Radio-Television Message [The nation's decisive vote for the Islamic Republic]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

God, the Exalted has promised that the oppressed shall inherit the earth and they will overwhelm the oppressors with His blessings and assistance and appoint them as leaders and guides. The Exalted God's promise is nigh. I hope that we will witness the fulfillment of God's promise and may the oppressed triumph over the oppressors as it has until now. The path that we have trodden up to this point has been in obeisance to Islam and its commandments and we should introduce Islam to the world. If Islam is introduced to the world in its real context, the world will catch its attention. The Muslim commodity (i.e., Islam) is very precious, but is should be presented (sold and marketed).

I would like to thank the whole nation for participating in this referendum and casting its vote so decisively, which could be considered one hundred percent vote, and for having given their approval for the Islamic republic in the same way that they had done before (through their massive rallies). We did not see any need for holding a referendum, but in order to prevent certain critical remarks and pretexts, it was decided to hold it. Those who are looking for pretexts understood that the issue was not the way they thought it was and that the nation was with Islam and with Islamic clergy. The nation wants the Qur'an to be implemented in Iran and thanks God that all strata of the people voted for nothing else but the Islamic republic with enthusiasm, happiness, passion and love. It is the Islamic republic, which can achieve Islamic objectives. It is an Islamic republic whose progressive laws take precedence over all the laws existing in all groups or other schools of thought.

We see that claimants for democratic system, or democracy, engage in talks and are alleging all sorts of things. However, their Eastern schools of thoughts are one thing, and the Western schools are yet another. In the East, as well as in the West, people stumble upon great dictatorships. We see that some individuals claim that they respect human rights. However, where were these human rights societies during the fifty years that the usurping Pahlavi king and his son's government imposed themselves upon this nation and looted everything that it had? Why did they not say anything when our youth were languishing in prisons during these fifty years and what agonizing life they experienced when their legs were sawed off and they were burnt on (hot metal) pans? These youths remained in prisons and have been tortured until recently by the Shah's henchmen, who deprived them of their natural life. During this period, we did not see any of the human rights defenders say a word either to deny or confirm these. We have seen how the U.S, leader, that is the US president supported and commiserated with this wretched, tyrannical ex-Shah and his henchmen, who had decimated our whole existence. And, we did see that during all these tribulations, this human rights group denied them to the US president. However, now that these henchmen have been trapped by the nation, which wants to seek revenge, they are raising clamor. «2» I cannot imagine anything but them being puppet henchmen; they are the superpowers' lackeys; they are not really working for human rights. If these human rights societies are really speaking the truth and are human rights supporters, I expected them to protest why we have kept them (those executed) alive; these henchmen should have been killed the very day they were arrested! They should not have been detained in prisons. Of course, our prisons are not the same as the previous ones. Nobody gets humiliated in our prisons. They are not even there to ask us why we have tried these people. It is meaningless to put them on trial. Is trying a culprit something against human rights!?

Human rights necessitate the killing of these people right on the very day (they were arrested) because they are criminals and it is obvious that they are condemned criminals. The person for whom a lawyer should be hired and whose claims should be heeded is the accused, not the criminal. Those executed were not the accused; they are proven criminals. They were individuals who killed people on the streets, tortured them, plundered our resources, and destroyed everything through treachery. Were those people killed on the city streets all over Iran not human beings? Did they not have any right? Why are those claimants for human rights not taking the side of those who were killed? Why are they not supporting the victims: Why are they finding faults in us because we executed the henchmen (of the Shah)?

Since we consider these people criminals, they must be executed as soon as their identity is established. Nasiri «3» must have been killed as soon as his identity was recognized. Yet, the authorities held him in prison for a few days, tried him, his confessions were recorded and then he was killed. Do these human rights groups not think that a criminal has to be killed to safeguard human rights in order to restore the rights of human beings whom they had killed, tortured and destroyed? We, however, will put them on trial and we did, although we believe that criminals need not be tried and should be immediately executed. I am sorry to say that there are west-intoxicated elements among us. We are afraid that lest Western newspapers and magazines write something. «4» Of course, these were opposed to justice and reason and are not in agreement with human rights. These groups protect rights of the superpowers in the name of human rights!

Anyway, thanks God, we emerged victorious in the referendum, and the reports printed by foreign magazines and statements being said here and there proved to be wrong. Thanks God, our nation cast almost 100 percent of its vote for the Islamic republic. From now on, it is the nation's duty to set up the Islamic republic.

All affairs must undergo transformation in an Islamic republic. In an Islamic republic, universities must become independent ones. Our educational system must be changed; colonial education must be an education of independence. Westernized judiciary must be an Islamic one. Our economy must be transformed; a dependent economy must become an independent one. All the things, which existed during the taghouti rule, which were subservient to foreign powers in this weak and servile country of ours and were implemented, have to be totally transformed with the establishment of an Islamic rule and an Islamic republican government. The people should reform themselves. Those oppressive individuals who would oppress their subordinates should not do so anymore. Various classes of people should no longer oppress people who belong to the lower echelons of the society. The rights of the poor and destitute must be granted. All these will have to be carried out in the Islamic republic. In the Islamic republic, the nation is duty-bound to support the governments, which are at the service of the nation. If the nation observes such an autocratic regime, it should file a complaint against it and courts should indict it. If the courts do not try it, then the nation should put it on trial and smack it in the mouth.

There is no oppression in the Islamic republic. Issues tainted with coercion regarding the rich and poor do not exist in the Islamic republic; the rich cannot exercise coercion upon the poor or exploit them; they cannot force the poor into doing heavy tasks for a meager payment. Issues must be resolved in an Islamic way and Islamic rules be implemented here. The oppressed people must be supported and strengthened. Things have to be turned upside down: the arrogant power should be demoted to the oppressed class and the oppressed promoted to the position of the arrogant power. By arrogant power here does not mean being despotic; rather it means that everyone must be brother to one another in this world, in this country and everyone should be united.

I would like to tell all walks of the nation that in Islam there is no distinction between the rich and poor, black and white, individuals and groups, Sunnis and Shi`ah, Arabs and non-Arabs Turks and non-Turks. No one has a privilege over another. The holy Qur'an regards piety and justice the only criterion (for distinction). «5» Whoever is pious is accorded distinction; whoever has good morals is given distinction. However, no distinction is awarded based on material considerations; distinction is not based on wealth. Such basis for distinction must be destroyed. All people are equal and the rights of all strata of the people will be granted to them. Everybody enjoys the same rights as the others. The rights of religious minorities will be observed because Islam accords them with respect. Islam regards all classes of people with respect. The Kurds, other tribes of different languages and other ethnic groups are all our brothers and we are one with them and they one with us. We are people of one and the same nation and belong to the same religion. I hope that the people themselves should be vigilant and do not let these evil doers in some areas in Iran where some of them have gathered and are disseminating adverse propaganda and forcing the poor people to raise a commotion and commit fratricide. The people should stop these traitors from perpetrating these vicious activities there. We are all brothers. We are brothers with the Sunnis. No one from among us should lord over the others. We should not neglect the rights of other people. We have equal rights. In law, which, God willing, will soon be ratified by the nation, the rights of all strata of the people have been stipulated and the rights of the religious minorities, women and other classes of people have also been considered. There is no distinction between groups and other groups in Islam. It is only in piety and faith in the Exalted God that people may be differentiated as better ones from another.

We hope that the Exalted God will grant us success. We were able to take the movement up to this point and proclaimed the Islamic Republic; I consider this day a feast, and I hope that every year April 1 will be a national holiday for our nation, who achieved national sovereignty and will grab the reins of destiny in its own hands. We congratulate the whole nation and I myself would like to congratulate our beloved nation and all the people. Congratulations to you on this holiday. May the Islamic Republic be an auspicious day for you. But all of us are duty-bound to abide by the Islamic tenets. Our bazaar should be Islamic. Our bazaar should be rinsed of its unfair practices. Our government and all successive governments to come in the future must govern based on Islamic laws. Ministries and government offices should be founded based on Islamic laws. A (taghout-stained) country discolored by the taghout must be color-washed with Godly color tones. A taghout country must be transformed into a divine country.

We are not worried if the West and anyone who claims that he respects human rights have a discussion with us and say something to us. We must act according to justice. Later we will make these people understand what the meaning of democracy is. Western democracy is corrupt, likewise Eastern democracy. Later, if we get the opportunity, we will prove to the East and West that the democracy we have in Islam is the true democracy and not the one that they have, which is a democracy advocating big-time capitalists and superpowers, which have subjected the people to oppression.

No suppression exists in Islam; there is freedom for all the people in Islam: for both men and women and for the blacks and whites. From now on, the people themselves should fear their own actions and not that the government. People should be frightened lest they commit a wrongdoing. A government of justice will avert and punish wrongdoings. We should all be afraid of our own selves lest we do any mischief because an Islamic government will not commit any wrong actions. There will not be any more security intelligence related issues, or tortures perpetrated by it. Police officers can no longer coerce our nation or us. The government cannot intimidate the nation anymore. An Islamic government is, and should be, at the service of the nation. If a prime minister oppresses the people, the nation can file a complaint against him in the courts, which will duly put him on trial and appropriate punishment will be meted out if he is proved culpable. In an Islam, there will no longer be any differences between a prime minister and a civilian. At the advent of Islam, the Muslim caliph appeared in the court to face charges filed against him by a Jew and a tributary infidel, during which the judge decided against the caliph, who obediently abided by the court ruling. «6» Islam is this way. In Islam distinction is accorded to a person not because of his status, say for instance, one from the scholastic echelon. The pious ones are definitely above others because his humane virtues are superior. Islam grants merit based on a person's humanitarian nature, which is rooted in his piety and knowledge. The pious and knowledgeable one will be superior over others, and anyone that possesses wealth but lacks piety and knowledge will reap no spiritual rewards.

Nevertheless, I would like the nation to transform itself. The morale that the people had during the taghouti era should be permuted to an Islamic one. At the present time, we have many destitute and wounded citizens; there are many who have been put out of existence during the course (of the Pahlavi regime). The affluent clique should help these people and provide a life of welfare for the needy. The government and the nation should think of these people, build homes for them and give them a decent life. Employees should be given proper living conditions. I told a group of factory owners and managers, who came here, to rectify the workers' situation; I asked them to leave and have a meeting, consult one another and put up some capital to build housing for their workers and employees and provide them with a life of prosperity. If they do not, these workers and employees, God forbid, may stage a mutiny; in which case, there is nothing that factory owners can do to stop them.

I promise to employees, workers and other classes of the oppressed people that Iran will create jobs for them. Islam will create felicitous life for them, and will make homes for them. Islam cares for the destitute more than anybody else.

I implore the Exalted and Blessed God to grant all Muslims success on this propitious day, which is a day of victory of the nation. I hope that the Islamic countries will unite and sever the taghout's hands off their countries.

May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.