Speech

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

I thank you, gentlemen, and the prolific youth. You have remained steadfast during the course (of the movement) in Qum, which, like all over Iran, has been damaged greatly. And thanks God, you could drive the enemy back. Thanks God, the referendum, which was unparalleled, was held in a prestigious manner through your efforts. It is unique in the world. There is no country where twenty-five million out of thirty-five million went to the polling precincts to vote. They (ex-regime) used to say that in all the referendums so far held in Iran all this time six million people had participated. We immediately sent (a group) to conduct an inquiry to find out what these people had to say. Nevertheless, it was found that only two thousand people (took part) in them! There were other referendums, but they also were insignificant.

This referendum is an Islamic one; it is not a political one. People sacrificed their blood for Islam, not for politics; it was for Islamic politics. Our nation advanced the cause of the movement by means of their reliance on Islam. Our nation was enamored of martyrdom and pursued the movement by love in martyrdom. Had it not been for this love and zeal, we would not have triumphed over all those powers. Victory was with us because you were all Islamic and all your attention was focused on your religion. In the referendum, everybody was zealous to cast his vote in ballot boxes. Those who were not able to vote, those who were under sixteen years of age and did not get the chance to do so, were upset. They also wanted to vote. Your votes were (predictably) one hundred percent (yes). We should say that is was one hundred percent. Out of twenty million, 145,000 voted against or abstained. This success is one hundred percent. And I thank you, who have strove to protect the ballot boxes and made efforts for Islam and your country. May God grant you success. May God bestow prosperity upon you.

Of course, we have to go through another stage and for this we pin our hopes on you, the youth, that is, the electing the representatives for the Constituents Assembly and the consultative assembly. We have these two stages ahead of us, after which still another is coming. I also pin my hopes on you, the youth, the Iranian youth, the youth all over the country. I also hope that with your lofty efforts, we will emerge victorious in those two stages and the representatives we will be sending to the Constituents Assembly and the consultative assembly will be Islamic, honest, and learned. After this stage, «1» there is the Constituents Assembly (election) to legislate on the constitution. And in this, you gentlemen must again make the efforts as it concerns your own parliament, your own country and your very own Islam and for this, you will earn our gratitude.

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