Speech [Reflection and depth of military advances - Saddam's false claims to be peace-loving]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Before anything else, I am grateful for meeting you, dear young combatants, on a day which, God willing, is the key to all victories.

We always receive reports from abroad and from those who go out of country or from other personalities that we have not understood the depth of what we have accomplished in Iran. All these studies and advances only reflect the superficial aspects of the events. As we are told, we are still unaware how major transformation this revolution has created in all our values. You should know that nations, even those which are not Islamic but are categorized as the oppressed people of the world and are always under the domination of arrogant powers have pinned their hope on the revolution which has taken place in Iran.

This is a great feat achieved by our combatants and nation in its natural dimension, which has a depth so great that it prompted all foreign powers and mass media apparatus to rise up against this revolution. If it were an ordinary development, so much commotion would not have been made or voices would not have been raised in the world. The deeper the opposition of the mass media apparatuses and that of the big powers, the greater your military and natural advances are. If it were an ordinary event, the US should not have followed it up persistently, trying to nip it in the bud. The Islamic Revolution is an extraordinary development. If we study even the superficial aspect of the events, we will see that the outward values studied by the mass media apparatus and the military officials of the world are so enormous that they are gradually becoming clear for the world. So far the spiritual depth of the revolution and the nation has been less heeded by the world outside Iran. All attention has been focused on military issues and advances, which confirm that the offensives launched by the Iranian combatants are unprecedented; they are of different nature, they are not the same as other wars in the world. The superpowers and foreign media only heed these advances, defeats and the like. They plan to disturb the situation and undermine the Islamic establishment. Despite the fact that Iran has a small population of about 40 million all powers are opposed to it. In the post-revolution period anywhere, the situation and the system are confused. However, today they have noticed that we are celebrating the fourth anniversary of the revolution and everything we have is better than before. If there had been a defect in our system, in the military and in the law enforcement and in the integration of the armed groups, today such defect has been removed. All these are calculated based on material standards. We cannot appraise the depth of the issue from its spiritual aspect. They attempted to keep the populace unaware of the world situation in the course of history, particularly in the former regime, addicting our youth who should have served the country, to narcotics. They created so many centers of prostitution for the people in the past decades, which grew in number at the time of Muhammad-Rida Shah.

You should understand that, in moral and cultural terms, if this revolution had not come to Iran's rescue, Iran would have been on the precipice of destruction and would have lost all its identity. They had tried to make us dependant on foreigners from all aspects and make us realize that we were not able to do anything. They inculcated in us the idea that war has no meaning and that we could not fight against any country. In three or almost four years, we caused the world, the big governments in the world and the big powers of the world understand the depth of this outward progress. What you, brothers, and your friends and fellow soldiers have brought home is that although our population is small, we have the ability to confront any power.

Let us, however, treat the spiritual depth of the subject, which is foremost among all other issues. Iran was a country where the intellectual class and the mass media attempted for long years through their pen and propaganda to drain this country and its beliefs, brainwash the youth and make them believe that they were nothing and thus had to live under the protection of the West or the East, and that, they are not able to do anything.

This revolution emerged out of such people who were indoctrinated by such a regime, particularly in the past 50 years. The university had such a training, the army underwent such a training and so did everything else. The revolution's spiritual depth signified that in less than one year this population underwent a tremendous development. That comfort-seeking population was transformed into a combatant one. The alienated people who relied on others for whatever they needed were changed into thoughtful people proceeding towards self-sufficiency.

If God had not come to the rescue of people, God knows what prostitution would have brought about for the country. Many of you may know about the event in Shiraz. «2» You may have heard of the play in which a man wanted to marry a boy. They sought such things, attempting to lead the country to this state of affairs. God came to the rescue of this nation, an innocent nation and transformed it into a Hizbullah (party of God) population who devotes everything to God. This is significant. There are persons who struggle to purify their selves and take pains for 50 years to attain a station. However, God Almighty transformed these youths in a short period of time, and helped them reach a state which was difficult for others to achieve in 50 years a station in which one wants nothing except God and embraces martyrdom so warmly. This is an important issue. We should always bear in mind that this is not something ordinary to be accomplished by one person, 100,1000 or all people. A 40- million strong population all powers, propaganda, words and writings were at work to train to be profligate suddenly changed into one of Hizbullah, discarded all that smacked of sensual and carnal passion, stood against big powers and defeated them. This is a transformation the East and West cannot understand. They can understand things that can be evaluated by material standards. However, as far as spiritual matters are concerned, they have no idea as to why a country of 40 million people has changed into one in which people offer their youths to get killed and wish they had more sons to offer. These young people have lost their hands and legs and are sad for not being able to go to warfronts any more! The astounding events occurring in the warfronts are indeed impressive. You who have been in the battlefield know better what these events are. When the gentlemen come and speak with me, one will be amazed by what has caused such a transformation. Of course, since God has so willed, one should not be amazed. All these developments have been made by God's omnipotence. We should consider victory to belong to God. Victory belongs to Him. We are nothing. Victory is what He has granted us.

The power Iran enjoys, which all countries reckon with and many are unjustifiably afraid of, is something God has granted us. It is not something we can attain. It is something God has favored us with. We should therefore rely on the belief that we are nothing and that whatever is there emanates from the unseen. It is that unseen source that helps us. It is not a trifling thing that a large population constructs a formidable stronghold with great efforts and takes refuge in it and then a small number of people storm it and all those in the fort surrender. They surrender because they are afraid. Who has instilled the fear in them? Our number was not comparable to theirs. We were in the open desert and exposed to harm. They were in strongholds and bastions they had erected and were not exposed to threat so as to be afraid. It was a fear God Almighty injected in their hearts. God has said in the Holy Qur'an:" And He brought those of the People of the Scripture who supported them down from their strongholds, and cast panic into their hearts." «3» In the early years of Islam, God brought victory to Muslims by casting panic in the heart of their enemies. We are indebted to these great divine favors and at the same time to the people who help each other so fervently. It is unprecedented in history from the beginning to the present day that the clergy, military men, police and pasdars stand together and fight an enemy. This is something which has had no precedent in the past and will possibly have no one in the future. Maybe, by the grace of God, such a thing that all people from all walks of life act together can be found somewhere else too. The scenes of unity of armed forces in the bunkers which have been related to me are really wonderful. Appreciate the merit of these scenes.

Let us turn to some of the problems facing us today. You know that from the outset of the war up to the present day, whether the day when Saddam beat the drum of Qadesiyeh or today, when there is no talk of him and he has gone where God knows, our problems have been rational. The problems we talk of have not been problems we planned to impose. If we present them to the wise men of the world and all the warriors of the world, they will accept them from us. From the beginning we said to Saddam:" You invaded our houses, our cities, our country. You attacked us unawares and entered our country and caused so much destruction, committed so many crimes and killed so many people. You should go. One of our conditions is that you should leave our country." Which human being can say this condition is imposed by us? Well! A thief has broken into our house and stolen our belongings. Now you call upon us to make peace! What you have taken belongs to us! Well! That is it! They were thieves who broke into this country and snatched away whatever in the cities. Whatever people possessed, they carried away. They took whatever they could carry and destroyed the rest. They left behind destructions not ever observed anywhere else. When Mongols invaded Iran and occupied a city, they did not ruin everything in the city. However, Saddam extirpated our cities. Right! We say you carefully entered our country and perpetrated so many crimes. Now you say we make peace with thieves! Make peace! You mean Khouzestan belongs to you or other places you have occupied belong to you. No. Never! No one will accept this. We say you must leave unconditionally. Otherwise, we will drive you out. You had better not bring these poor youths by force and get them killed. You had better leave this country yourselves. This is a problem that all wise men of the world accept from us, that the one who has broken into our house and destroyed everything must leave now. If you want an understanding to be accomplished, you should first leave this country.

The second problem concerns the damage they have inflicted. The losses we have suffered are of two types: material and psycho-political. The material aspect, although it is too much for us, is not so much important. They destroyed many of our cities and ruined whatever we had. They killed many of our youths; each of them was more valuable than all their army. Still the material value of their crime does not count. The main thing is the psychological and political value of the question. If one comes and does whatever crime he wishes and then calls for peace saying:" Why so many crimes? All right! I leave and make peace!" Should we really make peace with him?

If we connive at this treatment, we have not only ignored a material but also winked at psychological felony. We have encouraged a tyrant and a group of oppressors to commit oppression. They can then return commit the same crimes and then call for peace! They can constantly commit a crime and then call for peace! They should be restrained from doing evil. Such transgressions should be prevented in the world. One of the cases that should be considered is that you should compensate all the damages you have inflicted. Now you say- and you are lying-" we leave and accept so and so." Right! Let them first leave and then experts all come and evaluate the damages they have caused. Another group should also come and identify the aggressor. If we leave alone the aggressor today when we are in a position of power, he will be emboldened. The day when Saddam began beating the drum of so and so, we had this problem. Today now that power is in our hand and there is no Saddam, we still repeat the same words. Our word is that the aggressor should be identified. If we are the aggressor, let the world do whatever it wishes to us. If they are the aggressor, they should be treated in accordance with justice. We want justice. We never sought war. If Iraq had not attacked us, we would not defend. We defended. We have not waged war, although our combatants and commanders of the army and Sepah asked us to give them permission to enter Iraq and do so and so. We advised them to defend and no more. Well! We have the right to defend. Defense is a rational thing. It is a thing that even animals resort to if they are subjected to attack. Defense is a natural urge. So far, we have always defended. We have not fought any one.

If we say we are not warmonger like you, we are right and have evidence. We are defending. You who claim to be peace-loving, your claim is like that of Israel. Israel also calls for peace. What does this mean? They have invaded and usurped the cities of Lebanon and now call for peace and cease-fire. Cease-fire is feasible when Israel is expelled from the cities of Lebanon with a blow in the mouth. Sit and identify the aggressor. Even then, peace should not be made without preparation. The aggressor should be identified. Is it right that Israel comes and commits whatever crime and then says we have nothing else to do? You may go after your own business; whatever we have appropriated belongs to us! Is this the meaning of cease-fire? This is the cease-fire demanded by Saddam. This is the kind of cease-fire that Israel has raised. We lose everything and then you come and make peace with whatever you have stolen belonging to you! The cease-fire they are now talking about is like this. The time cease-fire is in force and after a few hours will shell Abadan and kill the people there while they are going about their normal business. Then, they will accuse us of attacking their cities. They will say that these acts are acts or relation.

You who call for a cease-fire! Well, you say they attacked you and you also attacked them. Did they attack your cities or you? Why should you attack them in retaliation? Why do you retaliate by attacking Abadan? You are now doing the same things you did to Abadan from the outset. This is not a cease-fire.

We repeat the conditions we set at the beginning. One is the unconditional withdrawal from our country of the Iraqi army with their armaments. They say, they will agree to leave Iran and let us cross provided that we make peace with them. They want the war to end provided that we forget whatever damage they have inflicted on us and whatever crime they have committed against us. This is ridiculous indeed. A group wants to come to help and so, now that somebody wants to help us then we should give up our claims. It is not necessary to identify the aggressor and that we should. Reconcile with each other. It is not necessary to compensate the damages we have suffered! This is not the meaning of a cease-fire. This is not the meaning of peace. We repeat the same thing we said at the beginning and our government officials follow suit. They should withdraw unconditionally. If they don't, we will drive them out unconditionally. If they stay, they will lose. The longer they remain, the more greatly they will suffer. They must pay for all the losses they have inflicted on us. We don't know the amount. Experts should come and assess the amount. The aggressor should also be identified.

We are concerned with the spiritual dimension of the matter. If the Ba`ath Party gives up and is eliminated from Iraq and the people of Iraq, these innocent people are allowed to determine their own government, we will not demand a penny from them. It is because that spiritual dimension does not apply then and because the aggressor is gone. We should settle the spiritual side of the matter. We are responsible for these young adults. We are responsible for this army. We are responsible for these women and men who have lost their children. Can we make peace unconditionally because we want to help you? Our Islamic principles do not approve of giving bribe to help them. Some governments are like this. They give their oil to the superpowers and entreat them as well. An Islamic government is not like this.

We abide by what we have said from the beginning. We will not retreat an inch. We don't want to impose our views or say an irrational thing. Nor do we want to withdraw from what each and every reasonable mind accepts. We insist on this demand because of the spiritual dimension, because a criminal should not be encouraged to commit more crimes. If we make peace, it means we have encouraged this criminal in his crimes. We seek peace urgently, but unconditional peace. It does not mean that they can continue with their occupation of a part of our country. They should leave our country. However, if they mean we must ignore what has been done, never! Such disregard will damage the prestige of Islam. No one has the right to disregard this matter. Of course, letting the pilgrimage to Syria go through Iraq, which can help remove misunderstandings is not something we can be grateful to you for. If it is done as a normal issue, we will be grateful to you, as this is a divine obligation. We condescend to no one. You should not take something from us because you want to help us. You who claim to be opposed to Israel and I know you are telling lies, you have made our people crossing your country conditional on our accepting the peace deal! You mean we should condone whatever you have done! Is this the meaning of peace? Is this the meaning of giving way? You condition giving the way on something that is not feasible.

The world should know we are ready to make peace, we are ready to proceed there but at the same time they should open the way. We accept that along with the procedure, the two groups should come to investigate. In the 15- day moratorium to leave- let us suppose they don't tell a lie- an internationally recognized group should come and investigate into the crimes they have committed, computing the damages they have inflicted on our cities and villages. Of course, some damages have been inflicted on us that cannot be indemnified- our youths. This damage is irreparable and should be investigated in the other world in the presence of God. Besides opening the way, a group should come to investigate the crimes and assess the damages they have inflicted on Iran. Also, you should agree on a group to come and identify the aggressor. When these conditions are fulfilled, we will agree to the peace settlement.

As for letting us go through your country, you should be grateful that we want to go and fight against your enemies. If you are telling the truth that you are opposed to Israel and do not want to defraud us on the presumption that Iran and those at the helm of affairs are unaware and if you do not want to conspire and do a dirty trick, let us pass through your country.

We repeat what we have said from the beginning. Now, we accept from them that they want to leave. All right! Start leaving. However, by leaving the story will not be finished. This is one of the conditions we set. Two more have remained: the psychological and political dimensions, are what we underline. We do not want to insist on the material dimension because you may ask us to cancel or forgive your debts. Can we waive something that will encourage the criminal in his crime? We should disgrace the criminal in the world and punish him for the crime to constrain and restrict the scope of these crimes, if we are not able to totally prevent it. At least we can limit it so that no unrestrained man intrudes into other countries and destroy the cities and plunder the people's property or burn everything and then say let us make peace! This is not peace. This means we should pay them tribute so that they could make peace. Today is not the day they can make such demands. They should give up such behavior today. They have no power to make such demands and imagine that others would support them; the others are like them. With your own army you acted like that. A small number of our troops were able to take back Khurramshahr. Those whom they want to hire from abroad do not want to work for them; they want to work for themselves. They will be vanished with a puff. Therefore, the question is that we are embroiled today in such a situation here and such a corrupt regime, Israel, there. We are ready to fight on both fronts. This land is ours and we will fight. There is also ours. We are ready, but for giving us a way to go, should we give them something in return? Should we forget about the aggressor? Should we sit together and make peace, shake the aggressor's hand for committing so much crime? Never! This is not rational and not feasible. Giving way is something that they should beg us to come and do it. We volunteer to do it and they should beg us to help and stop them if they are truly opposed to Israel. If this is not the case and they are not opposed to Israel and want us not to go, they have set the condition so that we should make peace unconditionally. This is not a problem.

I hope that in the same way that you emerged victorious in warfronts- you will always be victorious- likewise, you are successful in spiritual matters. The latter is more important than the former. Material gain is subordinate to spiritual matters. The stronger spiritual matters are the stronger you will be. One believing man can confront thousands of disbelievers. In the course of the time you were engaged in war, you observed that when faith comes in, evil would be destroyed.

I wish God will enhance our faith and strengthen you in both spiritual and material things, and rescue Islam from the evil intent of all powers. I hope the development in Iran will remain advancing until the reappearance of the Imam of the Time and this nation can competently hand over this country to him, God willing.

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