Speech [Highlighting economic problems of the country; resistance against problems]

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

I appreciate all the gentlemen who have come here to meet each other closely. I hope that all of you everywhere, in each capacity and esch part of this land will be successful in serving this country, which is under the attack of all powers. Let me first make a few words about agriculture. Farmers in any country like ours have a crucial role. Iran is an agricultural country; it has vast areas of land, sufficient amount of water and abundant supply of men power. If we fail to become self-sufficient in agricultural activities and have to stretch our hands before powers and, to put it differently, beg them and let us suppose, give them money as well, still we are dependent. Our dear farmers can rescue Iran from dependence in this dimension and should consider this attempt a religious practice. Agriculture is an act of worship. Islam attaches so much importance to it that some of the Immaculate Imams (`a) inspected agricultural lands and at times did farming themselves. Therefore, we should strengthen this dimension. Government should strengthen it and the farmers make their efforts to support agriculture. If in time of Shah you worked despairingly yesterday it was because you saw, the product of your labor was used up for some deviant purposes. Today, it is not the case; today you work for Islam. You perform act of worship for God.

Therefore, I request all farmers to try hard and save us from extending our hands before others.

The question of banks is one of the important concerns and if usury is not eliminated from banks, the holy verse of the Qur'an, which says" those who gain unlawful profits have actually waged a war against God and the prophet", and numerous narrations to this effect will apply to us. The expression not usurer wages a war against God and the prophet has been rarely used in other places. In addition, we have numerous authentic narrations in this regard. Some of these narrations described usury in term not being used for any other subject. Gaining one cent of unlawful profit has been described as worse than 70 cases of incest with one's sister or aunt. If usury prevails in a country such as ours in banks, in trade and among people, we cannot say our republic is Islamic or the content of the republic is Islamic. Therefore, experts and `ulama' take great care to save us from this trouble. The people should note that they confront something about which the holy Qur'an calls declaration of war with God and His messenger. If banking prevails in the sense practiced in other countries, business, industries and other activities of people will suffer. They will sit at home, as their money works for them, while money should not work. Therefore, rectifying the banking system is one of the very important measures, as is the correction of economy, tax and the like.

Those in charge of affairs should be committed to Islam. The Majlis and the Guardian Council should do the tasks delegated to them by the law. After these two stages, the executive has to play its part, which is very important. A law might be very efficient but when it comes to the hand of the executive, it may be poorly enforced. This process is often practiced. Formerly, law would be laid down competently but when it was handed over to a number of traitors to execute, they acted in accordance with his own mentality. When the higher echelon was offered some bribe, there was no longer any objection. Today you should be committed to Islam now that all laws have been transformed to comply with Islamic laws. If you want to resist the big powers that have fixed their covetous eyes on your country and openly express their sinister aims, those who want to enact the laws whether in the finance ministry, in the bank, justice department or other places shoul be committed to Islam, and know that if we fail in any of these areas, this sense of failure wil gradually take over other places, and God forbid a time may come when the whole country is in disorder. The day when the financial, banking, agricultural and other conditions are in disorder, that day they can reach their goals. You see that today almost all governments are opposed to us because you want to act in accordance with Islam. Your country wants to put Islam into practice and they see this process runs counter to their purposes. Elimination of usury means that if it is expanded and goes beyond our borders, the bankers and those who want to consume the people's property and dissipate them will see their hands curtailed and are therefore opposed to this process.

We should go the straight path. Narrations have quoted the holy prophet as saying that a verse of chapter Hood of the Quran made him old. The holy verse reads;" Preserve as you have been ordered, and those with you who repent their past should do so." It means that the prophet has to preserve in the issues ordered to him, and those who accompany the prophet and believe in him should preserve. It is because of this verse in the Hood Chapter that prophet says," This Chapter made me old." «1» Conquering a country is relatively easier than preserving it. You have shaken hands with one another. I hope God will sanction all and curtail oppression and the grip of oppressors and foreigners from your country. Today neither the west nor east can interfere in Iran. However, in the previous regime, the country itself was not taken into consideration, and only interests of foreigners were deemed important. Today when you are in power and the country and its interests belong to you and your brothers if you want them not to infiltrate, you should keep up resistance and persevere. Steadfastness signifies that everyone in any capacity should act efficiently in his position. Our pasdars and army in battlefields should display their resistance by directing and advancing the war competently. Farmer's steadfastness does not mean he should fight; a farmer's resistance is to show progress in agriculture. Banker's perseverance is to act well. Resistance of the individual working in financial department is to act sociably and not make people discontent. People are the very people who shook hands with one another, liberated this country, and transformed it into an Islamic one. The deviants plan to cause discontent. Sometimes they may, through their own elements, try to create discontent in banks, financial institutions and other places. They may have no personal interest in doing so, but their aim is creating discontent. Through infiltrating the financial institutions, banks and other departments, which are scattered, all over the country these peole may intend to restore the former state. They want to infiltrate among you and create discontent through insinuating some to levy more taxes that what is due on people. Of course, the employees will not do so, but they should be vigilant. You should be careful to treat the client in a way that he/ she returns with pleasure. It is not like in the past to beat the people on the head to make them contented. Today no one can strike the people on the head to yield in to what they desired. Today people have become alert and will not succumb to such treatments, but this way you only create discontent. We should try to be those addressed in this verse" Preserve as you have been ordered and those with you who repent their past should do so." The prophet said," My beared turned gray over tis verse. I become old because of this verse." It means that the prophets and those with him were ordered to preserve. You are the companions now. You should resist and continue with the battle you have waged with all the countries and powers opposing Islam. To persist means that everyone everywhere does one's job well. One should not be concerned as to whether others do their job well or not. One should do one's work well. Obviously, one should advise others or enjoins good deeds and forbid the evil acts. But you cannot envade your responsibility just because some one has done something wrong. If the entire world goes the opposite direction and you are alone, you should not do the wrong thing. Know that all the social strata should do tasks delegated to them in an efficient manner. This alone is challenging those who want to transgress upon this country. God Almighty will accompany you. When you are at the service of Islam, the service of God Almighty, God Almighty will accompany and sanction you. I hope you will always be sanctioned and successful.

Let me say a few words about the election that is coming in the next few days. One of the important events we are today confronted with is the story of the elections. Many abroad are waiting to see the failure of this election. In leaflets, etc. people were urged not to participate in the elections, but they did thank God. People should also attend the coming elections. People have to prove the big powers, who claim that the nation has turned his back to Islam and Islamic issues, wrong. They have to knoe this is not the case in Iran. Suppose we are bad, but Islam is good; every one accepts Islam. This is an Islamic duty to preserve the Islamic Republic. If Majlis is hurt, Islam will suffer damage. If Majlis is strong because of the support of the nation, it can efficiently fulfill its duties in relation to the world standing against Iran. To do so calls for strength; this strength in turn depends on your votes. Today is not like the past when a list was prepared and sent everywhere, ordering that the list should be voted and others rejected. It is not also possible to send a number of agents at the voting polls and do whatever they wished. Today you are the ones who exercise authority. No one has the right to strip you of this authority. If you can discern, so much the better; if you cannot, consult the religious upright people and seek their help and then act. I hope the people will continue resistance in the same way that they have so far risen to protect Islam and put up resistance for protection of Islam. Make the prophet happy. I hope God will grant you success and remain at the service of Islam, curtailing the hands of the traitors. I hope the war will end in your final victory and the hands of those who want to harm Iran with this war will be curtailed.

May God's peace and mercy be upon you!