Speech [Refraining from weakening of the people's morale; attempts to wipe out deprivation]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Before discussing these three subjects, «1» I should complain about something. The conference you held for some two or three days was regretfully harmful «2», because you weakened the spirit of the people. At the current time, the spirits should be strengthened not weakened. Raising complains does not solve any problems on its own, we should work. We should unite and make progress, and God willing we will make progress. We should not disappoint the nation. And you weakened the spirit of the nation as I read in the dailies and heard from the radio. Maybe my own spirit is also weakened a bit. Some of the officials complained, that man, on behalf of the Interior minister, and not to mention the deputy Interior Minister ... did something that the spirits were weakened further. We should move forward strongly.

Gentlemen. We the nation- I do not mean we, we did not play a great role- the nation performed such a great task with such determination, the task whose performance was not even perceived by us. No one could even imagine that such a stronghold could be defeated; therefore, even the foreigners who have studied this issue in accordance with the leftist and materialistic approaches, have found it an impossible issue and announced that their calculations turned out wrong. All of their calculations of turned out wrong, for all these calculations were materialistic. They were right; it is not possible for a nation, who does not have anything, to defeat the superpowers that have everything. There were other reasons which they have not calculated and they were spirituality, the people's faith, and what surfaced for the Muslims in the early years of the development of Islam- leading to the capture of the world in half a century- which was faith and enthusiasm for martyrdom, lack of fear of death, and considering martyrdom a salvation. Today many people from various strata come and say pray for us to be martyred, pray that our children attain martyrdom- but this spirit emerged and this unity of expression among all the strata evolved and all in all led to the victory. We accomplished this achievement because of these issues that nullified all the calculations.

A nation which has made such progress, [must not be worried that] for instance its agriculture is slightly backward or its factories have not resumed their work- of course we know that all these are the continuation of the regime's corruption and corrupting roots in this country; on the other hand, some assistance is rendered to them from abroad; there are also some misguided people, who as you know obstruct. The prevention of the progress of agriculture is among their obstructions. When they could, they prevented the cultivation and now they try to prevent harvest. This is one of the problems. But we must march ahead with spiritual power and the power of conviction.

We must strengthen the people. The nation, whose men and women, relying on the power of their faith and courageous spirit, took to the streets and overthrew the established system, have the power to construct their country. They can do it.

You in the provinces, those in the center, and me sitting here, must always bear in mind that our speeches are not made behind closed doors; they are broadcast throughout Iran, and everybody hears them. Now, the farmers have radios and all hear these speeches. We must not say anything that weakens the morale. We must strengthen this morale, for the key to improvement lies with us. That is, we have both the resources- that used to be plundered but now they cannot do so- and human resources- that earlier they prevented their growth- but now they cannot do so any more. We have every thing, that is, we have a rich country; the country is rich but the citizens of this country must make more use of its rich resources. Earlier, they did not allow it; now the citizens must make use of these resources. Always strengthen them. The strong morale that exists among the people and it is still there, although slightly weakened- must be strengthened, so that this movement marches ahead strongly. In order to establish a stable government we need tranquility and need this movement in order to attain its further phases. Perform the tasks together through effort and with strength.

However, my complaint was that these statements- of the government officials, that is, the ministers and the prime minister, and other gentlemen- have somewhat worried the people. Of course, you are worried about the situation, but principally you should have expressed it in a manner that did not spread, so that every body comes to know that there is nothing in your store. You must make everybody understand that you have everything- and it is the reality. You have the nation; and I would like to submit that you have removed the hurdles, which was very important. Now eventually, you must perform the tasks yourselves; now there is no hurdle; those who used to create hurdles have gone, those who wanted our agriculture to remain backward and those who had created all these catastrophes have gone.

Now that they have gone, what is there to be afraid of? We will solve the problems ourselves. Of course, it takes time, the agriculture sector requires time, and the hurdles must be removed. The factories need time to resume their production. The country's budget should be gradually corrected, for they have plundered whatever we had and went away. Now, we should think to set things right from the beginning. It is important that we must not lose heart and must not disappoint others. We must be strong ourselves. We have done the significant task; the remaining tasks are not significant. We will set the things right; it is possible to do it.

The people must join forces. The country belongs to them; they should construct their own country. The people should be informed that a movement has achieved victory and the hurdles have been removed, but it is not possible to set everything right as soon as those hurdles are removed. It is the time of action, not words. The words must be set aside, and actions be taken.

You gentlemen, who are on spot, must take action categorically and encourage the people to take action categorically. Advise and admonish the people. The offices that are shirking must be made to work ... it is time to work hard, not to shirk. The farmers have done a relatively better job; for those who come from various parts say that, their cultivation is good this year. The farmers have done a good job. The performances of the government offices have been weaker. The agriculture sector is better than other sectors. And, in the factories we see acts of sabotage. Of course, it is time to join forces to stop these saboteurs and the obstructions that have been created- you should do it wherever you are; those who are efficient, committed, nationalist, Islamic [...]

Gentlemen! None of you would succeed except through Islam. This issue, this revolution, was pushed ahead by Islam, that is, the entire nation said that they wanted Islam. If it were not there, none of the various fronts and parties could have accomplished this task. This nation, being Muslim and having suffered a lot, joined forces and unanimously said: we want Islam, we want the Islamic Republic. And when it was time to vote, you all witnessed that no one could have held such a referendum if it were not for Islam. Such a referendum is unprecedented in the history of Iran, in the history of mankind- a referendum in which everybody participated delightfully and enthusiastically: the seventy-year-old man, along with the youth, and the sick in the wheelchairs went to the voting booths to cast their votes. I was told that one of the sick persons passed away at the spot as soon as he cast his vote. Such an unprecedented phenomenon has occurred because ... it was under the banner of Islam.

The remarks that the uninformed strata make- I do not say corrupt, I say those who do not pay attention to the realities- indicate that they do not pay attention to Islam anymore, as if this task has been accomplished by the political fronts and parties. They are losing this blessing, but in reality wherever you go, you would realize that the clergy led the people to launch this movement.

Now, do not rise against the clergy, saying," Islam without the clergy." It means that Islam has no role;" without the clergy" means no role; it is like medicine without physician. We do not want medicine without the physician, for it is not possible to have medicine without a physician. Islam without the clergy and the clerics means that we do not want Islam. If you break this barrier, you will not be able to do anything even if all of you join forces. The clergy can accomplish the task. Just study and see; study this very movement and see who accomplished the task. Which stratum played a greater role in comparison to others? All participated, but who were followed by the people and the public? The criteria are the farmers, the bazaars businesspersons, and those who took to the streets. Who mobilized them for this task? The clergy did it. Of course, others were there, but they [the clergy] were important.

Do not think of writing such headlines in the newspapers as" clergydom." And when the people protest against such a newspaper, our writers would come and say democracy. Who had stopped it?

The people do not want to allow [them to do so] - when they do not buy a newspaper, it will be closed. The conspiring newspaper must not be in the name of freedom ... Now our writers and members of the writers' union, and our lawyers should not support a plot that intends to undermine the movement under the pretext of freedom of the press and freedom. Freedom of the press is there, but is hatching of plot free too? Is it freedom of the press, for the print media to publish what the communists say and not publish what the Muslims say? Is it the meaning of the freedom of the press, or is there a plot underway? If this plot is carried out, they will destroy all of you. If this plot goes ahead and you do not react and imagine that you can do something without the help of the clergy, you will face a great problem. You will not be able to do anything.

If you boost the people's morale, strengthen the clergy, and go ahead under the banner of Islam, the country will progress. If you want ... to say, for instance, such and such front, such and such movement, and such and such democratic party, in fact, each of them has only a few number of followers who have come for the worldly gains and if a cracker is exploded, they will not heed such issues and will pursue their own interests. One, who has come for Islam and is ready for martyrdom is efficient. And it is because of what the clergy has taught him, and has done it rightly as the prophets and God have done it.

You gentlemen must not deprive the people of them [clergy]. Wherever you are you have influence and God willing will gain more influence; do not snatch this group [the clergy] from the people. Also strengthen the people, for I know that we will be able to progress and you will be able to progress.

God willing, you will progress, but you yourselves do not destroy these strongholds one after another. You must appreciate the strongholds with whose existence the great fortified trenches and the great walls were dismantled; do not disturb these strongholds. Do not say that they are traditionalists. Contrary to your imagination, they are more illuminated than you are. They have better writers, better orators, and better thinkers. Do not imagine that they are nothing. Is it right to say that merely because they do not have such and such system of automobile and merely because they are such and such; therefore, they are not illuminated? Is one who has such and such automobile and is well dressed illuminated? These issues are harmful to the country.

Now, we will deal with the issues you mentioned. These committees are necessary but must be purged. We agree with both the issues. I too agree with it. I am also sorry that there are some committees in Iran, which are not useful, rather are sometimes harmful. I accept it. However, it cannot be said that we do not need the committees anymore. We have not yet finished our tasks.

Now, we need the committees. Now, these national soldiers and the national guards are safeguarding the security of the country. We need them now. Therefore, the first problem- that is, the fact that the committees obstruct the process of work- must be corrected. I would submit that we, the seminaries, the gentlemen, the Revolution Council, should prepare a plan and some representatives and together purge them. If some corrupt elements have infiltrated them, they should be taken out and the problem must be settled. But the question of their elimination is not correct at this stage. Now we are in the middle of the path and we need them.

What was the second problem? It was about agriculture. Of course, one of the reasons for the problem of agriculture is the very corrupt elements who do not want any improvement to take place. Just yesterday, a group had come apparently from Sistan. They said that during the current year they had cultivated 400 thousand hectares of land and had very good crops. However, there is a bridge, which they had to cross to reach their farmlands, but the Turkmen did not allow them. The government must take some measures for this, must think about it. Merely giving pieces of advice to these people is not useful. The strata of the people who believe in us, listen to us; but the stratum who has come to hatch plots and do not want any improvement does not listen to us; does not listen to these words. It needs power and this power is in the hands of the government. I would like to submit that the gendarmerie and the army must perform this task, and these powers should perform this task. Of course, there are some problems in the army; there are some problems, but they must be removed. The army must be strengthened, everywhere. The gendarmerie must be strengthened, and it must stop those who commit such offenses, and stop those who create hurdles in the way of the farmers. There is no problem, we too will advise the people and those who have tractors and other facilities must lease them to others. If I am to say something and ask them to cooperate as much as they can, and other such things, I do not see any problem to do so when I can do it.

[At this time, one of the audiences gave a report and then the honorable Imam stated:]

As for tranquility, in one sense, it is there and in another, it is not. Well, the borders remain in the same condition. When the gentlemen came here the day before, I spoke to them, but they returned to their offices and did not take any measure. If the army of the country procrastinates, the Chief of the staff of the army procrastinates and does not function well; such an army will not be able to work. Unfortunately, the condition of the army is such today that there are some problems.

I do not intend to enumerate the problems now. Some problems must be removed. The security of the borders must be beefed up. Well, we have been told that if for instance some personnel of the army and the Revolutionary Guards be dispatched to the borders to camps there, the Revolution Guards be deployed there, and a few fighters fly over the sky there, then they will be frightened and will stop coming. This must be done. Currently the borders of the country are open and whosoever wants to bring arms, will bring it. There are others who are sending the arms from the other side; rather they train the people [for this purpose]. Well, these must be stopped. You can stop them. These are small issues, but if they are not stopped, they will grow. This small thing must be nipped in the bud.

If we shirk duty and try to settle the problems through procedures, for instance, suppose through administrative procedures, red-tape and bureaucratic procedures, the task will not be accomplished. The army and the gendarmerie must act decisively and close the borders so that these weapons are not transferred and the saboteurs do not infiltrate. These are more important than agriculture. If they get time, they will eliminate us. Right now, they are nothing; they will be eliminated in the blink of an eye, but if they get time, they will gradually join forces and will grow. You must stop it. Therefore, main duty of the army and gendarmerie is to solve this problem and stop those who want to extort money from the people, or create problems for the agriculture- and it is not clear whether they speak the truth or not. They must be prevented from doing so. Later they must refer to the court ... and then the court must decide whether they are right or wrong. Now, they do not have any right to stop the people's farming. Is it the duty of the army or the gendarmerie to stop them?

[The Interior Minister: Gendarmerie.]

Well, gendarmerie. The gendarmerie must stop them.

[The Interior Minister: We are regularly launching the plan you ordered in every region, and the gendarmerie is dispatching some personnel.]

Well, they must stop them. It cannot be corrected through delivering speeches, for those who are saboteurs do not listen to the speeches. They need force; without force, it will be useless.

Yes, the faithful bazaar businessmen and the peaceful farmers can be guided to work through speech, but the main thesis of one who has come to create disorder is to disturb Iran, their thesis is that Iran must not be calm so that they say they could not run the country themselves; others send guardians for us. It must not be so, it must be stopped. We can do it ourselves; we can do it better than others can, why not?

[Interior Minister: The commander of the gendarmerie and two other security forces have been killed in Arak and they did not allow the verdict of the five-member board to be implemented.]

Well, the forces must be strengthened so that they cannot kill. This cannot be corrected through giving pieces of advice. The gendarmerie must be strengthened to prevent those who want to kill others and kill the commander of the gendarmerie. The perpetrator must be arrested and punished so that others do not repeat such an act. Therefore, this issue too is the responsibility of the government and it must do it as soon as possible. Gentlemen, do not allow them to do gradually whatever they want. I will tell you later ...

[In response to the statements of one of the audience:]

Well, these need contemplation, and secondly I would like to submit that you gentlemen must investigate those whom you appoint as officials in the provinces. We have been told that inappropriate officials are appointed in some provinces- purposefully or by mistake. Even in some cases, respected officials are removed and are replaced by inappropriate figures. If one who does so is doing it mistakenly, he must not repeat it and must open his eyes properly. He must study who is appointed for so and so position and if God forbid, he has any grudge, he must realize that the time of such measures is over.

The appointment of a misguided governor in some place will not cause the return to the past; the time of such issues is over. Hence, the gentlemen had better realize that the services they render to the nation and to the country which is their own now, is like rendering sincere services to their own home. Well, earlier, many people had some excuses asking:" Why me? The interests are going to someone else's pocket, why should we work and others reap the harvest?" But, it does not hold true now. If we work now, its interests will go to the pockets of the nation; it will go to our own pockets. As they work for their families sincerely and with trust and enthusiasm, they must also work for their country in the similar manner. If some people imagine that for instance, if they God forbid appoint someone there or appoint some misguided figures somewhere, can through this measure restore the past order, they must give up this idea, for it is not possible anymore. I submit that they only tarnish their own image in the eyes of the nation; they will not reap any other fruit.

In any case, you are present at every level in the country and must serve your country. We here pray for you and pray for the entire country and all of you so that you can render your services. I hope that all the problems will be solved quickly.

The problems, basic problems, have been removed, that is, the problem that did not allow anybody to work has been removed; it will never come back again. As for these problems, suppose a family has a problem within itself and wants to settle it; it solves it with patience and enthusiasm. Today our condition is such that we want to reform our home. We no more fear that if we do something the Security Organization would arrest us and put us in the dungeon; this fear does not exist any more. Or if I do such and such things, the Americans would be made to do such and such; such things do not exist any more. Today, you are there, your country and your homeland. You must work for yourself. All of us should work for ourselves. If we have faith in God- that God willing we have- we should accomplish this task for God; the country is an Islamic one. If God forbid, it is not so, we are nationalist, well ... we should fulfill this duty for our country. I hope that all of you succeed, and be acknowledged.

[In response to the remarks of one of the audience:]

Yes, they have frequently come to me. Any group that comes here says: we face serious unemployment; we do not have anything, we do not have water, electricity, schools, hospitals; and so on. Well, whoever comes from any place, says something. And often they say: nowhere has been as deprived as our place. We tell them: well, have these happened recently, or have they been there since the past? Has the Revolution caused them, or have they been there since the past or have we entered a place where none of these existed? You say that the Revolution has caused these destruction and miseries, but, you yourselves acknowledge that it is not so. Hence, it has been such before the Revolution. The issue of unemployment, poverty, lack of water, electricity, and asphalt, etc ... had been there earlier. Now, the government has inherited a country whose every aspect is such.

The Bakhtiyaris say that they are the most dispossessed; the Sistanis say that they are the most deprived; the Balouchis and the Kurdistanis say the same thing. And, all of them are right that they had been deprived; but this deprivation had existed before. It has not emerged now that you urge the government to compensate right now. In fact, they have not happened now; they have not happened during the rule of Mr. Bazargan; so he is not responsible for them. They happened in the former governments and during the erstwhile regime. Now they have taken over. You have inherited a country, which has been disorderly, and should set it in order.

Therefore, I would submit, the workers, farmers, the government employees, and the unemployed, had all been as they were in the past; they were worse in the past. Now, you are at least free; earlier it did not exist ... You should wait and see what needs to be done. They should not think that now that they are unemployed they should push you to pay them. I have not done this for payment. It is an old issue, the previous regime has done it, and they have deprived you, now we have come to remove these deprivations. But, it is not a miracle to act immediately. Well, it should be performed gradually. It should be said to them that they were under a regime and suffered all kinds of deprivations; all kinds of ruination were there. Now, we have entered a ruined state; we want to construct it. Well, the construction of this ruined state requires time; it takes time. We should take our time. A government must be established, and its budget must be prepared in order to perform the task. It cannot not be rectified just like that.

In any case, the Revolution necessitates such issues. Has there been any revolution better than the Iranian revolution thus far? This is the White Revolution, not Mr. Aryamehr's" White Revolution." The white revolution is a revolution took place and such a great hurdle was dismantled, but at the same time, the casualties and damages were few, while its outcome was great. But even now we are passing through the revolution. We have not yet put the revolution behind. Now it is a revolutionary condition. The revolutionary condition involves disorderliness. The post-revolution era involves disorderliness. This disorderliness should be tolerated by all of us. You should tolerate it in accordance with your capacity; the workers in accordance with their capacities, and the university youth in accordance with their capacity, for ... it is not time to rest.

At the time of the revolution and during the post-revolution era, such problems are for all. They are for the government, for the nation, for the youth, for the farmers, and for all. But, all of us should join forces to accomplish the task. May you succeed God willing.