Speech [Assassination and destruction is the work of the agents of America]

I have a feeling that the remnants of the former regime have despaired. They have despaired of being able to do anything. The reason of their having despaired is their indulgence in these assassinations and acts of terrorism. Well, perhaps you have heard that today also, an assassination attempt was made on one of the `ulama' of Tehran, «2» but they have not succeeded. Three bullets have hit one of the `ulama' of Tehran. These are signs of weakness. One who regards himself to be weak and a loser resorts to these destructive acts and by these means, wants to create disorder around the country and disturb the minds, or in their own opinion, intimidate the people whereas our nation is not afraid of them anymore. The nation did not fear those before them with all the power that they possessed! Small children, elderly men, women and men took to the streets and cried out in protest; and with the cry of" Allahu akbar" and Islamic slogans, they defeated them. Therefore, it is a delusion if they think that with the assassination of one person or for example, the demolition of a base they would again be able to do something. These people have despaired of these issues and for this reason they undertake such acts of terrorism. The nation must be strong and should move forward with a strong will and determination.

We must ask a question from these people- some of these groups that create this chaos and regard themselves as Islamic or supporters of the people and the masses «3» and so forth- well, if you are Islamic and are Muslims, then how is it that your actions are contrary to Islam? The killing of a person who spent his life for the propagation of Islam; for attestation of the religion of Islam- such as the late Mutahhari «4» - or making an attempt on the life of an `alim whose life was spent in the service of Islam and no one had heard a thing from him that was contrary to the interest of Islam- such as Sayyid Radi who is now hospitalized- how do these acts conform to Islam? You claim that you are Muslims and wish to serve Islam whereas you attempt to assassinate the `ulama' of Islam and the progeny of the Messenger of Islam! If they belong to the group that says we are supporters of the masses and the people and so forth, I would like to say that in these five months that the Islamic Republic has been established have you seen anything except service to the people, have you seen the agents of the present government break into some persons' home and take away an innocent person? There is nothing except that they put on trial corrupt individuals, or those who slaughtered the people en masse or ordered killings. Do you not burn the cultivated lands of the people? Do you not prevent them from cultivating the farmlands; and when they do cultivate, you prevent them from harvesting the produce; and when they have harvested, you burn the harvests? Is this service to the nation? Is this service to the masses? This referendum in which 98,98.5 of the people voted in favor, if you want the good of the masses; if you have the interest of the people in mind, well then these people have wanted this system so why are you indulging in acts of terrorism? What happened that some of you boycotted it? You burnt some of the ballot boxes and prevented some from voting at the point of a gun, are these in the interest of the masses? Now that they are serving the people; now that they are busy putting the house in order; now that they are busy clearing the house; now that the people are busy serving; you are creating disturbances in this fashion; are these in the interests of the people?

With regard to what these people are doing; in the courts of law too if a person commits an act, they always pursue the matter to see who has benefited from this act; who is the one who stands to benefit- until they find by what means the crime was committed. Here, we, too, when we notice that these destructive acts such as burning of the harvests; preventing the people from cultivating the farmlands; preventing the employees from doing their job; preventing the factories from operating; we must see who stand to gain from these acts so as to find out whether they are the agents of the previous regime and they stand to benefit. It appears that on the subject of cultivation, it is definitely in favor of America. It is America that has vast supplies and excess agricultural produce at its disposal so that if it does not find a customer for them, it must burn them or throw them into the sea. It is not so with the rest of the countries; they are in need; even the Soviet Union is in need of exports from America. This burning of the harvests and prevention of cultivation is to the benefit of America. We would guess that these individuals who introduce themselves as such-and-such and supporters of the people are the agents of America; not that they belong to the other group although they could belong to that group as well but most likely, it is that they are Americans and created by them- as I remember the basis of the Toudeh Party. The person who founded the Toudeh Party in Iran was a certain Sulayman Mirza. Mirza was my co-traveler in Mecca; he would recite his daily prayers and was a pious believer! He had also adopted a child whom he brought along on the pilgrimage to Mecca. This Toudeh party was not as these people say about them that they have no faith; basically, this plan was devised by the British. At that time when Sulayman Mirza lived in the bygone days the Americans did not have much influence here; rather they had none at all; it was the British who were very influential. Thus it was the British who brought Rida Shah to power and they themselves broadcast over the radio that they had seated him on the throne and then dethroned him for having betrayed them! Now the British are no more; and the Americans have all the say and are more self-seeking and greedy and have more interests here; and have more influence in the countries of the East. God willing, its influence in Iran has been severed. It appears to one that by creating these disturbances, they are working for the benefit of America. If they claim that they want the interest of the people then they must take notice of all that is being done for the people. All that has been done has been for the benefit of the people. If they are truly nationalists, then well they must come forward and help the people to benefit. As you witness, now when it is time for cultivation, employees of the administrative offices, doctors, engineers, women and men go to the farms and help the people; even the clergy; even the `ulama' of the land sometimes go to help the people. I saw on television that those who were there were a collection of these occupations; they were not the landless peasants that were helping; they were men and women. If they are being truthful in their claim that they want to help the people, well then they should also come forward and share the job of harvesting the produce and for cultivation with those people. Why are they preventing cultivation? Later, after they have cultivated, they set fire on the hard work of one year of one or several farmers- which is the harvest. Is it right for a person to claim to be a supporter of the people; to be at the service of the people; to be in the service of the masses and yet burn their harvest and destroy their plantation? One must ask them this question; ask from that group who claim to be Muslims. Can a person be a Muslim and yet indulge in creating such disturbances and murder? They allegedly belong to the masses [toudeh] and to quote them, are" supporters of the people". Can one who is a supporter of the people and the oppressed and the weak, go to the places of work and ask the people not to work and ask them to claim their salaries and wages from them and shun work! Where does this money come from that they pay out to the employees in order to shun work and pay them their salaries? Get paid for not working!? Is it other than that they want to create disorder? The source of that money is the treasury of others. They want to create disorder in the affairs of the country so that perhaps those masters return and they too get somewhere. But they must know that it is beyond them; the path has been traversed to the halfway stage and the remaining distance will also be covered and we are seeing that an Islamic movement has been born everywhere; an Islamic transformation has been born; this Islamic transformation that has occurred in the people and everyone has found an interest in Islam and focus on the fact that it is possible to progress with Islam- these attachments cannot be taken away so soon from the people. The people saw that Islam is feasible. You also witness that, for example, they assassinate prominent individuals for they too are afraid of Islam; they have seen that Islam was able to make a nation that had nothing to triumph over all things only through the power of faith; only through the cry of" Allahu akbar" it was able to throw out all of them; it severed the hands of all of them.

Now, everything belongs to you. But considering the amount of destruction that they left behind, by the time the government comes to rebuild some of the destructions, it will of course take some time. Of course, all the ministries, administrative offices, all the organizations must undergo an Islamic transformation. In other words, we who now claim that we have an Islamic system, that we have an Islamic Republic; that we organize Islamic associations, must strive to change the form of the ministries into Islamic ones so that, for example, when a person enters the Ministry of Interior, he enters a place where everything is Islamic, all its personnel are Islamic and he should not observe anything that is non-Islamic in nature. It is not possible that we claim our republic to be Islamic but when we enter an administrative office, the same old problems should exist in it. This is not compatible and is contradictory. Can I claim to be Islamic; our system to be Islamic but not in content? Through the efforts of you, gentlemen, who established the Islamic associations there- and I hope that, God willing, the whole of Iran becomes an Islamic union- we must with the efforts of you the youth, with the efforts of all women and men of Iran build an Islamic country in the manner that the commandments of Islam are applicable everywhere. The people should know that such a system where there is no oppression does have a place in the world; a regime in which there is no injustice, in which there is no stealing; in which there is no debauchery and whose business and trade is Islamic. However, these require an amount of effort; an amount of follow ups and some toil and tribulation.

This is a country that belongs to you; just as you work hard for your home, now you must toil for your country. There was a day when this reasoning existed that well, why should we toil while others take away the rewards? Today, it is not so; we do not have another one to reward for your hard work. This will benefit your own country; it shall benefit the citizens of this country themselves and the efforts shall not be wasted.

What I must state once again now to you is the matter of making effort to draft the constitution and elect the experts who- when they are to be nominated- you must try to elect such individuals who are devoted and pious; do not belong to the left and the right; are trustworthy; individuals who are knowledgeable about Islam and are Islamic. We want to look into Islamic law. If we want to examine the Islamic law, we must have individuals who know what Islam is; who understand the tenets of Islam; who are convinced that Islam is the system necessary for our country. Now, we must pool all our strengths in order to carry this movement forward step by step; and at every step to ensure that, God willing, it does move ahead. I hope that God protects all of you and that you all are successful in rendering service. May we all succeed in serving these people and in serving the weak, God willing.