Speech [The need for the government to render service and inform the people of the services done]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

I pray to God the Blessed and Exalted, for the success of all the gentlemen. I hope that you will also be successful in serving this country and making its present condition better. There are some points which seem important to me and which I would like to mention to you.

Our difficulty today concerns the differences, which you witness. If you do not try to eliminate the differences, the people who are out to find some defect in your work will do so. There is no doubt that those who are roaming about in the bazaar and here and there in the streets spreading poison, will find fault with you. If you at the top try hard to eliminate these differences wisely and prudently, it will create mental tranquility, God willing, because of which the tasks can be done quickly and in a better way. About these issues that you have mentioned to me in this cramped room, it would be better if each one of you gentlemen, responsible for something or other, on completing a task, announce the fact on the radio. You must also ask the people that if any of them has some difficulty, or feels that what you say is not true, to come and inform you. They can mention it in the newspapers or they can mention in the presence of the public. If they are convinced that what was said about the electric supply, the asphalting of roads and other things is not true and that the Islamic Republic has accomplished nothing but, as a matter of fact, has now fallen further back than was the case in the taghouti period, if such claims are made, the concerned people must come forward and say that we who are saying that we have accomplished some task, have not done so. If nobody comes forward with such claims, it is clear that we have done our work. The public should not listen to those people who say that the government has done nothing and cannot do anything. I am not saying that after you have announced this, there will be no other problems. But they will diminish; there will be fewer problems for the people. Even though those who want to speak (against us) will do so, the people will not believe them anymore. This silence of yours on the tasks accomplish is unwarranted. Some of them are mentioned no doubt, but not all. Each one of you, wherever you be, whatever ministry you head, are required to tell the people about your work. The thing that should not be mentioned is ones own worship (of God). But not informing the people of the work and service you do, amounts to subversion. That is, it undermines society. But if each one of you informs the people by means of radio and television, of the things that you have accomplished, they will become aware of the facts. You must subsequently announce that those who say that you are not stating the truth about accomplishing those things should come forward and say so. If the people of every village for which you have accomplished certain things and have told them about it, believe that you have not done what you mention, should accordingly speak out. They should also minutely compare these (last) two years with the taghouti period of many long years.

One day Mr. Bahonar «1», of course, told me about the schools. He said that within these two years, the number of schools built is one-third of the number of whole period of that past regime. He apparently mentioned that one-third of that number have been built, which are many in comparison to that long period of the former regime. These are important matters that ought to be mentioned. The people must know. They must understand as to what the government is doing for them. When one serves society, should the society itself not know as to what has been done for it? The people in the villages will, of course, become aware (of any service being done). But the large cites, especially the provincial ones, cannot understand this fact much. The things done ought to be mentioned; and for this purpose each and every one of you should periodically come on certain days and mention in detail the things that you have done.

It is these obvious differences that in my opinion are important. They are not so deep-rooted except the ones arising from selfishness. You yourselves must resolve these differences to some extent. If there are some people, for instance, in a ministry who want to do some wrong things, you must not allow them. You must acquaint them with their duties wisely and politely. Those that are recalcitrant must be purged. But if some of them have been mistakenly purged, they ought to be reinstated in their posts so that may continue serving  (the country). I hope that all the shortcomings will be eliminated, and that this war will also end soon, God willing. As I was told this morning, our forces have made significant advances. I hope these advances continue, and that calm returns to the country. But they will not let us have peace so soon. They may possibly create some trouble elsewhere. But we, you and the nation should be determined not to give up what has been gained. The thing that we have achieved is worth more to than what we lost. Although the worth of the youths we lost is very great, such losses are inevitable for a nation that wants to be free and independent. Because our people are united, they do not consider the government as being apart from them. They look upon it as their own government, and the country as their very own. For this reason, it is less likely that those who want to hurt us would be able to do so. Make the things you have done known to the people. Do not leave them in the dark. Acquaint them with the issues; tell them obout the (various) matters. This will foil the efforts of those groups who do not desire the Islamic Republic to become a reality. Their words will have no effect on the people.

At any rate, the nation we have today, is without parallel. There is hardly one like it. It should be said that I do not think that any of you is aware of a nation and a government being like this as to manage (the country's) affairs jointly. In the previous taghouti period, they used to obstruct matters. There was no cooperation at all because the people had seen that the government was not concerned about them. In keeping with the actual state of affairs, you must make the people understand that you have come to serve them and that the (government) offices are there to serve the people, so that the people enter them with peace of mind. I have seen the bitterness in the past, in the era of Rida Khan and again in the days of this one. «2» I was young then. I used to enter into these matters. Sometimes, in case I had to go to a police station. In those days, if one wanted to go somewhere- suppose to Azarbayjan- he had to go to a police station first and obtain a paper (of permission) there. When people had to go to a police station, they would get terrified and afraid as if they were going to a prison. This should not be the vogue in the offices that the people should become afraid on entering them. As this was the case in the past, these unfortunate villagers think that it is just the same even now.

The governmental offices should be open to the people now. They must welcome the people with open arms. The people should mention their problems to the officials. They should be able to do so (freely). The officials, too, must try to solve their problems so that the people feel that the government belongs to them and is serving them. When the nation realizes that some people are collectively serving it without any of that pomp and splendor of the past, and are living like ordinary people, with some of them leaving even more humble lives, it will not be difficult for the people who are innately good, to adore such a government in accordance with their nature. This is especially so after the events that occurred in the past. There are many people, of course, who remember the problems of the past. Now they see, after all those events which they observed in the past, that a government has come and the situation is contrary to that of the past, and that the government is rendering service in every way while trying to bring about peace of mind for the people, and to fulfill their requirements in every respect; educational, economic and all the other things. The people feel that the government is of themselves; not like it was in the past when there were people titled" al-Mulk," "ad-Dawlah" and" as-Saltanah," they see that the officials are ordinary persons like themselves. They also see on television that so-and-so minister is plain and simple like themselves. In fact, some of the children of my household remark as to the (nondescript) appearance of some minister and his suitability for the position. The mentality of the people is such that think that a minister ought to be of imposing appearance. They are not concerned about how he performs his job. Only appearances matter for them, as was the case in the past when ministers would be seen with all those trappings of wealth. Some people, therefore, think that it should be the same even now; that things should be out of the ordinary. But when the people become acquainted with these issues and the service you are rendering, when they see you and the work you are doing on television and hear about it on the radio, it is only natural that your supporters will increase in number.

Thank God that the people are supporting everybody and all the organs of government. They consider the government, the army and all( the officials )to be of them. Have you ever thought it likely that in case of a war, the whole country will rise to help? Such a mentality did not exist in those times. If anything would happen from all sides, even if the people would not do something to bring the government down, they would not cooperate with it. Now you see young and old, men and women, boys and girls, bring all they have, and say that these are for the war victims, these for the armed personnel and these things for so-and-so. These things are examples for the understanding people to perceive; not for those that have shut their eyes (to these realities). They say that the Islamic Republic is just the same as the past regime. Have you ever seen such a thing throughout history or anywhere in the world that people with smiling faces extend cooperation to their army, their government and to their nation? Is there anything better than this Islamic Republic?

Well, there are difficulties, yes. There are difficulties everywhere. But they should see whether the difficulties of those in the governments that staged revolutions in the past, exist in Iran; difficulties such as those existing in the Soviet Union even after a lapse of sixty years. Somebody whose son had been there told me that even now there are shortages and long queues. The Soviet Union, even at this time depends on America for its foodstuffs, for example, not withstanding all its economic wealth. It is now two years more or less since the revolution of such magnitude took place in Iran. Has any similar thing happened elsewhere for you to say that the situation here is the same as it was in the past? Do they know of such things happening elsewhere like the service that has been done in these two years what with the government carrying out repairs and reconstruction and rendering various services with the whole country assisting, for them to say that things are just the same as in the Shah's time? Well, one should be very unjust as to say that the country is not different from what it was in the days of the Shah. You can notice the freedom that exists at present. One says whatever irrelevant things one wants. One is free to do so; such things are being said. Whoever wants to say irrelevant things does so by shouting in the streets. Such misuse of freedom exists at present. When could any of you in the Shah's time say anything against the regime? Weren't you all standing (obediently) with your hands folded on your chests? If at all, you were very good, you would sit in a corner in your houses without having anything to do with the affairs. At the most, you would mention something general, for instance, in the newspapers or in your writings. Now you are enjoying freedom and are working in a pleasant situation. What do we have better than liberty? In those days, everything of ours depended on others. But it is not so now. The countries of the world are, of course, interdependent in so far as certain requirements are concerned. But this does not mean being dependent. For instance, we require wheat. We pay money and buy wheat like one who needs a bakery (to buy bread). This is not called dependence. Dependence is that which existed in the Shah's time. Well, the Soviet Union, too, buys its wheat from America but it is not dependent upon America. Similarly, America, too, stands in need of something or other. It makes its purchases from here and there- from Japan, for example. These are business transactions. They do not mean dependency. What we had in the time of the Shah was dependency, when the foreigners had to come and manage all our affairs, and their advisers turned our army into what it had become and did all those destructive things. These transactions involving buying and selling that people engage in, cannot be termed as dependency. Now Iran is not dependent on any quarter. This is the best gift the Islamic Republic has brought us along with freedom.

While it is not known whether there is freedom to the extent allowable, it exists nevertheless; and much of it also existed before. Therefore, all this grumbling by some people is not because they really believe that the government is nothing much, or some difficulties supposedly exist at present, or because we are (supposedly) dependent and lack freedom and so forth. It is not so. This is because of some people who are mistaken being obstructive; that is, in case they are upright persons. It is also due to the fact that you did not speak out and mention your problems. In addition, there are some malicious people who are incorrigible. These are the ones that aspired to become something, for instance. They used to think that when the country became an Islamic republic, they must also be in the picture. Should the one who neither believes in Islam nor in the Islamic Republic have a hand in running the country?! Such people are not to be seen now. They are planning. We cannot say that a person who was adamant on heading a ministry, for instance, or forming a government, has stepped aside and has even fled from the country. It cannot be said that he will grumble no more. He will do so.

As such, part of the fault lies with us in that we do not mention the things we have done and have not had time to reform these organs that exist all over the country. There are problems there. It is not difficult for certain people to infiltrate the courts, the committees and such organs. It is also possible for some people, posing as pasdars, to infiltrate the ranks of the Guard Corps, for instance, who are very good, people themselves, and do mischief. Or someone may have entered the courts and is indulging in corrupt practices. In the early days of Islam, some people used to enter the Islamic government and would do wrong things and mischief. Such matters should, of course, be attended to wherever there are shortcomings- of which there are, no doubt, many- they must be looked into and duly set right. It must be seen as to what the defects are that matter, for example, in the courts at times, the prisons and in other places. They must be looked into and set right. And it is hoped that they will be corrected.

In the event of this Islamic Republic becoming a reality, God willing, in its true sense and real content and this unique transformation that has occurred in Iran, enduring, the country will see no harm. This transformation has, within a short period of time, suddenly changed the nation that used to live in corruption- with its youths spending their lives in houses of pleasure and bars so much so that the youths volunteered to fight in the war and get martyred. They used to rejoice. Some would even cry for not being allowed to go and would ask me to do something for them to obtain permission. This is a miraculous transformation that has taken place. I hope that it will last. And while it lasts, no harm can be done to this country, even if an armed attack supposedly takes place; or whatever thing they (the enemies) do. Even if I consider the worst case of the country being harmed and all of us destroyed, God forbid, we would have still done our duty.

We are Muslims. We are responsible before God. The country is now in our hands. You, gentlemen, are administrating it. Hence, you are responsible before God. Don't think that you can do whatever you like. No, all your actions are done in God's presence; you are responsible for them and you will be questioned. You will be questioned about what you say and do. Everything will be questioned. Let us suppose- though this is quite an unreasonable supposition- that we will be annihilated. But it will be for the sake of a truth. As such, it is not annihilation; it is eternal life. It is such a thing that, in case it supposedly happens in Iran, it will shake the world and give life to it. We have, therefore, never feared such things. We should never be afraid of war. We should not allow ourselves to be intimidated by them. Why should we fear? We are doing our duty. We are on the side of right. Why should we be afraid when we are in the right? This is the same comment made by `Ali, the son of Imam Husayn (`a), to his father after he had told him that he would be killed. He asked his father whether right was not on their side. His father said that it was whereupon `Ali remarked that they had nothing to fear; they were not afraid. «3» This is the crux of the matter.

May you all be successful, God willing. Your work should be done under your own supervision as it is being watched by God. Your deeds will be registered and also the work of your department for which you are responsible. You must have upright people there. There should be no corrupt ones lest some mischief be done. In case there are such dishonest persons, you should admonish them and bring them to the right path. If you see that they are incorrigible, dismiss them and find people of principle.

I hope that everything be set right and that we move forward successfully, and that all these difficulties be completely eliminated, God willing.