Speech [Importance of the role of laborers and farmers in the self-reliance and independence of the country]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

May this day prove auspicious, with the grace of God, for all the oppressed people of the world, the entire Iranian nation, and you the committed laborers of this Islamic land! May this day prove auspicious for the entire Iranian nation that has fostered such committed youth that serve their country in their factories! There are two strata of society that are the backbone of this country and the Revolution. The first is the labor stratum that helped the victory of the Revolution through its unremitting strikes before the Revolution and which still continues to support it through its endeavors and efforts for the cause of Islam. I am hopeful that their struggles and efforts will be accepted by God Almighty and that they succeed in every aspect of their lives. The second stratum is that of the farmers. Our laborers and our farmers are the foundation of the self-reliance and independence of the country and if these two strata act constructively, the problems of this country will very soon be alleviated with the grace of God. It is for this very reason that these two strata are under stronger attacks by the opponents of the Islamic Republic. It is not accidental that the activities of the opponent groups of the Islamic Republic and the agents of the foreign powers are mainly focused on these two strata of our society with the intention of deviating them. Despite their baseless lofty claims of being the champions of the cause of the laborers and the oppressed people, the opponents of the Islamic Republic are busy undermining them by alluring them into negligence toward their duties and by inciting them to go on strikes. It is the ultimate desire of the big powers to seduce our laborers to give up on their Islamic and human duties in order to see the backbone of the nation paralyzed. It is also not accidental that the same deviated elements go to our farmers and try to prevent them from putting in their best and if they fail in their aims, they set their crops on fire. However, if these two strata remain steadfast and stand up against the people who intend to bring defeat to the Islamic Republic and Islam, this country is bound to progress. In the same manner that our armed forces are defending our frontiers and are bravely and valiantly protecting the country and Islam, despite the martyrdom of our precious youth, our laborers and farmers, too, are putting in their best efforts to save the country from being dependent upon foreign powers. Like the armed forces you, too, are striving for the cause of God. Your perspiration is as sacred as their blood before the presence of God Almighty. If you, the laborers and farmers of this country, stand up and act upon what is in the interest of the country, its independence, and freedom, this country will surely advance and will not face any harm. You should stay alert and should take care not to fall prey to the deceptions of the groups whose intention is to deviate this country from the path of Islam and to lead it toward the East or the West.

I pray to God Almighty for the success and prosperity of you dear laborer brothers who are striving along with our farmer brothers in protecting the self-reliance and independence of this country and I am thankful for all your efforts in the same way that I am thankful to those who are engaged in protecting the frontiers and pray for them.

The nation of Islam and Iran should know that these toiling millions of laborers and farmers who are busy serving the country in the factories and in the fields are the chosen creations of God Almighty and are blessed by Islam and the Lord of Islam. These sacrificing strata of our society as well as the other sacrificing forces that are safeguarding our frontiers should support one another so that this country can attain self-sufficiency and self-reliance with the grace of God. You should entirely give up the belief of" we cannot do it ourselves" and should replace it with" we can". You dear brothers are quite capable of attaining self-sufficiency only if you make your resolve. The only important thing is for you and the farmers of this country to resolve to rely on your own power; and trust in God Almighty and the support of the real owner of this country, the Imam of the Time (`a), and do not give up until the final goal is achieved.

Those who are under the false impression that they can continue making mischief in this country and bring destruction to the laborers and farmers in order to pave the way for the re-entry of the foreign powers into this country are making a grave mistake. They have surely been misguided despite all their false claims of being the champions of the cause of these sections. They are causing corruption and conspiracies in different cities while our beloved youth from the various strata of society are busy making sacrifices at the warfronts and while some of our officials have been martyred in the last few days. It is, thus, in the interest of these elements that they join back with the nation and if they still continue with their evil activities they shall soon regret the day this nation decides to act upon its religious and divine duty and stands up against them. But that day shall be too late for regret. My advice to all the deceived agents of the superpowers as well as the residues of the previous regime is to give up their plans of returning this country to its pre-revolutionary conditions and to bear in mind that their intentions will never materialize. Every man, woman, the young and the old in this country is striving for the cause of Islam and for the independence of the country as well as for their own dignity and human values. You are the ones who intend to create obstacles on the path of this country toward freedom and independence. But surely you will never succeed in withstanding the storming waves of these uprising human beings. Thus, it is in your own interest as well as in the interest of the nation that you lay down your arms and give up your evil plots and return to the nation and live a normal life along with your other brothers. The kind of life you are living now is not a dignified one. The evil desires of your carnal self will destroy you and others. You will lose your youth only to satisfy the residues of the previous regime and those who have deviated from the path of Islam. Beware of the day the nation finally decides to deal with you according to its Islamic duties.

I pray to God Almighty for the health and prosperity of this Islamic nation and the grandeur of our laborers and farmers who strive for the cause of God. May God grant you strength and even further determination so that you may stand up against all the arrogant superpowers of the world and succeed in protecting your country!

May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.