Supreme Leader’s Speech to People of Kermanshah

Supreme Leader’s Speech to People of Kermanshah
12/10/2011

The following is the full text of the speech delivered on October 12, 2011 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution on his arrival to Kermanshah province.

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings upon our Master and Prophet, Ab-al-Qassem Al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his immaculate companions and infallible household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth.

I am very happy and thankful to Allah the Exalted who gave me the opportunity to be present among you dear, loyal and faithful people of Kermanshah today. Although my visit to your city and your province was delayed, this does not decrease the importance of your province and its honorable people. In terms of its human, natural and geographic position, this province is one of the outstanding provinces of our dear and vast country. In the beginning of my speech, I would like to make a few points about the virtues of Kermanshah and its honorable people.

Certain positive characteristics are shared by all our people from across the country, but certain other characteristics are more evident and more significant in certain provinces. Since ancient times, the people of Kermanshah have been famous for bravery, loyalty, kindness, hospitality - and in short, the positive characteristics that define heroes. These are among the characteristics that shine brightly in Kermanshah. Everybody from near and far knows and feels this.

In spite of their ethnic, denominational and linguistic diversity, the people of Kermanshah province have always lived together in a kind, peaceful and brotherly way. And this is what has always made me praise the people of Kermanshah. This is a very good characteristic and it should be insisted on, safeguarded and increased. The brave nomads and the valorous residents of border areas of this province are famous for their nomadic bravery.

In the early stages of the imposed war in the year 1359, I travelled to all parts of this province and saw different parts of it up close. In Gilan-e Gharb and Eslamabad, which are populated by Shia Muslims, in Paveh and Oraman areas, which are populated by Sunni Muslims, in Rijab and Dalaho - in every part of the province the people are defending the Islamic Republic and expressing their respect for it. In the capital city of Kermanshah, which is inhabited by different ethnic groups and tribes, I witnessed the same spirit which I noticed in different other parts of this province. This is an outstanding characteristic.

During the Sacred Defense Era, this province went through a great test. The eight-year war started and ended in Kermanshah province. This province and its cities - including Eslamabad, Gilan-e Gharb and other border areas -were the first targets of the air raids by the Iraqi Ba'ath regime. And the first borders which were attacked were the borders of Qasr-e Shirin in this province. The war ended in this province eight years later. The last defensive operation of our country and our dear people during Operation Mersad was also carried out in this province. That is to say, this province was constantly engaged in defense, resistance and bravery throughout the eight-year war. The same is true of the time between the victory of the Revolution and the beginning of the imposed war. One month after the victory of the Revolution - in Esfand 1357 - it was the youth of Kermanshah who decided to defend the military base of the army of Sanandaj. They were among the first groups who were mobilized to fight anti-revolutionaries and some of them are among the famous martyrs of Kermanshah province.

There have been outstanding people in literature, in different forms of art, in poetry, in calligraphy, in scientific and scholarly work - including engineering, fundamental sciences and religious studies - and in sports and thankfully there are still such figures in this province. There are certain scholarly families whose presence in this city and province dates back to more than one or two centuries in certain cases. That is to say, this province is such an outstanding province in terms of its human resources.

Women play a significant role in this province. Except in Kermanshah and one other province, in no other province of our country were so many women martyred or disabled during the Sacred Defense Era. In terms of the number of women who were martyred at the frontline and in the bombings, there is only one other province that is similar to Kermanshah. And this is another advantage that Kermanshah enjoys.

The natural conditions of the province are similar to its human conditions. Kermanshah has an outstanding position in terms of its natural resources. In terms of natural and geographic conditions, this province is an outstanding province. Kermanshah has great potential for agriculture. It has enormous resources of surface water which have unfortunately remained untapped. One of the things that must be done in this province is to make more efforts to exploit surface water. This province has arable land and fertile soil. There is more than eight hundred thousand hectares of arable land in this province. This province has diverse climatic conditions. It has industrial and mineral capacities. Because of its geographic location and because it is a border province and is connected to different parts of the country, this province has a capacity for transportation and trade. This city and province lies between several important economic centers of the country. Moreover, because of its beautiful nature and its unique historical sites, this province has a capacity for tourism. These are the natural, geographic and human resources of this province.

Considering these positive and outstanding characteristics, the youth of this province should be full of hope, dynamism and enthusiasm to work. The youth of this province should know in what conditions and in what a sensitive and advantaged area they live. Of course there are certain problems and God willing, government officials will focus their efforts on eliminating the problems. Among the problems of the province, the issue of unemployment is the most serious problem. Unemployment in this province is higher than the average rate of unemployment in the country and it is necessary to pay special attention to the issue of unemployment in this province.

My trip to this province will last several days and I have arranged different meetings with the people of this city and other cities of the province. The trip took place at a sensitive time. New developments occur in the region and the world every day. The developments that are taking place in the region and the world at large are unprecedented. The developments that are taking place in the region and in the west - both in Europe and America - are unprecedented events. The conditions of the world are sensitive and of course these conditions are to our advantage. In such conditions it is very good for the Iranian nation to have a comprehensive outlook on its conditions and an insightful outlook on conditions of the world.

Today I will use this opportunity to speak about certain important issues related to our dear nation and country, issues which are worthy of attention and are necessary to be reminded of. Our main issue is related to the people: their presence, their will and their firm determination. I would say that in all developments and in great social movements, the criterion is the role of the people. That is to say, the spread of a development, the spread of thought and the spread of the influence of a social reformer depend on the strength of their relationship with the people. The stronger the relationship of the people with that development, the more the chances of its success. If a development is separated from the people, it will not last long and it will not be able to do anything. Of course in the history of our country, the transfer of power and rise and fall of sultans had nothing to do with the people. But among the dynasties that came to power in our country, the ones which managed to form a warm and friendly relationship with the people in one way or another were more stable and more successful in running the affairs of the country and in bringing about national dignity. Every one of them that broke off their relationship with the people lost everything and the best example of such dynasties in our recent history is the Qajar Dynasty and the cursed Pahlavi Dynasty. In our recent history we have had the experience of the constitutional movement. We have also had the experience of nationalizing the oil industry. The people were present in these two events. The people were the factor behind the success of both of these movements. But they drifted away from the people. During the constitutional movement, the English came and deceptively rode the waves of the movement and they sidelined the people and their populist leaders. The constitutional movement ended up in Reza Khan's bullying.

As for the nationalization of the oil industry in the early 1330s, the people played a significant role and their presence brought about success, but they soon drifted away from the people and turned their back on them. The American-backed coup took control of the affairs and led the country into autocracy once again.

In the history of our country there has been no event like the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the subsequent events in which the people played a direct role. In the Islamic Revolution the people stepped into the arena. All people from various social backgrounds - residents of cities and villages, men and women, young and old people, educated and uneducated people - stepped into the arena together. Although they did not use coercion and they did not have - or did not use - guns, they managed to overpower a regime which was armed to its teeth and was being supported by the arrogant powers. They managed to help the Revolution achieve victory. However, the essential point about our Revolution is that the people continued to play a role after the victory of the Revolution. And this was because of the wisdom of our magnanimous Imam and the insight of that wise, spiritual and divine man. He knew the Iranian nation well. He had developed faith in the Iranian nation. He had faith in the honesty, firm determination and capabilities of the Iranian nation. There were some people at that time who used to say the people should return to their homes after the victory of the Revolution. Imam Khomeini stood firm and entrusted the affairs of the country to the people. Fifty days after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the political system of the country was determined by the people in a referendum. Take a look at different revolutions and it will become clear how important this point is. Fifty days after the victory of the Revolution, the people knew what system of government they wanted. They went to the ballot boxes and in that extraordinary and historic election they showed that they want the Islamic Republic.

Such an event has not happened in any revolution over the past two hundred years - during which great revolutions have taken place. After no other revolution has the system of government been immediately determined by the people, and not by some outside factor. Immediately after the referendum our magnanimous Imam went after the Constitution. I will never forget that three, four months after the victory of the Revolution during Ordibehesht or Khordad of the year 1358, Imam Khomeini asked the members of the revolutionary council - myself included - to travel to Qom to discuss an important matter and we went to him. I will not forget the anger on Imam Khomeini's face. I witnessed very few of those angry expressions on Imam Khomeini's face. He wanted to know why no action was being taken to prepare a constitution. This was while only three months had passed since the victory of the Revolution. In the same meeting it was decided that an election should be held in order to elect members of the Assembly of Experts. Officials of the provisional government held the election. The people took part in a general election and voted for their candidates who were supposed to prepare the Constitution. The elected members prepared the Constitution in a few months. Afterwards the Imam said that the Constitution had to be put to a vote. As a result, a referendum was held so that the people could vote for the Constitution. The vast majority of the people voted for the Constitution. Therefore, the victory of the Revolution did not put an end to the presence of the people. The people continued to play a role in running the affairs of the country. Barely a year had passed since the victory of the Revolution when the President was elected according to the Constitution. After a few months an election was held to elect members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly [Majlis]. Ever since that time the people have been voting to elect members of the Assembly of Experts, presidents, MPs and members of City and Village Councils. It is the people who take part in the elections and make a decision. Everything is up to the people. This shows the importance of the presence of the people.

Over the course of these years, different administrations and political tastes were voted into office - both in the Majlis and in the executive branch. Some of them were not completely in line with the principles of the Islamic Republic. But the great capacity of the Islamic Republic has managed to overcome these problems without showing impatience. It has managed to resolve all these problems due to the presence of the people, their faith and their commitment to the Islamic Republic. That is to say, the people consider themselves the owner of the country. In the past it was constantly said, "The country has an owner." They meant that a particular emir, ruler or sultan was the owner of the country. The people were given no role to play. They were in charge of nothing. Thanks to the Revolution, today the people know that the country has an owner and that the people themselves are the owner of the country.

When we go over the 32-year experience of the Revolution, we understand the depth of Imam Khomeini's wisdom and prudence. Why? Because any government like the Islamic Republic - with the same lofty ideals, with the same opposition to the arrogant powers and international injustice, with the same resistance against the satans of power throughout the world - would have strong enemies. They create challenges. They create problems. If such a government wants to prevail, it needs a strong guardian force so that it can resist, make progress and avoid stagnation. Thanks to the prudence of Imam Khomeini - which he had extracted from Islam - this guardian force was the will, determination and presence of the people. Therefore, the Islamic Republic overcame the challenges. One can confidently say that the Islamic Republic has triumphed over all hard and soft challenges it has been confronted with and by Allah's favor and grace, it will overcome the challenges it faces in the future.

One of the great challenges that the country was faced with in the beginning of the Revolution was the eight-year imposed war. Eight years is not a joke. They imposed an eight-year war on this country. Due to the lack of preparedness which is natural at the beginning of a revolution, any revolution would have been defeated if it had been faced with such a challenge. But our dear country and the holy Islamic Republic was not defeated. It gained victory. The war was managed by the people. The Army, the Islamic Revolution's Guards Corps and other forces of the Islamic Republic were dependent on the people. They were relying on the faith, dedication and sincerity of the people. The people were prepared to make sacrifices with exemplary and unforgettable sincerity at and behind the frontline. Unfortunately those who were young at that time do not go over the events of those days. It is very good to remember those outstanding and beautiful events.

When I was in the city of Kermanshah [at that time], I was told that Jafarabad had been bombed and members of a family were stuck under rubble. The local officials went there and rescued them. Later on the father of the family, who was an old man, goes to the officials to express his gratitude. He goes there and says that he is grateful to the officials for helping him. The officials tell him to give them a list of what he has lost in the bombing so that they can recompense him. The old man tells them, "Fellow citizen, it is a pity you are saying that. Do you think I came here for material gain?" [The Supreme Leader says this in the local dialect] Notice that he was from Kermanshah. This is the way a heavenly person would respond. There are many such examples in your city and province. Such examples can be found in operational areas in the western, south western and north western parts of the country. These are the things that cannot be found among other nations. Such outstanding examples cannot be found elsewhere in such large numbers. It was the people who managed the war. They were involved in the affairs of the country.

Another great challenge was the economic pressure and sanctions which were imposed on us. Today they speak about sanctions. Sanctions are not new to us. The unilateral sanctions by America and European countries started from the first year of the Revolution. These sanctions and restrictions reached their peak during the war. I said once that we wanted to import barbed wire from abroad. The cargo had to be delivered through the Soviet soil, but the Soviet Union would not allow the cargo to be delivered through their soil in spite of the fact that it was neither a military cargo nor could it be used for aggressive purposes. It was just barbed wire. This shows how many restrictions they had imposed on our country. They imposed sanctions on us in all economic areas. Their purpose was to bring the Iranian nation to its knees. Their purpose was to bring to the Islamic Republic to its knees. But the Islamic Republic brought all those policies and policy-makers to their knees by relying on the patience and insight of you dear people.

We managed to turn these limitations into an opportunity. These prohibitions, sanctions and limitations caused us to achieve advances in all areas of innovation, advances which the regional countries could not achieve over the course of many years. Our nation, our people and our youth acquired knowledge. I can cite examples which show the situation of other revolutions, but there is not enough time now. Maybe I will discuss the issue in other meetings. The revolutions that happened in certain countries in 1970s - a few years before our Revolution took place - were in a pathetic situation. They were not comparable to our Revolution. Our great Revolution managed to make such progress.

Another challenge, which was of course more complicated, was the fitnas that they caused. The fitna of Tir 18, 1378 and the fitna of the year 1388, which were caused in Tehran with a 10-year interval, are the examples. They were hoping to defeat the Islamic Republic with these fitnas. They were hoping to deliver a blow to the Islamic Republic, but the opposite happened. In the fitna of Tir 18, five days after the seditionists has started their work, the people carried out that great movement on the 23rd of Tir not only in Tehran but also in other cities of the country. In the fitna of the year 1388, two days after the events of the day of Ashura, that great event happened on the 9th of Dey. At that time certain foreign observers, who had seen the event up close, wrote in western printed press that what happened in Iran on the 9th of Dey had been unprecedented since the funeral ceremony of Imam Khomeini in terms of the presence of the people. This was what the people did. This shows the effectiveness of the presence of the people.

The nuclear issue is another challenge. The determination and support of the people were the firm wall that gave courage and strength to our government officials to stand up against the bullying and imposition of the enemies in the nuclear issue. It was the powerful base among the people that brought about this great achievement for the country.

Science and technology were another crucial area in which our honorable people played a role and nobody would have thought this area would have such potential for the involvement of the people. Who would have thought our youth would enter the arena like this? As soon as the movement for production of knowledge and the soft movement were proposed to outstanding academic figures, such a great movement was initiated that a general discourse was created and general movement began. Today in every part of the country, in different provinces, in small and big cities, especially in scientific and sensitive centers, our youth are engaged in great sensitive projects in scientific and technological areas. There are certain projects which have been completed and there are certain other projects which are in the process of being completed. The Iranian will see the results. These scientific endeavors are a source of self-confidence for the Iranian nation. They are a source of economic thriving. Highly profitable business activities are the result of scientific advances. Our youth entered this arena. And global statistics confirmed this fact. Of course our government officials are also making valuable efforts.

Well, I would like to draw two conclusions from this part of my speech. First, the entire world and our western enemies should know that the Islamic Republic is a powerful government because of the presence of the people. Western politicians should not confuse our country with certain countries that carried out a revolution but changed their path later on the way westerners wished. Here, it is the people who decide. Here, the people - from different parts of the country and from different social backgrounds - play a role in the Revolution and their willpower and determination make a difference. If a government official decides to deviate from the path and starts a movement against the revolutionary movement, the people will eliminate him. This is what the people of the world and politicians of different countries should know. Of course they know this and they have felt it too. The presence of people like you has given power and strength to the Islamic Republic. I deem it necessary to thank you for your warm and sincere presence in these streets and I also apologize to you. I really do not want our people to go to such trouble to welcome me. [People shout, "We are not like the people of Kufa to leave Ali alone" [reference to Imam Ali (a.s.)] and "The blood that is in our veins is a gift to our Leader."] Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Therefore, the first conclusion about the presence of the people is that others - the entire world and politicians of arrogant and non-arrogant countries - should know that this is what Iran is. They are faced with the people and their national willpower.

I would like to address the second conclusion to all honorable officials of the country. Wherever government officials of the country managed to identify and make use of the capabilities of the people, we were successful. Wherever there was a failure, it was because we did not manage to prepare the ground for the presence of the people. We do not have any shortage of unresolved issues. Regarding different issues of the country, our government officials should try to find ways of preparing the ground for the presence of the people in a skillful, careful and innovative way, so that every youth, every old person, every man and every woman can make a contribution. During difficult stages of the war, whenever this happened, the way was opened: there were some people who opened the way. It is possible to do so in different areas, including economic areas. Our economy and our production can be improved by several times by relying on the determination, money, innovation and motivation of the people. The policies specified in Article 44 of the Constitution are based on this point. Certain goals have been specified for the future of the country. We named this decade "The Decade of Progress and Justice". We prepared the policies of Article 44. We prepared the 20-year strategic plan. We have prepared five-year development plans. All these policies are realistic. It is not the case that a number people sit down together write up five-year development plans and 20-year strategic plans on the basis of their illusions. No, these plans are based on the existing realities.

Well, these are the goals that have been specified. If the ground is prepared for the people to step in and work towards these goals, it will be possible to achieve the goals even sooner than planned. How can we prepare the ground for the presence of the people? This is the main point. This is where our government officials should provide the people with practical, understandable and successfully tested formulas. It is possible to do these things in all areas. All three branches of government can do this in their own ways. They can make use of the innovation, ideas, energy and motivation of the people and the dynamism of our youth - who make up a large portion of our population. This is among the things that our government officials will do through transparent mechanisms. Of course certain things have been done in different areas. Certain paths have been opened up. But it is possible to work harder and prepare the ground for the presence of all our people so that a youth, an old person, an industrialist or an innovative person knows his or her place in this public movement. Through such a mechanism it is possible to put everything in order, just as we have in the past.

Of course the people have specific expectations and these expectations are legitimate. Our government officials should not take the people for granted. The presence and preparedness of the people is a great blessing and we should all appreciate this blessing. Our government officials should have pure intentions of rendering services to the people. The people expect our government officials - especially high-ranking officials - to have unity and to cooperate with each other. They expect our government officials - working at high and middle levels of the government - to focus on national priorities. They expect government officials to prioritize primary issues and to avoid getting busy with secondary issues. They expect government officials to make non-stop efforts. The people expect honesty. They expect government officials to keep their promises. They expect avoidance of disputes. They expect government officials to avoid getting busy with secondary and unimportant issues. They expect government officials to be trustworthy and to confront lawbreakers and traitors. These are at the top of the list of public demands. If we government officials cannot do something - for example we cannot build a road or a dam or take a particular economic action - we should just tell the people that we cannot do it and the people will not complain. The people complain when we fail to confront lawbreakers and pursue justice. The people do not like these things. These things make them angry. Wise actions, firm determination, pursuing justice and fighting official and financial corruption are very important. In the case of the recent banking embezzlement which attracted everybody's attention, I see that the three branches of government are fortunately cooperating very well with each other. All three branches are working together in order to follow up the issue. They should pursue this issue and bring it to a conclusion. They should punish the perpetrator - whoever he is - and make him an example for other people. Of course prevention is the most important thing to do when it comes to fighting corruption. But if we fail to prevent corruption and it happens, then the solution is to follow it up. There should be no negligence in this regard and by Allah's favor, care will be taken not to prevent negligence.

The issue of Islamic culture and revolutionary values is important and it is also what the people expect. In different parts of the country, not only families of our martyrs but also the majority of our people expect and demand that Islamic appearances and Islamic cultural norms be observed in society. Particularly they expect our government officials to observe these things.

The issue of unemployment is also an important issue. Of course this issue is more serious in this province and certain other provinces of the country. In certain places better measures have been taken and by Allah's favor, these measures will be followed up. The issue of strengthening domestic production, the issue of agriculture, the issue of industry - these are the things that should be taken care of.

In this part of my speech I would like to speak about the upcoming parliamentary election. Elections are one of the manifestations of the presence of the people. Of course the election is three, four months from now. Hopefully I will have other opportunities to speak to the people in this regard and by Allah's favor, I will. I deem it necessary to point out that every election pumps new blood into the veins of the country and gives a new spirit to the nation. You should know this. And this is why the enemy has always tried for many years to eliminate or sideline elections. As far as I know, there was no election before which the enemy did not use his propaganda machine to sideline elections in Iran. In all elections they have done this in one way or another. You are vigilant and shrewd. You can see what they say and do in order to minimize voter turnout and discourage the people from taking part in elections. You will see the same thing in the next three, four months. You should know that elections are a great achievement for the country, for the Islamic Republic and for the people of Iran. The situation of the Majlis affects general conditions of the country. The Majlis is the center of decision-making in the country. All of these things show the importance of elections.

As far as elections are concerned, there are two issues which are the most important of all. The first issue is the presence of the people and the massive turnout rate in our elections. The second issue is respecting the law and the votes of the people. It is wrong to accept the results of an election only if they are favorable to us. "And if the truth be on their side, they come to him quickly, obedient." [The Holy Quran, 24: 49] It is wrong to accept the law only when we are in the right and only when those who come to power are the people we support. Similarly it is wrong to violate the law if we do not support those who have been elected. It is wrong to reject the law and public vote altogether. This was true of the fitna of the year 1388. They claimed that they wanted the law to be implemented, but the people did not vote for them. The majority of the people voted for somebody else, so they started protesting the results. They made the people anxious for a while and they made the enemy happy. Of course at the end, they could not stand up against the people and they retreated.

This was the sin committed by the seditionists of the year 1388: they failed to accept the law and the votes of the people. A candidate may have objections to an election. Nothing is wrong with this, but there are legal ways in which these objections can be raised and followed up. If we accept the law, we must do as the law says. This is an essential point.

Another point is to vote for dedicated, faithful and caring candidates and this is a very important point. Hopefully there will be enough time to speak about this issue later on. The people should vote for candidates who are not affiliated with the centers of wealth and power. The people should really want the candidates they vote for. They must act on the basis of their conscience, religious beliefs and revolutionary duties. There are many things that should be discussed in this regard.

As for the regional issues, you have heard many things about the developments in Islamic countries - in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain and other countries. You have heard a lot of analyses. I have also discussed these issues on several occasions. Today I would like to make a few points in this regard. One point is that one of the main outcomes of these movements and events in Egypt, Tunisia and other countries is that the policies of the arrogant powers have been defeated. This is the basis of the issue. For many years America was ruling the region. The governments of Egypt and Tunisia - and recently Gaddafi who appeared to be a revolutionary figure with a long record of revolutionary activities as well as rulers of certain other countries - were listening to America's orders. America had no rivals in the region. This situation changed and a new page was turned. Of course the Americans are trying their best in the hope that they will manage to take control of the situation, but their efforts are futile. Nations have awakened. Nations have become courageous. Nobody can fight the willpower of nations. This is the first and the most important issue.

The second point is that our dear people who live in different parts of the country should know that the events which happen in our country have a strong effect on these countries. They watch our country. If we made progress, if we establish security, if we have the cooperation of the people, if we enjoy national self-confidence and if we have national unity, these nations will move in the same direction. But if, God forbid, we suffer from insecurity, weaknesses, stagnation and discord - and this is exactly what the enemy wants - then they will become disappointed and they will lose their dynamism. Therefore, we have an important responsibility in this regard and we must move ahead in a way that these nations hold us in high regard and become dynamic and hopeful about the future. And today the Iranian nation is recognized as a role model.

The last point that I would like to make is related to the issues of the west. The event that is happening in America is an important event. The movement known as "Occupy Wall Street", which has created excitement among the American people, is important. They tried to present this movement as insignificant and they are still trying to do so. Until two, three weeks after the movement, among all important newspapers of America, only one newspaper published a report on this movement. The rest of their newspapers stayed silent. The same gentlemen who claim to support freedom of expression, the same people who hugely magnify everything that happens in every part of the world - of course only if this is in line with their policies - stayed completely silent about such a great movement. But they realized that they did not have a choice. They were forced to report the news. They were forced to do so by thousands of people who have gathered on Wall Street in New York and in other cities and states of America. Of course they want to ride the waves of the movement. In any case, the issue is an important issue.

One issue is that the corruption of capitalism has become tangible and visible to the people of America. They may manage to suppress this movement, but they cannot destroy the roots of the movement. After all, one day this movement will thrive to the extent that the capitalist system of America and the west will be completely razed to the ground.

The brutality of the corrupt capitalist system is not just limited to the people of Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries. They do not even show mercy to their own people. In the thousands-strong demonstrations in New York, the people were carrying a placard which said, "We are the 99 percent." This means that 99 percent of the people of America have to follow the other one percent of the American population. The wars on Iraq and Afghanistan were waged by one percent of the American population, but the other 99 percent had to suffer the casualties and pay the money. This is what has awakened the people and made them protest. Of course the propaganda methods and the psychological warfare of American officials, the CIA and others are extremely oppressive and cruel. They might suppress the protests. But the truth was revealed and it will be revealed even more. Contrary to all those claims, this is what the capitalist system is. This is what western liberal democracy is.

Israel is being supported by one percent of the Americans. The people of America are not interested in supporting Israel. They are not interested in paying the money to keep the cancerous tumor, the fake Israeli regime, in power in the region. They way they treated the movement is also interesting. They first kept silent about the movement and then they crushed it cruelly - both in America and in certain European countries. In England, brutality was so much that one would not see even one tenth of it in backward countries which are ruled by dictatorial regimes. But then these people are claiming to support human rights. They are claiming to support freedom of expression. They are claiming to support freedom of assembly. They claim to support all people throughout the world. Those who were advising us to follow the methods of the capitalist system should take a look at these realities and see what capitalism is: a complete dead end. Today capitalism has reached a dead end. It might take years for the consequences to emerge, but the crisis in the west is in full swing.

The world is at a historic juncture. Our dear nation, Muslim nations and the great Islamic Ummah can play a role. This is where Islam, Islamic teachings and the method of Islam can prove useful to the people of the world. This is where the Islamic Republic can establish its position as a role model for the people of the world.

Dear God, by the blessedness of Muhammad (s.w.a.) and his household, bestow Your blessings on the Iranian nation and government officials. Dear God, You have promised assistance for Your pure servants, so bestow complete assistance on the Iranian nation. Dear God, bestow Your blessings and grace on the people of this city and this province and on these pure hearts. Dear God, help our youth. Dear God, include us among the people about whom You have said, "He shall love them and they shall love Him." [The Holy Quran, 5: 54] Dear God, make the holy heart of the Imam of the Age satisfied with us.

Greetings be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings

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