Speech [Public attempt for reconstructing a developed Iran and making up for the ruins of the Shah's regime]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

As you mentioned, Iranian nation inherits a country that has been pressurized and damaged a lot within 50 or 60 years. In fact, they left behind a ruined country and went away. They emptied the treasuries and led the cities, villages and all areas to corruption. They destroyed it in the name of" great civilization." Now that they are gone, they have left behind a disturbed and ruined country with an ailing economy, not to mention other areas. The people have been impoverished. All these poverties and failings are inherited even when the revolution occurred; they brought about all the ruinations.

A country that has been under a 2500- year or the past 50 years tyranny and destruction cannot be reconstructed in one or two months or one or two years. The Iranians were like a 35- million prisoners, being suddenly released and still entangled with all pains in the jail. The present sufferings are inherited by the former regime. The people who were under pressure for the past 50 years now find themselves free. Now that they are liberated, they should think that their release is in its own right a great reward from God Almighty who salvaged us from such shackles and tortures. Instead of being thankful and renewing the ruins, one group is unfortunately engaged in stonewalling and another one who are remnants of the former regime and the Shah's adherents do not let this country thrive. They mingle the people who have been released and who want now to satisfy their complexes in 50 or more years. Unfortunately, many of our innocent youth favor them and help them too.

Our nation should know that God Almighty has granted them a blessing, which the entire world is looking with astonishment. God Almighty extended a favor to this nation who shattered this huge demonic dam, backed by all powers. Our people did it with the power of faith. All those engaged in plundering and ruinning the country and, worst of all, hindering the people's growth are gone away. Our nation should not think that all the thieves and plunderers have left the country. Yet, a small number of them have remained the people voted to make operational the city councils. Of course, the votes cast were not noticeable. Nevertheless, the city councils were settled in many places. People should not imagine the city councils could do the job. A seven-ten member council without proper means cannot work efficiently. Their success depends on the fact that whether the people want to cooperate with the city councils, intending to serve their cities. As long as people do not help, the city councils would not do anything. It is not advisable for the nation to stay aside, saying it is up to the state to do it. Minus the power of people, the state cannot reconstruct the ruins.

Now, there is one thing that is yours. Just as one is duty-bound to serve one's family inspired by one's conscience, one should serve the country that we have wrenched out of the grip of others. The country is now ours and we should serve it. We should not stay apart, saying:" You have taken it out of others' hands and you must fix it!" This is not possible. It has been your job and that of the nation. The very nation that launched such a revolution and gained such a triumph has to administer the country. Everyone can do as much as one can. Of course, one group, two groups, clergymen, the state, the workers and the industrialist cannot do it alone. Everybody must take charge of a part. Anyone engaged in a business should do it efficiently.

There are a lot of ruins and problems for the people now. Regrettably, people suffered hunger while walking on treasures. Now that the country is yours, you have to do your best, particularly in the field of farming. If you show dereliction in cultivation and farming, we should continue suffering from dependency on America and elsewhere. When a rich country is yours it does not matter it was once in the hands of traitors. You should fix the country's agriculture, which is capable of fulfilling domestic needs, not to mention the exports. Never again should we stretch out our hands toward America to beg for wheat, barely and, I do not know, what! If they refuse to provide us with the items, we would remain hungry. We must become self-sufficient. We must be enlightened. We must serve this country. Serving means that farmers grow crops on the fields of their own. I would like to notify that usurpation of public property is forbidden. Some people, who have said that anyone is now free to cultivate whatever anywhere, it is not right. Their legal owners must cultivate the fields. Those in charge of plantation should do so according to rules. Do not stay negligent in this matter so that, God willing, we remain self-sufficient in the next one, two or three years and stand on our feet.

If we show negligence and dependency on foreigners, this economic dependency will naturally be followed by political as well as social dependency. We will be the same former slaves and those people would rule over us that used to do so formerly. Economically, we have to become free from economic aspect; that is, our hands should not be stretched out to others in which case whenever they stop giving us, we would be paralyzed. We should provide the raw materials, which any county requires and the foodstuffs we need. This is achieved if farmers all over Iran embarked on the autumnal harvest products now in autumn. When the spring arrived, they launch spring harvests. Everybody including the state should join hands to provide assistance to farmers.

A vital source of concern for the country is that our agriculture has been destroyed. If we want to survive, we should revive our agriculture. Revival can be achieved by collective efforts of the people to run the county. People should help the municipality, city councils and the like in every city. Today, Qum's city council officials came to me here, saying the ruins are so many that it is beyond their ability with no assistance on the part of the state and people. There are a lot of problems and ruins. Poverty is rampant. Citizens in each city must help the farmers. They are servants of God now in trouble. God Almighty favors His servants.

The destitute people are family of God and must be attended to. God Almighty has ordered the rich to take care of the poor. It is not fair a group of rich people stands aside and the poor spend hard days. I told these factory owners and the affluent people who occasionally came over here and some of whom, wanted to deceive me, that it is not right the concerns of the former regime to be repeated again. A group of well-to-do people enjoys unbound privileges and indulges in whatever debauchery, while another group, the slum-settlers of Tehran and other cities live an abject life. This is intolerable. I gave warning. It is a threat to people.

If, God forbid, the Islamic Republic cannot make up for economic problems and people are disappointed in the Islamic Republic and in the fact that Islam is able to improve the economic condition of people, if an explosion occurs, neither you and I nor clergymen and Islam can stop it. If the explosion would happen in taghout time, we could bridle it by our advice, sermon and orders. Once it takes place within the context of Islam and people lose their temper out of despair, it cannot be curbed. The wealthy should know that if, God forbid, an uncontrollable explosion comes up, all forces, good and evil, would undergo great burnings.

Sit and think of this nation. Do not sit aside and act indifferently impartially leading your own life. Do not sit and watch the ghetto settlers whose animals lead a better life than these slum-dwellers. You might have seen the living condition of animals on TV, showing them in the jungles leading a good life. Reconstruction Jihad also showed people and their homes, which are no better than those of animals. ' Why is this so? The nation, the state, the wealthy, the factory owners and the like should join hands to remove the problem. In case the problem remains unsolved and, God forbid, an explosion happens in the context of Islam and the Islamic Republic, it is uncontrollable. No one can stop it. Before this happens, it must be stopped, particularly because the enemies of Islam and Muslims inside and outside of the country are engaged in conspiracies.

Recently, the Shah fled and was embraced by America under the excuse of treating his cancer. Mr. Yazdi «1» was here yesterday, saying that it was true and the Shah was taken to hospital for his cancer. Well, I said," What about our assets?" Well, if he dies, what goes on to our money? He said lawsuits had to be filed in our courts and they had to be investigated here. Then they are taken to judicial courts of there so that the assets might be refunded.

Therefore, informed people, institutions and ministries were called upon to collect the files to be investigated and claimed through attorneys lest they might be missed there. The late Mudarris (May God bless him) once said to Rida Khan, gone on a trip and back again, that he had prayed for him! Being amazed, he said," Well, how come my staunchest enemy prays for me?" Mudarris said," The point is that if you die on this trip, our money is lost"!

" We have prayed for protection of our money". Now, we do not pray for him! But we hope we can bring back the assets. Last night, Mr. Yazdi said the money the Shah had amounted to one-year of oil revenue. One-year of oil revenue! His personal account in foreign banks now shows billions of dollars. Anyway, they ruined the country. He alone and the people surrounding him looted the country. Their roots; namely, the leftist and Fada'i-ye Khalq remaining in the country are of their number.

Do not imagine that we have any Soviet-backed people's devotees here. They are associated with America! They are from that side not this side. We oppose both sides."Toudeh Party" was primarily an English Toudeh Party whose head was known to me! He was a Muslim «2» and my fellow-traveler to Mecca. Yes, the party was made in England but fished on us in the name of the Soviet communist! These are now called" People's Devotees" and are putting to death the people by chanting," People's Devotees", People's Devotees"! They set ablaze the harvest: stop the factories functioning and embark on all sorts of sabotage. Their espionage and link to Zionism and the like have been proved. As seen, now they have joined the people calling themselves as their devotees, so and so but setting their harvest to fire! They sacrifice themselves but they are busy with seditious acts of killings. They are devoting themselves as such!

At any rate, our country needs to be run by the people themselves; the cities too are required to be renewed by you. Don not stay aside saying city councils are formed. The councils are weak and cannot do things well. They are able to do things only if people join them. This is our human responsibility to help each other to improve the situation, God willing. May God grant success to you all!