Speech [The necessity of obtaining the views of clear-sighted people on the principles and articles of the Constitution]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

I wish to thank you gentlemen who have come from afar to talk about the issues that concern you, and to listen to what we have to say. I, likewise, thank the esteemed ladies who have come here. What I wish to tell you now is that, firstly, these difficulties that you have mentioned are undoubtedly true.

You either know or should know that these difficulties are not exclusive to Sistan; they are not exclusive to Mazandaran. «2» The same difficulties, or ones like them, are mentioned wherever you go in the country, and by the various groups of the people of the country that come to visit us. Even migrating from one place to another- it has been so, and is so, in certain other places as well, such as the case of the Bakhtiyaris and some other tribes- was, no doubt, arranged by the previous regime in order to disperse the people and disturb their lives. They had arranged to destroy our agriculture and make us dependent on America. They were to destroy our educational system and make us dependent on America and other countries for even doctors, engineers and all things. No doubt, it was so. And there is no doubting the fact that Islamic programs are contrary to this. This will not be the case if Islam is realized; if an Islamic government, in accordance with our desire, is realized. It is not so that it, too, will help in creating chaos. The Islamic government is there to bring about reform.

But the matter that I would like to talk about, which is now an essential one, and regarding which I am duty-bound to tell the various groups that come here, is that we now have a basic problem. If this problem is not solved and we are not able to surmount it, then there will be no hope of Sistan being set right, nor Balouchistan. And neither will there be any hope of Tehran, Qum and all other places being set right. It is also possible that matters will worsen and return to the former state. The issue is that we, first of all, have to establish the basis of our country' independence so that it becomes our own country of Iran without anyone being able to take possession of it. If we are not able to obtain or guarantee the independence of our country, all the other matters will not be solved. What is now incumbent upon us is that all the brothers, all the sisters and all the ranks of the people of the country combine their energies over the issue that is now the basic one: the country's Constitution, as the laws of a country constitute its basis. Now that the Constitution has been proposed and placed at the people's disposal, those authorities who are clear-sighted, the clear-sighted Muslims, the clear-sighted `ulama', the Islamic experts who know what Islam is, should study it, offer their views, write about it and should have it published in the newspapers. They should not allow others to become engaged in writing and thereby, determine our destiny.

You, yourselves, and everybody else who can understand the Constitution and Islam should see whether or not a particular article is in conformity with Islamic laws, and what articles are in the interests of the Islamic country. At present, the important thing is that all of you, together, give your comments on the Constitution. The clear-sighted among you, the Islamic jurisprudents, the intellectuals committed to Islam, engineers, clergymen; all of them should now give their opinions on the Constitution. They should not let others express their views and see what happens. They ought to give their own views. With regard to every clause of the Constitution that the clergy deems as being contrary to Islam, all the other classes of the people- those who know that it is against Islam- should also give their views. Those who are not aware of this should follow suit and demand that it be so.

After we have passed this stage, there is another one that is very important. And it is that after this Constitution has been brought to everyone's notice, a month's time set for the public vote and all have given their views, a group of seventy-five individuals, should be nominated as deputies by the people all over Iran, the inhabitants of every part of it, every region, so that they review the Constitution and present their views. It will be put to the public vote after they have given their views. What is now very important for us to consider is the type of people these individuals that have to be nominated in every place, ought to be. It is possible that some among these individuals are deviationists, and these deviationists be the cause of the others going astray. The people should think, pursue the matter and consider individuals that are faithful to this movement, that are favored by all and want to accomplish the task.

Studies have already been done, and proposals given. Perhaps you have heard over the radios that there are schemes to create things to be constructed; for houses and highways to be built all over the country. Of course, those places that are less developed would be given priority. It is not that everything will be restricted to the centers like it used to be before. No, the remote regions that are more in need have priority; they are first.

I pray to God, and you pray, that we will be successful, God willing. And we should now consider the basic issue, just as that esteemed sister of mine mentioned the problems. These will be solved in due time, God willing, with some patience and endurance. Of course, all these matters will have to be solved, but patience is required as we are now in the throes of the revolution. Our revolution is not yet over; our Republic has not yet been set. We have only given our vote; other tasks remain that have not been accomplished. They should be gradually completed, God willing.

I am hopeful that all matters will be set right. I hope that God will grant you success; that God, the Blessed and Exalted, will favor you. Just as you have advances so far by the grace of God, the Blessed and Exalted, you will also, God willing, advance from now on by His grace, and all the problems solved, God willing. May God give success to all of you.