In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Safeguarding justice
Just as our Islamic Revolution has different features- the revolution to overthrow the corrupt regime and the revolution to establish the government of righteousness- it is hoped that there will also be a revolution to build (proper) human beings and a humane country. And that the guard duty of the Islamic guards be carried out in a revolutionary form and manner. Until the time that the purpose of the revolution was to demolish the regime, the guards" belonged" to that phase of it; that is, that revolutionary aim. They had to rise, and they did rise. They came roaring and fought all the satanic armies. And thanks to God that you succeeded in this direction of the revolution. The Revolution has succeeded partially; not completely. Most of this barrier has been destroyed; a few remnants remain which will hopefully be destroyed. The next step to be taken is for the realization of the government of justice and the Islamic Republic. The Islamic guards should carry out their guard duties to this end as well. Everybody ought to keep guard; all of you should be the guards of Islam and the government of truth. In this connection, keeping guard is to ensure that the government be one of justice means that the guard, himself, be endowed with the quality of being just to enable him to safeguard justice. If, God forbid, a guard or a group in our society is not characterized by justness, and like the former establishment that subjected the people to aggression, oppression and violation, this guard, group, faction, or whatever does the same things, to the extent it can, just as the previous regime did, then this cannot be called (the function of) keeping guard. Suppose that we claim to be the guards of Islam and of this revolution- that feature of it which is the establishment of a government of Islamic justice- we can say that we have done well and have been loyal to the Revolution in so far as demolishing, striking, killing, and getting killed are concerned. But if at this stage, which is that of instituting a government of Islamic justice, our protecting such a government is, God forbid, not properly carried out- that is, we are not present in this stage of the Revolution and have not made ourselves predisposed toward justice, we cannot then say that this feature of our revolution has been realized which was the establishment of a government of Islamic justice. Or suppose that the Iranians- who are engaged in their work in the offices, bazaars and all the other places- also do not observe Islamic justice that ought to be there, then in such a case they, too, are not Islamic revolutionary individuals.
Setting about the duties of keeping guard
If the guards, whether you who are busy in your duty as guards, or whether the other strata of the people, one of which is the clergy- though this term does not apply to them at present, but in reality, they are the protectors of Islam- fail to observe, as they should, this feature of the Revolution which was the advent of a just government in the place of a corrupt one, if that revolutionary path is not followed at this time when a regime has supplanted a corrupt one, if they do not observe the Islamic justice that begins with a person and reaches out to everyone- dealing justly with another person; with friends; with fellow citizens; with people of the same province; with countrymen; with the people of neighboring countries that are friendly with us and with all mankind- if such a state is not attained, then neither will the government be Islamic nor will its guards be the guards of Islam. When I make a claim that I am a protector of Islam by virtue of my being a seminarian whose duty is to safeguard (the faith), then, as long as there is no instance, no sign or indication of this, it will merely be a claim. And supposing that the people accept my spurious claim, it is clear that it will not be right in the sight of God. You who have kept guard up to now- may God assist you- should try to rise to the occasion and carry out your guard duties in this second stage; the stage of the government of justice, the just government, the government of Islam, the Islamic Republic. Your duty at this stage is to safeguard justice and the government of justice. If, God forbid, a youth, a so-called Islamic guard transgresses against his friend, against somebody's house and possessions, he has then automatically lost his position as a guard. But you should make efforts to guide him, or otherwise, ostracize him from your ranks as it is possible for some wrong doing on the part of one person in a community to give currency to misdeeds thus polluting that whole community, owing to which it would be said that such are the Islamic guards. There was a time when it used to be said that so-and-so is like this; a time may come for it to be said that the Islamic guards are like this. You must try to ensure that nothing is done lest it be said that the Islamic guards are of such-and-such type.
The heavy responsibility of the Islamic guards
In the same way, we too, and the gentlemen as well, should make efforts for it not to be said that the clergy are like this; the akhounds are like this. The eyes of the world are riveted on Iran today; especially the eyes of the ones that want to argue and create difficulties; that want to consider our movement as not being a right one. Their eyes are now focused on this. They dispute and write articles in the newspapers abroad; they write a lot. Perhaps all this is implicitly mentioned in the newspapers here, but it is explicitly written abroad. We should not give them an excuse. They are writing against us; if we take one false step, they will have an excuse to multiply it a thousand times.
The duty today of you, the Islamic guards, and also ours, who claim to be guardians, is very great. It is difficult. It has to be seen how you fare in this examination of discharging your divine duty. Now that you are Islamic guards, now that you have weapons and now that you are powerful, you have to see, with the weapons and the power you possess, how you are going to behave with the people and your brothers that constitute all the people; the whole country. Your conduct must be just and in accordance with Islam's instructions so that you become the guards of Islam and the Islamic Revolution! Otherwise, if the conduct of some of you, God forbid, is contrary, you will then be of Satan's army; you will lose your position of safeguarding Islam, and God will not accept you as guards.
May God acquaint us and the whole nation with our duties, and may we all serve this nation and this country.
May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.