeeding monarchs. However, our time was the time coincident with the monarchy of Ahmad Shah; «2» none of us ever lived during the time of Aqa Muhammad Khan. It was our ancestors who gave their vote to the Qajar monarchy, what right did they have to designate Ahmad Shah to be the king during our time? The fate of each nation is in its own hands.
The Pahlavi regime is imposed and illegal
One hundred years ago, or perhaps one hundred and fifty years ago, there existed a nation which was the master of its own destiny and could use its own discretion. However, it did not have any authority to determine a king that should govern over us. Let us assume that the Pahlavi monarchy had been established based upon the people's discretion and that the Parliament was established by the people's vote, too; this means that- assuming that this invalid premise is correct- only Rida Khan should be king and only over those who were living during that time. As for Muhammad Rida being king over today's populace, most of whom, except some or a handful, do not have an understanding of those times, what right did the people of that time have to decide on the fate of us living at the present time? It follows then that Muhammad Rida's kingship is illegitimate and the Parliament holds no legality, firstly, because his father's kingship was illegal and was established through coercion and at bayonet point. And even if we assume that Rida Shah's kingship was in accordance with the law, what right did they have to determine our fate? Each individual decides his own fate. Were our fathers our custodians? Can individuals who existed one hundred or eighty years before our time decide on the fate of a nation who will come into existence much later? This is another reason why Muhammad Rida's kingship is illegal. Furthermore, assuming that this monarchy which was established during that time and the Majlis members were empowered rightfully, now this nation whose destiny should be in its own hand is now saying that it does not want this monarchy. When this nation votes that it wants neither Rida Shah's nor Muhammad Rida's kingship, nor the monarchial regime, then its destiny is in its own hand. This is another reason why this monarchy is invalid.
Protege governments and rubber-stamp Parliaments
Now, we will delve into the issue of governments which sprung up in the monarchy of Muhammad Rida and the Parliaments which we have now. Throughout the whole period of the Constitution, with the exception of some instances and concerning some Parliament members, the people did not have any authority in the election of Majlis members. You (the people) are well aware that in this present Parliament- whether the Consultative Majlis or the Senate- none of the members have been elected by the people, and you who make up the nation of Iran, you the nation who are residing in Tehran, I am asking you the people of Tehran, did you know that you were supposed to designate these Parliament members, whether for the Consultative Majlis or the Senate? Do the majority of the people know the individuals who are now in the Parliament as representatives and senators, or that they were also designated through coercion and without the people's knowledge? A Parliament, which is established without the people's knowledge and consent, is illegitimate. Therefore, these people who are now occupying the seats in the Parliament and are taking the nation's wealth saying that such and such amount is the salary of a Parliamentarian- they do not have the right to receive such salaries and they are answerable; those who are in the Senate also do not have any right to get this salary and, likewise, are answerable.
However, the government, which derives from a king who is illegitimate and whose father was illegitimate is illegitimate; likewise, the Parliament members who are designated by such a government are illegitimate. A government appointed by such a Parliament and king is illegitimate. This nation, which wanted to take issue during the reign of Muhammad Rida Khan, was saying that it did not want this monarchy and that its destiny should be in its own hands and now it is again saying that it considers these Parliament members, the Senate and this government illegitimate. Can someone appointed by an illegitimate Parliament or a Senate or a monarch be legitimate? We are saying that you (the Shah's government) are illegitimate and should step down. We declare that the incumbent government, which proclaims itself the legitimate one, does not even believe in its own legitimacy! At the time that the government was not yet in his hands and his ministry was not in existence, he (Bakhtiyar) considered the government illegitimate, what has happened that now he is saying that his government is legitimate? This Parliament is illegitimate; ask the Parliament members themselves if they had been elected by the people. We will take each one of them who claims that he has been elected by the people to his own polling precincts and will ask the people there whether this gentleman is their representative or not. We will ask them if they appointed him. Rest assured that their reply would be negative. Therefore, does a nation which is crying out that this government, this king and this Parliament are all against the law, and a nation which has the religious law, legal and human right to hold its destiny in its own hands deserve to have a graveyard of martyrs built for it in Tehran and in other places?
Corruption and destruction in the name of reforms and progress
I must say that this wicked traitor, Muhammad Rida Pahlavi, has gone, he has escaped and has ruined all that we had; he has destroyed our country; instead, he has expanded our graveyards. He has destroyed the country's economy; all our economy is now ruined and is such a complete shambles that if we wish to restore it to its original condition with the people's efforts, it will take long years. Neither the government alone, nor one stratum among all the strata of the society can ever accomplish this task of rebuilding the economy; not until all the people have joined hands can we ever free the economy from this entanglement.
Bear in mind that they had created" Land Reforms" «3» in their so-called bid to transform the farmers into real farmers; they used to be tenet-farmers, so they wanted to make them real farmers! However, after a long period, their land reforms ended up in the complete annihilation of our farming and of our agriculture; and now you are dependent on foreign things. That is, Muhammad Rida had done all this so that a market for America would be created and make us all dependent upon it; so that we would import wheat, rice and everything from it; so that we would import eggs from it or from Israel, which is America's stooge.
Therefore, the deeds that this man had done in the name of" reforms" were by themselves tantamount to utter depravity. The issue of" land reforms" has so harmed the nation that perhaps cannot be compensated for in the next twenty years, unless the people join hands and help each other for many years in order to make up for all these losses. They had rendered our culture a retrogressive culture. This Shah had kept our culture so backward that now our youth cannot complete their education here and they have to seek education abroad after partially completing their studies here with all the difficulties and pressure upon them. We have had universities for more than fifty years and approximately thirty or so years that we have had this university, but due to the treachery committed against us this university never grew; it does not have any human development. This man has destroyed all our people and our manpower.
Because of his servility, this man established centers of prostitution; the television is a center of prostitution; most of the radio stations are centers of prostitution. These centers have been given permission to operate, to be centers of prostitution. They are all in collusion with each other. In Tehran, there are more off-license shops than bookshops. And God knows how many other centers of corruption were in Tehran! What for? The cinemas are centers of prostitution. We are not against cinemas; we are opposed to centers of prostitution. We are not opposed to radio, it is prostitution that we are opposed to; we are not opposed to television; what we are opposed to are services rendered to foreigners for keeping our youth backward, and the dissipation of our manpower. When did we ever oppose modernism and its processes? When manifestations of European modernism set foot on eastern shores, particularly in Iran, instead of utilizing this (great) center of civilization, we were pushed into savagery. The cinema is one manifestation of modernism which should be in the service of the people and their (intellectual) development. And you know very well that our youth have been dragged into corruption through these and other centers of the same nature. From this angle, we oppose these centers. In this sense, they are tantamount to a betrayal of our country.
An outcry because of the Shah and America
But, what about our oil! They have given away all our oil to foreigners: to America and other countries! In return for what was given to America, what did they get? In return, they received arms to be used in installing bases for America! We gave away our oil to America and constructed a military base for it! With this chicanery in which this man (the Shah) had a hand, America guzzled our oil and, in exchange for this, it built for itself a military base. That is, America has brought weapons into the country that our own army cannot use without American military advisers and experts around. This is the (real) issue regarding our oil, which, God forbid, would have been exhausted if this person had endured. If his rule had continued, our oil reserves would have been exhausted and since our agriculture has already been destroyed then this nation would have been completely impoverished and would have had to work as coolies for the foreigners. We are crying out because of this man (the Shah) and for this reason. The blood of our youth has been shed for this reason; because we want freedom. We have led a life of suppression for fifty years. We did not have any media, or a proper radio and television; no writer could express himself; no preacher could talk at the pulpit; no prayer leader could perform his task freely; not even a single individual in the society could carry out any work. During his time, this suppression of freedom prevailed and is prevailing (in the country). And now, the remnant of this man's soul has remained; hence, the last vestiges of repression have remained. What we are saying is that this man, his government, his Parliament and all of these are illegitimate and if they persist in what they are doing, they are criminals and should be tried in the court. And we will try them.
Appointment of a government with the people's support
I will appoint a government! I will make this government lose its face! I will appoint a government. With the people's support, I will appoint a government! I, with the approve of this nation will «4» ... This gentleman «5» does not even believe in himself; his friends do not approve of him; the nation does not approve of him; the military does not approve of him; it was only America that supported him, and had ordered the military to support him; the British also supported him and said that the military had to support him too. This person is not approved by either the nation or a single stratum of the society. Yes, they would bring hired hooligans from among themselves into the streets and they would cry out and shout (pre-rehearsed) words (in their favor). But this is the nation, this «6» is the nation.
He declares that a country cannot have two governments! It is quite obvious that a country does not have two governments; the illegitimate government must go! You (Bakhtiyar) are illegitimate. The government we are referring to is a government contingent upon the nation's vote and God's laws. You must renounce either God or the nation! This man must stay where he rightfully belongs. Or, he orders a group of his mercenaries to slaughter the nation on the orders of America and the likes of it.
A warning to the nation of Iran
As long as I am alive, I will not let them gain any sovereignty. I will not allow the return of the former regime's oppression and iniquitous. We will not allow Muhammad Rida to return. They (America) want to bring him back. Be vigilant! O, people, be vigilant! They are concocting a plan. This contemptible man «7» has set up headquarters where he is staying now and is establishing relations. They want us all to revert to that same situation where all that we have will be subjected to suppression one after another and they will let America devour all of our existence. We will not allow this. For as long as we live, we will not allow this to happen.
I implore the Gracious and Almighty God to grant all of you health. I must say that it is incumbent upon all of us to keep the torch of this movement burning until the time that they (the Shah and his lackeys) have been toppled. Let us set up a Senate «8» based upon the people's votes and appoint the first government- that is, the permanent government.
A piece of advice and a final word with the army
I must give the army a piece of advice and extend my gratitude to the top military officials- one stratum of the army. The piece of advice that I want to give is that we want the army to be independent. We are taking great efforts and we have shed our blood and sacrificed our youth, we have used our honor and dignity, our clergy have been imprisoned and have been tortured; we want the army to be independent. You, the General of the Army, the Lieutenant General; do you not wish to be independent? Do you wish to be puppets? I advise you to return to the nation's embrace, say what the nation is saying. Say that we must be independent. The nation is saying the army should be independent and should not be under the command of American and foreign military advisers; come and join us. We are saying these things for your sake; say the same things for your own sake. Say that" we want to be independent; we do not want these foreign advisers to be here." Should we, who are saying that the army should be independent, be given such retribution (at the hands of the army), who shed the blood of our youth in the streets. Should the soldiers spill the blood of our youth because they are saying that the army should be independent? We want you to be men of honor.
In appreciation of those military men who joined the nation
I would like to express my gratitude to that group (in the military) which has united itself with the nation. They have vouchsafed their own, their country's, and their nation's dignity. Those enlisted men, warrant officers, and officers of the air force are worthy of our appreciation and praise. Likewise meriting praise are those in Isfahan, Hamedan and other places who knew their responsibilities toward their religion, nation and country, joined the nation and supported its Islamic movement. Islam is better for you than unbelief. The nation is better for you than the foreigners. We are telling you about this matter and you (the army) do the same thing. Desert this (army). Do not think that if you abandon (the army) we will come forth and send you to the gallows! These (ideas) are but your own imagination or the concoction of some other devious elements. On the contrary, we have accorded absolute honor and held in high esteem those warrant officers, enlisted men and officers who came forth and joined the nation. We want the country to become a strong one; we want the country to have a powerful military. We do not intend to throw the military into disarray. We want to keep the military intact; but a military that is of the nation and at the service of the nation; not a military that is subservient to others and is commanded by them.
By" Senate Assembly," I meant" an assembly of legislators", not this Senate assembly (that is now extant). The basis of this" Senate" is an absurdity. It has always been so!
May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.