In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Shahrivar 17, which is indicative of the inhuman and un-Islamic crimes of the monarchy and one of God's days, and expresses the nation's withstanding, and resistance against oppressors and criminals, is alive and will remain alive in the memory of the combatant Iranian nation.
The brave and combatant people of Iran, on that day and the days of suffocating atmosphere in which the hatchet men of the deposed Shah committed all sorts of crime, demonstrated that to attain their human-Islamic goals, they were ready to stand like an iron dam, were not afraid of brutal mass killings and were determined to stay on their path. Since 17 Shahrivar up to today marking its proud anniversary, no weakness or lassitude has crept into the iron will of the revolutionary Iranian nation; rather, every event and disaster make the people more determined and harmonious.
Shahrivar 17 should be a lesson to those blind-hearted people who imagined that by martyring a number of committed leaders of the country, they could break the enormous dam of powerful and brave Muslims. A nation which has got over Khordad 15, Shahrivar 17 and other days and has removed any obstacle like a roaring flood cannot be intimidated nor can this turbulent sea be hindered from raging by such cowardly acts which are committed only by defeated, desperate and disposed elements.
Let the blind-hearted people and bankrupt criminals turn their back on Islam and the nation and vent their wrath and spleen by their brags and big talks and present the government of Iran as shaky. Let the propagandists whose hands have been cut off from our resources and whose hope turned into despair content themselves with such accusations and frauds, and accuse us of having ties with Israel-the enemy of humanity. Let them describe Iran as unstable, shaky and bankrupt as long as they want.
Iran is now moving ahead towards its Islamic-human goals with greater harmony, unity and with stronger armed forces. The intelligent people of Iran are increasingly backing up the government, the parliament and other organizations with greater vigilance, are pulling the U. S. scums out of their hideouts and handing them over to the concerned authorities. The army, Sepah and other armed forces are marching ahead triumphantly in their battle in the war fronts with courage, and will soon drive out the wrong aggressors by the grace of God, and the government, the parliament and the judicial council as well as other office holders will carry on with their functions forcefully and unanimously. The dear great and uncompromising nation is ever present on the stage and will not let any power and government interfere in the affairs of their country. Thank God, as of Khordad 15 up to Shahrivar 17 and till today which marks its anniversary, we have achieved our sublime Islamic goals and continue with our path. I beseech the great God to grant glory to Islam and Muslims, dignity to believers and exalted station to the martyrs of Shahrivar 17. May God's peace and mercy be upon you.
Rouhullah al-Mousawi al-Khomeini