Speech [Opposition of the East and West to the Islamic Republic]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Today, we have very dear guests. These dear guests come from where the heart of the angels of God frequent. Basically, the center of Iran is the holy shrine of Imam Rida (`a). We hope that God will help us be among the servants of the holy shrine. How happy you are who live in Khorasan Province- whether those who are directly serving the shrine or those who serve the people, Islam and the Islamic Republic in this province.

All forces and powers everywhere stand in need of the attention of Imam Rida (`a). The governor, the air force personnel, Islamic associations and all are part of the staff of this holy shrine. You, brothers, who directly work in the holy shrine enjoy great happiness though you might not heed much. I hope that, God willing, the Islamic Republic will proceed victoriously as it has so far done, thanks to the holy shrine of Imam Rida (`a). Hope the Islamic Republic will perpetuate, keeping its Islamic nature until the appearance of the Savior and this republic solves the problems under his guidance.

Today, we are faced with many problems, which you, gentlemen, are aware of. Iran's problems today are not covert; they are overt and the people are of the government and the government of the people. The government and its affiliates are the servants of the people and the people are the supporters of the government. As long as this coordination persists among all walks of life, this Islamic Republic will not suffer.

You know that today we are seen from a superficial natural viewpoint, alone. Almost the entire East and West are directly or indirectly opposed to us. If, among them, governments are found that are neutral or occasionally in favor of us, they are few in number. Big powers are opposed to Islam, not the Islam which is concerned merely with prayers and mosque, but the Islam that settled the needs of nations in its advent, the Islam that interfered in the political affairs of nations and in social affairs of nations directly. If you study the early days of Islam, you will see that Islam at the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) established a government and administered military and disciplinary forces and interfered in politics. The Prophet's Mosque was the center of Islamic politics and center of gravity of Islam.

Unclean hands and sickly minds gradually deflected people from the principal issues underlined by Islam after the advent of Islam and the demise of the Messenger of God, engaged people with only trivial matters, made them indifferent and even urged them to raise opposition to general public concerns needed by Islamic countries. This was a diabolic design charted out during the era of the Umayyads and the Abbasides and, after whom any government coming to power confirmed this attitude. Recently, when Islamic governments, open their doors to both the East and West this idea that Islam is a religion concerned with personal relationship between man and God gained momentum. Islam came to be defined as a religion separate from politics. Muslims were encouraged not to interfere in politics, or clerics were banned from entering political activities. They were confined to mosques and only concerned themselves with performing prayers, supplications and then returning home. This is a scheme which initiated at the outset of Islam, reaching its peak today when the governments of the East and West, the big Eastern and Western powers, have stood against Islam.

Thank God, the Iranian people are unique. Today, you cannot find a country to chant the slogan of neither East nor West; they are either officially dependent on East or West overtly or covertly. As for the non-aligned organization, don't believe that they are non-aligned. If among them real non-aligned countries are found, they are few in number. Today we are facing Eastern and Western blocs and all powers that command power in the region and the world. From the beginning, our nation knew its path, and with empty hands, without any weapons, except the weapon of faith and spirituality stood against the bullies and overthrew the sinister Pahlavi regime, which would obliterate Islam if it had remained in power for a few more years, curtailing the hands of all powers from its oil reserves. Unfortunately, while all Islamic governments should gather round this center and gravitate towards Islam, the Islam that has brought them independence and freedom, they pay no heed to it or do but are hampered, by carnal desires, from acting as they should. Today almost all propaganda operations in the mass media apparatus run by Eastern and Western blocs write or speak against the Islamic Republic. The reason is clear: The Islamic Republic plans to preserve its independence and curtail the hands of world-devourers and their affiliates from this country. The Islamic Republic wishes all Islamic countries and all the governments dominating Islamic countries to wake up from their deep slumber.

Notice that how a republic that has been established to materialize Islam and its laws, and a nation which sacrifices everything for Islam- some sordid groups excluded- is subjected to attack by some governments such as the Iraqi government, the usurper Iraqi government, the aggressive Iraqi government, a government detested by the Iraqi people, a government that keeps its people silent at bayonet point. You see this corrupt regime launched an offensive against Iran under the pretext that Iranian people are magus and Persian- it is a crime to be Persian- and they do this in the name of Arabism and commander of Qadisiyyah.

We have never intended to attack any country, but when they launched the offensive, we had to defend, as defense is obligatory both from religious and rational points of view. We have taken up a defensive position. Today, we are in a defensive position. The mercenary army of Iraq was in Iran for about 20 months, occupying many sensitive places and committing so many crimes that history should record, but neither the countries claiming to be supporter of Islam nor the human rights societies or so and so organizations did not raise any voice. If it ever happened to them to say anything, they condemned Iran. Now that we have entered Iraq in defense of our country and oppressed people and to prevent and cripple them from hitting Abadan, Ahwaz and elsewhere with their long-range missiles still the print media and radios condemn us and instigate the regional countries by instilling the idea that Iran is a threat to the region.

All officials and I- of course, I am only a student of theology and not an official- have repeatedly admonished the regional governments that Iran does not want to fight them. Iran is not a sort of country to interfere in other countries brutally when gaining power. While we are the most powerful government in the region and, thanks to Islam, so strong that even the big powers cannot attack us, still we want to be brothers-in-faith with all the Islamic countries, particularly those in the region, on the Persian Gulf and around it. We want to shake hands with all of them. God Almighty has granted so many material and spiritual resources to these Islamic countries that if they understand, they are a power which other powers cannot cope with.

You, your country, Persian Gulf countries and others in the region enjoy material power; that is, oil, which if shut off to the West for ten days, all will surrender. Despite all the powers they command and we command, unfortunately, there is no power of faith at work. If instead of oil we had faith, we would not stand in need of anything. Our people had faith and God Almighty favored them and changed them for the better. If they had enough opportunity to implement the plans charted out for the people of Iran, they would corrupt all our youths. God had mercy upon us and transformed these youths who had been victims of plans of the former regime to waste their life in corruption centers. However, they are today preoccupied with war and activities useful for the country. Today the Sepah-e Pasdaran, personnel of gendarmerie, army and all our combatants are so overwhelmed with faith that they have stood against all aggressions and resist till their last breath. How much should we tell these regional countries that we are not threat to them! Come to join hands to confront the big powers and rescue our countries.

Do you think Germany, Britain and, on top of them, the US want your interests? Does the Soviet Union back your interests? They seek their own interests. They chain you to take advantage of you. The day they see they cannot take advantage of you, they will discard you and will no longer cooperate with you. Today when the Iranian nation has risen up and you see how much they have progressed and refused to let all powers interfere in their country, you had better come and join hands with them to rescue ourselves from the clutches of powers that want to destroy us and colonize us in its new form, while each country remains an independent country. For how long do you want to remain captive in the hands of American advisors? You saw that the people of Iran discarded the American advisors and that they are running everything themselves. If Iran is given the opportunity, it will find such a power that no power can interfere in the country, shattering the hope of covetous powers to devour this country, God willing.

Our entry into Iraq was not for occupying Iraq or any Iraqi cities such as Basra. Our homeland is not Basrah or Sham; our motherland is Islam. We follow Islamic laws and Islam does not let us exercise domination over a Muslim country. We will never want such a thing. We will never think of such a thing. What is your ulterior motive for constantly crying that Iran is a threat to us? Iran is a threat to the US, to the Soviet Union, not to you. Iran is mercy for you. Come and shake hands in brotherhood with Iran so as to understand the pleasure of brotherhood and life of independence is better than all the things you expect foreigners to give you. Why do you oppose Iran?

Thank God, some of the regional countries have come to their senses and retracted the course they had adopted. I hope that all regional countries and governments come to realize and be sure that a powerful Islamic country is better for them than the US and the Soviet Union that consider only their own interests, while Islam is concerned with the interests of all Islamic countries and Muslims and even the interests of all human beings. We never covert any country's land. God Almighty has not permitted us to interfere in any country unless in self-defense, as we are today defending our country and people against the corrupt Iraqi government. Of course, our nation should know that our war has not finished. And the plot they had concocted to engaged us in Lebanon and inflict a blow on us was disclosed by the grace of God Almighty. We wish that first Iraq should be rid of these corrupt rulers and usurpers and then, God willing, the Quds.

All Islamic countries should know that Iran in no way covets their countries. Iran has everything to cater to its population. Iran is not an intractable country, nor does it want to exercise domination over other. Iran has risen up for God and will continue for God. We will not attack any country, though we will defend against any aggression.

I should give warning to some of these countries that are still helping the enemy. I admonish you not to create trouble for your future. Today, if anyone of you helps Saddam, you have committed treason against Islam and you are responsible before Islam. If in the past you provided the excuse that you feared Iraq, this excuse is no longer plausible today. Iraq- that is, the Iraqi government- cannot preserve itself let alone attempting to transgress upon you. This excuse is no longer valid today. If we see that some of these countries still supply financial and military help to Iraqi government, we consider them as culpable. If they don't withdraw, we regard them as responsible and apply Islamic laws against them. I advise them to draw back today; it is not yet late. Don't help this criminal and his master, America.

May God protect all Islamic countries from the evil of these mischief-makers, tyrants and world-devourers and awaken Islamic governments to fulfill their duties- Islamic and human duties. I hope they all sit together and curtail the hands of criminals from their countries. May God enlist us as servants of Islam! I hope that with your prayer we can find the honor of visiting that holy shrine.

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