Speech [The oppression faced by the Islamic Republic]

The gentlemen are aware of the situation; there is no need for explanation. However, let me recall that the Islamic Republic is one of the tyrannized governments in the world. It is so oppressed that its merits are portrayed as evils by foreign mass media in their incessant propaganda operations. They spread whatever lies (they want to). Recently, the BBC appears to have been a little bit tired of telling lies. Now, it is employing a different method by publicizing that it is flooded with mail. Many letters have recently been sent suddenly with almost unanimous implications. How come no one had sent any letter up until this time! Of course, among these letters, a letter is read so as to say that they have letters in favor of the group, because it uses invective language. The letters from the other side have been the same fabrications aired by these radios in the past three years. They rebroadcast them, as if they have received new letters.

We have no (medium) to oppose them, not even one foreign radio that can propagate the truth. We do not want them to overstate things; we want them to compare this great Islamic Revolution with all the revolutions so far staged, the revolutions that have been carried out in so-called civilized and developed countries and in small countries. We wish them to make a comparison and to evaluate the magnitude of the gains and the losses incurred by the Islamic Republic and how the Islamic Republic has treated the people, and the opposition. It has given all of them a chance (to leave the country) keeping all the roads open to them. All airports were open to all unless it was proved that they were the enemy of Islam and the people of this country.

 

You witnessed that they[ foreign agents ]carried out massive propaganda operations in the country. Now that they have gone abroad, they are extensively propagating that people are living in a suffocating atmosphere and that all are opposed to the Islamic Republic adding that out of 100 people only six or a maximum of 10 are in favor of the Islamic Republic, and that the rest are either passive supporters or totally opposed to it. They had pinned all their hopes on the people in the northern part of the country, intensely propagating that the people of that region were almost completely opposed to the Islamic Republic. They marshaled their forces and launched that savage and surprise attack in the hope that the people of Amol would join hands with them and they would proclaim Amol as the center of the province. Then they would advance towards Mazandaran, «2» Rasht and other places and occupy all other provinces. In their imagination, they wanted to come and take control of the capital with the help of people- the very people they had contrived to be opposed to the Islamic Republic. They wanted to change the government and then act the way they wished, destroying the" reactionaries"! When they faced the people's opposition which was a significant factor, they were defeated. We should appreciate the city of Amol and its devoted people, a number of whom were unfortunately martyred. However, they proved that what the enemies had pinned their hope on was all opposed to them. Now, do they (foreign agents) want to come to Qum? Do they want to come to Tehran or other places? Nevertheless, the mass media bypassed the event and sketchily mentioned something and sidestepped the whole issues. They already had had such an intention. If something comes up, they say a word and aggrandize it and then ignore it. On the other hand, if a word is said against us, then they magnify it, and begin reporting whatever they wish to say.

Therefore, when we feel that almost all mass media and the world are either opposed to us or refuse to tell the truth and that those who weild great influence go up against us, we should think of a way for ourselves. We should not sit idle so that others who are opposed to us would sing our praises or utter what is our true interest. For this reason we should set out to raise our own issues and discuss our problems. Now is a good opportunity for you gentlemen who are here. I hope with the support of the Blessed and Exalted God you will be successful everywhere your go and give interviews. Go and participate in gatherings and have talks with people. People in different countries are not like governments or big powers. People, even the American people, are not like their governments. They have propagated so intensely against us that people in those countries may think a large number Iranians are gunned down or slain every day.

One case cited was that of a six-month pregnant woman whose name has been mentioned and her features described in detail. Foreign media propagated that this woman had been executed with her six-month fetus. They put the blame on you and us for whatever they do, propagate and disseminate it in other places. Those who do not want to get too much involved quote others as saying or writing something. Quoting people's statement is a method of rumor-mongering. So and so has said or written to them!

Anyhow, we should propagate by ourselves just as Iran rose up by itself. It did not sit idle to wait for a power to assist it. Iran did not wait for a group to come from abroad and assist it. Iran did it by itself, expelled all, established the Islamic Republic up to this stage and will do up to its completion, God willing.

When we compare the newly born, three-year-old Islamic Republic with the 20,30,60- year old revolutions, we see that Iran is in no way comparable to them. Many massacres were carried out in those revolutions and at times millions were killed and the suffocating atmosphere prevailing I those countries has persisted until the present time. The Soviet Union is embroiled in a choking environment; life there is such that everything is imposed on the people by bayonets. Let the bayonet be lifted and it will be revealed that its nation has not been in agreement, as it seems. As regards us, it is not at all the case. Contrary to all revolutions, there is no suffocating atmosphere now; there was none at the outset as well. Basically, the doors were open; everyone could express whatever they wished; every newspaper wrote whatever it wished; everyone did whatever they wished. So much adverse propaganda was carried out in the streets, on the walls, everywhere, to such an extent that people realized that it was not a matter of propaganda. They did not mean to propagate and do their work; it was a case of an attempt to overthrow (this regime), to stage an armed struggle. They did launch an armed struggle. Then outside the country rumors are bandied that people are being killed. Which people have been killed? There were a number of dissidents who took to the streets and embarked on an armed struggle and were handed out mild punishment. Definitely, no government in the world can tolerate an armed insurgency?

For instance, in Egypt which is backed by the US and others, there has been no armed struggle, and only for their fear of Islam they have detained so many people. The fact is that they fear Islam. Such is the case in other places. Without launching an armed struggle, without an uprising and such things, just presuming people might rise up later or organize a small protest, so many of them are detained and imprisoned. However, when those who launched an armed struggle here and those who sympathized with them and created turmoil were arrested, they are raising a ballyhoo abroad. Some of them could not be released because they organized similar protests in prison, beat and at times killed officers in prison. Well, they were punished for doing so, a just punishment for the protection of the society. A cancerous tumor is removed to protect the entire body. To protect the society, this was necessary. However, most of them are now in prisons, experiencing the difficulties suffered by other prisoners. They are undergoing rehabilitation and education. We have always reminded the gentlemen here about them. Rumors are, however, underway outside of the country.

Finally, we should paddle our own canoe. We should not sit and wait for one from abroad to do such and such because they will the opposite. Our guidance ministry should take action to do something abroad. Now that opportunity has come up and you gentlemen are departing abroad, you should seize the opportunity and speak about Iran's problems; tell the people about Iran. Those who spread lies are aware of the realities. However, people do not know many of the issues. People should be enlightened. You should go to mosques, or shall I say you must go to other places of gathering. Give interviews with journalists and newsmen if they give this issue coverage in their newspapers. Anyhow, our duty is to do our work by ourselves and do not wait for others to do it. One of our important tasks is to widen the scope of our propaganda. Now that nothing is done abroad in our favor and that we do not have friends to support us abroad, we should go abroad by ourselves and speak about our problems. Therefore, this is a good thing to do; it is very useful; at every opportunity we should do it. Any time an opportunity comes up, a certain group should publicize the truth. When foreign people come here, issues should be elaborated for them and since they have come to touch with reality here, they can tell others in their respective countries about them.

I hope you will be successful and, God willing, will propagate (the truth) and present the Islamic Republic to the people as it is. I hope you are successful and return successfully, God willing.

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