Interviewers: Five European journalists
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
I would like the journalists neither to edit nor to distort my statements. I want them to publish them as I utter them, with no addition and omission. I ask them not to disrupt and not to be carried away by wrong indoctrinations. They shouldn't become I want them to report honestly on the Iranian issues that I inform them of.
Question: We have come from small European countries. All of us are under the pressure of American imperialism, as well. We thank you for providing us with a chance to carry out this interview and make address to these countries. After recent occurrences; it seems that the American military intervention in Iran to save the life of the American hostages would be considered as a real threat for the world peace. Would you assume that the Americans would take such a risk just for keeping the criminal Muhammad-Rida or do they are following some other purposes.
Answer: They might have some other purposes. This is because I do not see any philanthropic sentiment in Carter or in other American authorities to make them keep Muhammad-Rida. If they had really loved humanity, they would not have declared that for the sake of some individuals kept here in Iran they would make life miserable for 35 million people in Iran by imposing economic sanctions against them and so these get smashed as result of hunger in their imagination or that they would stage in a war which would result in devastation of their, our and other countries. So, the issue is not that of philanthropism. There might be some other reasons at work. One probability, which is stronger, is that they are worried that this corrupt person, «1» if returned to Iran, might blab the crimes, which the Americans have committed in Iran through this person. The American authorities are well aware of the fact that only Muhammad-Rida and the American presidents know of the crimes they have committed. These are secrets between Muhammad-Rida and those American presidents. Carter now fears that we may try Muhammad-Rida. Then the crimes committed by other American presidents and especially by Carter himself will be known as well. As we have demanded that Muhammad-Rida should be tried and God willing we will definitely arrange trial. Subsequently, we will also demand for the trail of other American presidents, besides Carter, for the crimes they have committed against Iran. It will not make any difference if the criminal is Carter, Nixons or Johnson. «2» Now, we will try Carter and then others. That is why Carter is so worried. He fears his crimes being known and we may follow the case in regard with his crimes. Then he will be failed for fulfilling his desire and miss the chance for being reelected. That is why he acts frantically. He resorts to different means. Everyday, we receive several letters from different from abroad and different countries who recommend us to release the hostages and including some other issues suggesting to do in this or that way. Therefore, Carter's impetus for taking these frantic measures, are not out of his humanitarian sympathy. He is frightened; that is all. He is right to be fearful since every treacherous person is always fearful. He erroneously assumes that by maneuvering in certain ways in the United States, he would settle his shaky position inside that country. He is planning to be re-elected. He has done all of his efforts and all the superpowers follow their special interests as it has been proved for us through experience. These immense powers including super and other powers do not care about humanity standards even pertaining to their own people. They only see themselves, nothing else. They only do activities for their own sake. If some people of their own country get ruined or the people of other countries get destroyed. They only intend to avail the chance of becoming a president for some years and they are not bothered about other happenings of the world. For this reason, I give think a possibility; I have a story to tell you now. When I was in Paris, one high-ranking person was telling me that once there was turmoil in China yet I don't remember the details. They were worried about what to do in regard with their embassy in China. That person had informed and it was translated for me that me as follows that the statesmen were worried about the precious furniture that they had in their embassy in China. They did not get worry about their personnel working there. For them the furniture was more important than the lives of their fellow-countrymen in the troubled area of China. They were concerned about the damage of furniture yet not about their personnel. This is because they are not educated in the school of humanity; it is because they are not civilized, and they have not been trained divinely. They see nothing except themselves. They are after their personal interests. Carter is one of those who have not been trained divinely. You might have heard that he recently attended the church for the first time to pray for the release of the hostages. Be aware that his prayers and invocations are like the ones Muhammad-Rida uttered once in a while in Mashhad. This is like the parable stated by `Ubiyd Zakani, «3» the famous Iranian sage. The parable goes like this," Give everyone the good news that cat has become pious." Therefore, Carter's harboring Mohammad Reza for humanitarian reasons in absolutely out of the question. Now it is up to Carter to decide not to instigate a war and to avoid causing calamity for his country, whether he makes judgment to instigate such war for which there exists no possibility of coming victorious out of the war or he decides to adopt the standards of wise and wisdom and hand such criminal over to us who has committed crimes towards this country more than fifty years, killed our youth and plundered our resources, he plundered and made the country to get ruined. Whenever he handed him over to us; if supposed that these persons are guilty; undoable they are guilty and we recognize them guilty yet if they return him to us and make our possessions available; at such juncture we don't feel unwillingness to grant amnesty to these hostages.
Q: The Western mass media constantly report falsely on the chaotic state, hegemony, and dictatorship in Iran. Since you are addressing Europe for the first time, what is your comment on these false statements?
A: As you have acknowledged describing that they are telling lies. Despite the propaganda that the west is spreading concerning its civilization and humanistic behavior, I wonder why these media, which are sensitive ones, should spread false information concerning the events, which have not been occurred in Iran. They are launching a false propaganda and telecasting it. If some event has happened here in a certain manner, is this freedom correct? Why should the statesmen let these newspapers spread rigmaroles? Why should they claim we are dictators? Where could you see dictatorship in Iran? Here, everybody is free. We even let different political factions carry out their activities freely for five months. These traitors have committed crimes and the evidence for their crimes is found among the files in the espionage den. We let the journalists free for five months to be free to write what they wished for, but then we found out that there were the hands of the foreigners behind the scene, the hands of Zionism and the United State. They were after the destruction of this country. Therefore, the courts now are ready to try these journalists. They say there is dictatorship here. You go around the country and see if you can find any sign of dictatorship. But concerning the chaos, I should say that there will be some turmoil when you have a change of government in any country. For instance was the French Revolution in France, which is assumed to the most civilized country on earth, as innocent and peaceful as the Iranian Revolution? Look at the number of the casualties in the French Revolution to see the difference. The same thing happened in course of the revolution in the Soviet Union. We claim that our revolution is unique in that it was an Islamic one. It has not been a overthrow of one government by another, or a coup d'etat of a military person against a government. Rather, a nation who was Muslim and pious rose against a tyrant and defeated him. On the same day of their revolution, all airports were in operation. But this has been different in other revolutions during which the airports were closed down. In those revolutions newspapers were closed down. Even in our life-time we have seen many coups d'etats in which censorship and suppression were very common. We have had such a great revolution because it has been Islamic in nature, and we have been obeying Islamic regulations. We did not even let the traitors get killed in this revolution. Some traitors, however, got imprisoned, but while in prison, they were treated finally. Of course, the convicted ones were punished for their crimes, but the rest of the nation did not suffer at all. We do not have serious turmoil. From among all the revolutions of the world, ours has been the most peaceful, but there are, of course, some remnants of the previous regime that are troublemakers. They receive some orders from abroad, however. But they are in minority. We will not consider them important. This is because we are keeping a tight rein on the affairs.
Q: Some political parties in Iran state that the Council of the Experts has adopted the Constitution based on Islamic rules, but their rights for political activities in the future have been barred. What is your comment?
A: Either these political parties you are referring to has ignored looking at the Constitution and then have started saying non-sense, or they have looked at it, but would prefer to express false statements. The Article 26 of the Constitution has provided freedom for political parties, associations and the Islamic societies, as well as the minorities. The only requirement for them is not to conspire against our Islamic Republic. But the problem lies in the fact that after the Islamic Republic came into being, most of these inactive parties made their presence known and mischievously started conspiring against our Islamic Republic. Some of them were after a democratic form of republic, not for an Islamic one. More than 98.2 percents of our people have voted for an Islamic Republic. The either remaining less two percents tried to sabotage or stop people from casting their ballots. When people voted for the Islamic Republic, this minority tried to interfere with the preparation of the Constitution. Later, they interfered with the election of the Assembly. Still later, it was time for them to criticize the Council of Experts or to call the principles into question. Now that the Council of Experts is convened, their principles should be put to referendum. Now, is this not a true democracy? If we assure the political parties that there will not be any censorship in this country, what else will the parties ask us for? We had set a condition for them not to conspire against the Islamic Republic. They should not plot against Islam, either. But this minority is after the destruction of the country and Islam. They want to ignore the Constitution even if it is ratified by an overwhelming majority. The names of these agents have been just found in the documents obtained form the Espionage Den.
Q: Islam always refers to the Mercifulness of God. Do you believe that people will treat these American spies mercifully both before and after their trial?
A: In Islam, forgiveness is recommended. It has mercy at the appropriate time. The convicts will be treated within the specific frame of the law. Punishment, too, is predicted in the law. Thus, if these detainees have committed crimes, there will be punishment for them. But it is up to the jurisprudent to pardon the criminal if he thinks it is necessary. Thus, if the United States returns the Shah and the frozen assets that we have in the banks abroad, we will free the hostages even if they might have committed crimes.
Q: Does your honor assume that the Arab statesmen who support the American crimes will be punished by their people who are loyal to Islam?
A: The statesmen in the Arab world are well aware of the crimes that Muhammad-Rida and his father have committed against the Iranian nation for the last fifty years. They know well that these two have killed many youths of ours; that they have destroyed our country and our economy. Now that we are asking for the Shah, these Arab statesmen support the aggressor, the United States, and associate with the United States. Islam orders them to support the oppressed ones, not the oppressor. They should support us. They are Muslims; so are we. Muhammad-Rida is a criminal; Carter is a worse criminal since he is doing injustice against us. The Arab statesmen should announce that since they are Muslim, they should support us. What has happened to them by a foreign state? However, they should anticipate a condition like that of Muhammad-Rida. It is advisable for them to listen to us, support us, and condemn the United States. They have a strong and effective weapon in their hands, and that is oil. Foreigners need their oil. They do not need the foreigners. Why have they made themselves so miserable? God has announced:" Dignity is for the believers." They should be honorable. Once you used to think the superpowers were supermen. Not so today! If these statesmen remain silent the, they will be most probably treated by their nations as Muhammad-Rida was treated by the Iranians.
Q: Do you believe other religious sects such as the Catholic Church or the Orthodox Church will help you against the social injustice?
A: Mr. Pope sent us a person to discuss with us the freedom of the spies. We in our turn discussed some issues with the Pope's delegate and informed him of the crimes that we have been subject to for fifty years and complained about his indifference towards us in spite of the fact that he is the deputy of Jesus Christ (`a). If Jesus Christ were present now, he do Mr. Pope and other religious leaders think that He would join Carter or the deposed the Shah and would leave this oppressed nation alone? Mr. Pope and other Christian clergymen, as well as the clergymen of other faiths, considered it probable that if Jesus Christ returned he would join the group of the oppressed. We are oppressed because we have been robbed of our assets and wealth and our youths have been murdered for the last fifty years. Our culture has been demolished. There has been suppression. Everything is destroyed under the reign of this father and son. Now our nation has risen up against him, but Carter refuses to have him returned to Iran. The ambassador or the charge d'affairs is not among these detainees, however. These might be servicemen of the embassy. We do not know whether they are diplomats or ordinary personnel. What we are sure of is the fact that this group have come here for spying and for our destruction. We have a great deal of evidence to their espionage. Don't you think that Jesus Christ (`a) would sympathize with us if we told Him what we have already told Mr. Pope? Would Jesus Christ (`a) support Carter and his associates? Would he support the Shah? Or would he prefer to defend this suppressed and oppressed nation? If Mr. Pope would think that Jesus Christ (`a) would support the aggressor, then this would be in contradiction with Christianity. Therefore, Mr. Pope could not have such a belief since; he is a follower of Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ saw our situation now, he would sympathize with us. Since the Pope is Christ's follower, he, too, as well as other preachers of Christianity, will have to sympathize with us and should condemn the aggressor and stop his aggression. Since Christ (`a) would defend us and due to the fact that the Christian nations are followers of Jesus Christ; therefore, all of them should support us. Do they, God forbid, think that Jesus Christ is a supporter of the aggressions!? Is he against the oppressed? I do not think any Christian would ever utter such a word. Now we will address the American nation, who is Christian, and other Christian nations, to support us in the way that Jesus Christ would do if he were among us now. Would you think that if Jesus Christ were in place of Crater, God forbid, he would have done the same thing? They killed our youths. The American police have let the dogs to torture our youths. Do the Christian nations think that Jesus Christ would accept such deeds of terror. If they think that Jesus Christ is happy with injustice, this would be in contradiction with Christianity. Such a thought about Jesus Christ (`a) is blasphemous. We will never attribute such accusations to Jesus Christ (`a). Now Carter possesses bayonets, war planes, tanks and power, but this should not be expected to cause of timidity in the world of Islam, Christianity, or Zoroastrianism. You Christians or Jews or Muslims, or Zoroastrians, «4» be aware that your religious leaders are with us and against Carter and his likes. You have to be with us. What we said to the Pope's delegate, we are repeating to you. We are an oppressed nation. You should judge on the magnitude of the crimes we have been subject to it. Carter is doing injustice to us. Now, I am telling all the world's Christians, Muslims Jews and Zoroastrians, you are responsible for what is being done to us. Your religious leaders have been on the side of the oppressed ones. You, too, should support us, not Carter.
Q: What is the diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran towards the European governments? Do you think the European countries could help your economy? If the answer is positive, what are Iran's conditions to accept such assistance?
A: We would like to have friendly relations with all the countries of the world. We like to have cordial relations with them. This, however, will not apply to those countries, which have been hostile to us or have committed injustice against us, or have tried to dominate us. We are against them and would not let them interfere with our internal affairs. We may not have relations with them, either. But this is different in the case of those governments that have been friendly to us. We may exchange goods and we may have trade relations with them. They need our oil and we will need a limited list of some goods. This should be done through the government and through the Council. «5»
May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.