Speech [The cultural and economic corruptions of the Pahlavi regime; the role of women and the deprived in the Islamic Revolution]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

First I must thank you and apologize to the respected women who are sitting in this heat, under the scorching sun. When I was abroad and likewise when I was here, I would hear of the valuable activities of the women of Mashhad. And I must feel proud of such women; of such ladies. Because I am seeing you under the hot sun, I will be brief. We are able to find out those things that may appear to be shrouded in ambiguity, which the governments or those in power are engaging in. Rida Shah, led a coup, overthrew the government of Iran, and installed himself as the successor. Then later, Muhammad Rida took over. They engaged in activities some of which initially, perhaps appeared to be positive in the opinion of unaware individuals. And, they did other things in the name of reform and in the name of civilization; things whose immoral purposes were discovered. For example," land reforms"; Land reforms! Initially, there was a lot of hullabaloo that we want to do this and that for the farmers, and property ownership is over with. All property owners are finished. They broadcasted such statements on the radio, mentioned them in speeches, and printed them in newspapers in order to deceive the people. But now, we know- also knew before hand- now too the nation has come to know that the matter was not reforms; they did not want to liberate the peasants; they did not wish to enable the peasants and the impoverished class to prosper, rather the aim was to make Iran a market for America, and to destroy Iran's agriculture so that Iran would become dependant on America for all its needs- and this dependency on foreign countries still persists. They spoke of" land reforms", but we understood that it implied the corruption of the country.

For example, take notice of the so-called freedom for all strata, for women, for men." Free women, free men." You and we saw that the suppression that prevailed in the era of this father and son was perhaps, unprecedented in the history of Iran. No man was free; nor was any woman. All were kept under strict control; everyone was suffering. One fine day, they would organize celebrations for the abolishment of capitulation. At the time of Rida Khan, there was talk in newspapers and in speeches that the country had progressed; suddenly the same word would be reinvented and the Americans would be granted immunity. «2» It all depended on what the powerful would do. Whatever that powerful class did, the others would raise a clamor in pursuit. In the handpicked Majlis, there would be outcry and eulogizing.

Among the things that were done at the time of Rida Khan in emulation of Kamal (Kemal) Ataturk «3» was combining the parties into a single party and another was banning the Islamic dress code of modesty. At that time, they trumpeted aloud, showered praises from their loudspeakers and eulogized this unification of parties and banning of the Islamic dress code. The clergy whom were opposed to these issues were denied and mocked in verses of poetry. Perhaps you may have heard some of them. What disparaging verses were recited that are unmentionable! Then we saw that the question of banning of Islamic dress code of modesty was not the matter of wanting to do a favor to women; it was that they wanted to destroy this section too with force and compulsion. The potential that women had; the service that this section could render to the nation; the valuable services that our women were responsible be snatched from their hands, and they would be prevented from rendering for those noble services that they must; and that the rearing of children in whose hands lay the destiny of the nation later on; they would not let this service be undertaken lest the children be reared as pious individuals in their bosom; that in their bosom they be imparted Islamic training; that they be trained as patriots; and later when they attend primary schools and then high schools, with the propaganda that they did there, and the teachers that they hand-picked, and the propagandists that they had there, they could not change them.

In this way, the plan was to push aside these women from the dignified position that they enjoyed; and in their own imagination liberate half of the population of Iran. You saw how they" liberated" them. I saw- perhaps most of you do not remember- what they did with these respected women of Iran; what pressures they brought on them; they did this work at the point of the bayonet. Then later on, they wanted to ensure that the women did not perform their noble task and were not able to rear their offspring.

If they get into other occupations, subsidiary occupations, they cannot behave in a noble manner. Of course, employment for women, the right occupation for women- holds no objection but not in the manner that they wanted. They did not hold the view that women should find an occupation. They were of the view that men and women should be brought down from their lofty position, and thereby prevent the natural evolution to occur for the women or a natural evolution for the men. They wanted to prevent our children from being brought up correctly. Therefore, they nipped it in the bud from the start. Children were deprived of the blessing of the bosom of mothers, which is the focal point of the rearing of infants. Then the children went to the primary schools, and there too with the negative propaganda, with deviant textbooks, they misguided them. Next, when they entered the universities, their own agents did not let them develop properly. They did not let righteous scientists be educated. They did not let true patriots, true Islamic personalities to be trained. From what they did, we saw that they were against our nationality, they were against our national interest, such as the issue of" capitulation", such as the issue of agriculture; such as the rest of the issues; we came to know that the fundamental objective was to make us deviate. The objective was not reforms the objective was to not let a country develop. Therefore, from all this we understand and conclude that the banning of the Islamic dress code that Rida Khan was commissioned to do in compliance with Turkey and the West, was against the interests of our country.

We saw that the active members that got things done and the ones who did service to this movement were you all. It was you who in this very condition that you are present here, with this same condition took to the streets and assisted our movement. Those who were trained by them, even if they were involved again there was a section of them who were close to what you are. Those, whose upbringing was that way, had nothing to do with these matters, as some men had no role in this movement, now, they have come to make the best of the situation. Now that these oppressed strata, this strata that were regarded as weak by others, praise be to God, were strong. The strata, whom they call the third class, whereas this stratum is the first class and they are the hellish third class rather the seventh class, were the ones who toiled for the country; this stratum demolished this big barrier. This class opened the way. Now, the gentlemen from America and Europe have come down here and want to reap the benefits. Some women also, who were not involved in these matters are now thinking of making the most of the situation. Even now, you the class whom are under the protection of God, and may God grant you happiness have no expectation at all. You were the same servants of Islam and still are too. None of you have any expectation for yourself. You are the ones who served and will also serve later on. Those who have wild expectations and had nothing to do with these matters, and did not give a single martyr, have now come and want to become ministers and lawyers and so forth. They are under the wrong impression. It is good if they review their own deeds. This way of thinking is wrong that others should toil and you lived in comfort in your own neighborhood or outside and abroad, and now come and want to reap the benefit that is that the outcome of the hard work of others.

The foremost people who can have a claim to this nation are these very group that are now seated here and the group that represent of the women Mashhad and the rest of the women of Iran. Among the men also are that same class of workers and that same class of peasants and those same small businessmen and those very individuals who are in the universities and are deprived, who are of our strata and deprived. These ones carried this movement forward. Now their expectations are not as much as of those people. Those having expectations are the ones who had not done anything at all. Now, they have come and want to for example, become the president; now, they have arrived and want to be appointed as prime ministers. Those who were the loudspeakers of that apparatus now wish to engage in something; they want to come here once again.

They all have become revolutionaries just today. Everyone comes to us and says that he was a combatant. I can see; I know that he is lying to me; but well, what can I tell this person. They say," We were fighters in that period, we have been imprisoned," and these sorts of exaggerations. They think I am uninformed. Well, I know that at that time all of you or most of you were lackeys. Most of you worked for them. Now, you have come and turned into revolutionaries. No, you are not revolutionaries and will not be. On any day, if God forbid, something goes wrong, and God forbid there is a setback, you will be of those people who will immediately come forward and shout" long live so and so." We know you all well. Reform yourselves. Be a little more careful.

We must work for this stratum of workers and staff that are the weaker classes; they are the strata whom you regard to be low, whereas they are superior to all of you and higher in status; governments must work for these classes. You who have wealth and riches in the banks and abroad and inside the country, and own companies and businesses, what are you all saying? These who have nothing were involved in these affairs. God is aware of that day that I saw on the television it was showing these slum-dwellers of Tehran, when the reporter asked one of them what he was doing there, he replied that in the morning he would go to the rallies with his children. These wretched slum-dwellers took part in these rallies and brought about this victory. Governments must do something about the plight of these slum-dwellers. Whereas you who were sitting on the sidelines have now come and want to reap the benefits. Opportunists must mind their own business. May God protect these weaker classes. May God protect you the honorable women. May God grant you happiness. Convey greetings on my behalf to all the women of Mashhad whom you are representing. I am the servant of all of you.