31st Demise Anniversary of Imam Khomeini

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

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

Today, the commemoration anniversary of our magnanimous Imam’s demise is held in a different way than usual. However, it is not important how the ceremony is conducted, what is important is speaking about our magnanimous Imam, which is what we need for our country in the present time and in the future. After the passage of many years from his physical departure and demise, our magnanimous Imam is and should remain, alive. We should benefit from his presence, his spirituality, his thoughts and his guidelines.

Imam’s characteristics: being an advocate and a cause of transformation

Today, I wish to speak about an important quality of our magnanimous Imam. Of course, he was a comprehensive personality that had many outstanding qualities. The quality that I wish to speak about today is one of his most important and prominent qualities: having a spirit of advocating and bringing about transformation.

By nature, Imam was a person who advocated and who brought about transformation. As for bringing about transformation, his role was not confined to being a mere teacher and instructor, rather he played the role of a commander active on the field and leading in the true sense of the word. He brought about the greatest transformations in his era which covered numerous areas and fields. I would like to mention some of them today:

First of all, he had the spirit of advocating transformation since long ago. This was not something that emerged in him in the beginning of the Islamic movement in the year 1341. Since his youth, he was an advocate of transformation. An evidence for this is the piece he wrote at the office of the late Vaziri-Yazdi in his youth – when he was in his thirties. Later on, the late Vaziri-Yazdi showed me the same writing. I have seen it published and many people have access to it today. In that essay, he quotes this holy ayah: “I admonish you on one point: that you do stand up before Allah, in pairs or singly” [The Holy Quran, 34: 46]. This ayah invites the masses of people to rise for the sake of God. He had such a mentality. After that, he put his idea into practice and as I mentioned, he carried out a transformation. He entered the arena of transformation in action, not just in words and in commands. The changes that he brought about included exerting psychological influence on a group of young seminarians in Qom – I will expand on this issue later on – and urging the masses of the Iranian nation into action.

The psychological revolution that Imam created in the clergy’s hearts

The Qom issue revolves around his ethics classes. Before the advent of the Islamic movement, he used to teach ethics, apart from fiqh and usul and rational sciences, in Qom for years. He would hold classes on ethics. Of course, when I went to Qom, those classes had ended, but those who had participated in them recounted that – he had a class once a week at Feyziah School where youth would gather together to participate in his classes – when he began to speak, the whole class would be deeply moved. He would deeply move hearts. Of course, I saw this quality of Imam in his fiqh and usul classes as well. When he gave moral lessons in the middle of his fiqh and usul courses, the clergy would cry and shed tears. When he had a moral discussion, the clergy would weep. His words were touching and he possessed the talent to revolutionize hearts.

This was the method of prophets as well. Prophets also began their mission by revolutionizing people.. The Commander of the Faithful says, “…To fulfil the pledges of His creation, to recall to them His bounties, to exhort them by preaching, to unveil before them the hidden virtues of wisdom and show them the signs of His Omnipotence” [Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 1]. “To fulfil the pledges of His creation” means that prophets awakened people’s hidden nature which acted as a force to guide their actions and their moves. Imam began his movement like this as well. Of course, I cannot say for sure that he held those classes in order to launch a great Islamic movement later on. I do not know this, but what is certain is that our magnanimous Imam’s method was to awaken spiritual instincts and human nature by teaching moral lessons, giving words of advice and keeping hearts prepared. This was how he began his movement which resulted in bringing about a transformation at a national level. He transformed the Iranian nation, in the true sense of the word, whether during the time of revolutionary activities or after the victory of the Revolution. I will cite some examples of these transformations later on.

Notice that his transformation addressed the whole Iranian nation. Before the beginning of Imam’s revolutionary movement, there were some political activities in Iran. There were different groups who had been fighting for tens of years, but their sphere of influence was confined to a few students. They could at most influence 100, 150 students and organize them for a small demonstration. However, Imam did not want to focus on a small group of people with a particular profession, rather he wanted to address the whole Iranian nation. A nation is like an ocean. Not everyone can move an ocean. You can do something to create waves in a pool of water, but doing so in an ocean is a gigantic task. A nation is like an ocean and Imam managed to move it. He succeeded in carrying out a transformation.

Transforming the people’s passivity and submissiveness

One transformation was changing the nation’s passivity and submissiveness. In my youth, during the time when the movement began to take shape, the Iranian nation was a nation that was not preoccupied with its fundamental issues. They had given up and they were passive. They did not have an opinion about their personal lives. There was no trace of dynamism, active presence and insistence, on big and important issues, in the behavior and conduct of our people. However, Imam aroused these qualities in the people. He turned the same submissive and passive nation into a determined nation that pursued its demands. His inspiring, stirring and stimulating speeches moved the people in a way that they turned into a people with demands. An example of this pursuance of demands is the events of the year 1341 – when the Islamic movement started – during which time, the people held massive demonstrations in different cities which ended in the events of the 15th of Khordad. On the 15th of Khordad, despite a large-scale massacre, the regime could not extinguish the movement. And the people continued to stage uprisings until the end. That was an astonishing transformation that had been masterminded by Imam.

Changing the people’s outlook and giving them a sense of dignity and national confidence

Another transformation was changing the people’s outlook towards themselves and their society. The Iranian nation used to have a feeling of humiliation. That one can overcome the will of powers and superpowers would have never crossed anyone’s mind. This was not particular to the will of global powers. The people could not imagine, in any way, that they could overcome the will of domestic powers and even the will of such and such a policeman or security agent. They could not think of overcoming those who had bitter and dangerous whims. Therefore, they had a feeling of humiliation and incapability.

Imam turned that into a sense of dignity and national confidence. He liberated the people from the thought of considering dictatorship as a natural phenomenon. At that time, people had such a notion. In those days, we used to think that the will of the ruler at the top is above everyone else’s will. We used to consider it a natural and normal fact. He turned the people into individuals who were able to determine their own government. The people’s slogan during revolutionary activities was Islamic system, Islamic government, Islamic Republic. The people determined what they wanted and they had demands. Later on, they chose those responsible through various elections. In other words, the feeling of humiliation that existed in the people changed into a sense of dignity and national confidence.

Transformation in the people’s demands

Another transformation was changing the people’s demands. Even if a small group of people had certain demands from the regime and the powerful groups, those demands were confined to asphalting an alley or making other changes of this sort. Their demands were confined to that. However, Imam did something to make the people demand independence and freedom. In other words, the people began to have big demands. For example, they were chanting the slogan such as “Neither east nor west”. Their demands underwent such radical changes that those small and limited local slogans gave way to important and fundamental human and international affairs.

Transforming the people’s outlook towards religion

Another transformation that Imam brought about was changing the people’s outlook towards religion. The people used to look at religion as a tool for attending to personal matters and acts of worship. They looked at it as a means to say prayers, to fast, to settle their financial affairs, to get married and to divorce. Religion’s function was that. They confined the responsibility, function and mission of religion to these issues. However, Imam entrusted religion with the duty of creating a government, a civilization and society and advancing humanity. As a result, the people’s outlook towards religion changed dramatically.

Transforming people’ mentality about the future and creating the new Islamic civilization

Another transformation was changing the people’s mentality about the future. During the time when revolutionary activities began and when Imam entered the arena, despite the slogans that some parties, groups and individuals – which were very limited and small in number – chanted, the people did not see a future. They did not envisage a future ahead of them. That gave way to the creation of the new Islamic civilization. If you look at the Iranian nation today, you see the blessed hands of Imam as the architect of this condition. The people are looking towards creating a new Islamic civilization, forging a great Islamic alliance and establishing the Islamic Ummah. In the present time, this is the outlook of the masses of the people.

Transforming ideological values and the role of fiqh in creating a political system

In a more specialized area, Imam transformed ideological-practical values. This was a transformation in a specialized area. This is one of the issues that seminarians and those who are experts in the area of fiqh and usul are familiar with. Imam involved fiqh in the arena of building a system. That is while fiqh used to be completely alien to this arena. Of course, faqihs had been speaking about the issue of Wilayat-e Faqih for a thousand years, but because there was no hope of achieving it, they never attended to the details. Imam, however, introduced it into the main fiqhi discussions. He discussed it in Najaf Seminary and held cogent and convincing debates for experts in those areas.

He also introduced the issue of the system’s interests – which are the same as public interests: the system’s interests are no different from public interests – into fiqh. He expanded on the well-known usuli and fiqhi concept of “tazahom” and “aham and mohem” [system of prioritizing between various mandatory legal rulings] – that used to be utilized for personal and small affairs – to the sphere of public affairs according to which, the system’s interests and the concept of “aham and mohem” become interconnected. He introduced these concepts into fiqh which gives fiqh a great opportunity. In other words, it gives fiqh the freedom to expand its sphere of work. In my opinion, Islamic seminaries should appreciate the value of this and they should give it a warm reception. Of course, what Imam did in the area of fiqh was systematic and methodical and in the words of Imam part of “fiqh-e Jawaheri” [reference to the standard encyclopedia of fiqh taught in seminaries]. There is no distortion in fiqh. What Imam did was to correctly utilize common fiqhi tools, which are available to all faqihs.

Insistence on obedience to God despite adopting a novel outlook towards fiqh

Another transformation in the area of religion and religious matters was insistence on divine obedience. Despite his novel outlook towards various matters – Imam advocated novelty and had a novel outlook towards issues – he was completely committed to divine obedience. In those days, there were clergy who were knowledgeable and skilled at intellectual discussions and they used to address these matters. They were seminarians and religious experts, but they were not totally committed to divine obedience because of certain circumstances. Of course, personally speaking, they were completely committed to divine obedience, but they did not focus on it that much in their religious promotions. However, despite the fact that Imam had a new outlook towards fiqhi, Islamic, religious and other such teachings, he attached great significance to divine obedience both in the area of rules and regulations and in the area of religious practices. For example, his astonishing insistence on mourning occasions and the like was proof of his commitment and great obedience to God.

Transforming youth’s outlook and having trust in them

Another area of transformation that Imam brought about was a change in the outlook towards youth. He trusted the thoughts and actions of the youth. That was a transformation in the true sense of the word. For example, when the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps was formed, he placed twenty-plus-year-old youths at the top of this organization. They were youth who were at most thirty years old. They were at the top of the Guards Corps and they were commanders and generals. Those youths were entrusted with big tasks.

The same was true of other areas. He had astonishing trust in the youth whom he believed in and he gave them responsibilities in judiciary and other areas. He assigned them different roles and he trusted their thoughts and their actions.

Imam trusted youth as well as veteran forces

Nonetheless, he did not reject the capacities of veteran forces. These days, we highlight the role of youth to a great extent, but some people think that trust in youth means eliminating veterans from the scene. However, Imam did not want this at all. He had trust in youth as a provision and source of wealth for the system. Nonetheless, he had as much trust in veteran forces. For example, when he appointed this humble person – who was not very old – as the Friday prayer leader of Teheran, he simultaneously appointed the late Shahid Ashrafi – an eighty-year-old man – as the Friday prayer leader of Kermanshah or he gave various assignments to the late Dastgheib and the other “Martyrs of the Mihrab”. All of them were men in their 60s or 70s.

In the Armed Forces and in the Guards Corps, he put youth in charge of certain affairs. In the Army, he entrusted various tasks to Shahid Fallahi and the late Zahir-Nejad. They were individuals in their 60s and 70s. Imam benefitted from such personalities. It was not the case that he eliminated veteran forces from the scene because of his trust in youth. Another example is the late Asgar-Oladi who undertook a responsibility in the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation while he was not very young.

So when we say that he trusted youth – today too, we believe that youth should be trusted and that the young forces should be benefitted from for the progress of the country: I will attend to this matter later on – this means that youth are a provision and a source of wealth that should be utilized for the benefit of the country. However, this does not mean that if experienced and veteran forces, which are another source of wealth are willing to help, we should not benefit from them.

Changing outlooks towards global superpowers

So, he brought about these transformations, but he carried out another important transformation as well, which was perhaps more important than some of the previous ones: changing the outlook towards global powers and superpowers. At that time, no one believed that one could say something different from what the US said and do something different from what the US did. However, Imam acted in a way that US presidents admitted that ‘Khomeini humiliated us’. And that was the truth of the matter. Imam, his followers and the youth who were obedient to him humiliated superpowers in the true sense of the word. They broke their willpower and made them leave the arena. Imam showed that superpowers were vulnerable and surmountable. The future proved him right. You witnessed what happened to the former Soviet Union. In the present time, America is in a bad condition as well. You are witness to what is happening there [the nationwide protests following the police murder of George Floyd]. No one would have believed that these things could happen. Imam planted the idea in the people’s hearts that superpowers were vulnerable and could be defeated.

He considered all achievements as the work of God

Well, the important point is that despite the fact that he brought about all those transformations – he was the Imam of transformation in the true sense of the word – he considered the achievements as God’s blessings. He did not credit himself, rather he thanked God for the achievements. You should look at Imam’s Sahifa [collection of Imam’s speeches] where he speaks about the psychological transformation witnessed in youth. He would frequently bring it up in his speeches as well and he would express his surprise. It was astonishing to him. He himself was the architect of that transformation and he himself was directly involved, but he thanked God for that. And the truth of the matter is that it was God who brought it about: “There is no Will and no Power except that of Allah the Exalted, the Magnificent.” [a famous and common prayer]

Imam believed in this ayah in the real sense of the word: “When you threw [the stone], it was not your act, but Allah’s” [The Holy Quran, 8: 17]. He attached great significance to youth’s movement and transformation and he was astonished at it. Once he said that the transformation occurred in youth was more important than overthrowing the taghuti regime because overcoming the taghuti regime meant overcoming taghut, but the transformation occurred in youth meant overcoming Satan and Satan is more important than taghut. He would look at it like that and he was impressed by it. This was another point.

The need of every living society for transformation and dynamism

So, Imam was the Imam of transformation. I am not saying these statements to give more information about Imam’s personality – which is important in its own respect – rather the main purpose is to learn a lesson. We should learn a lesson from Imam. Every living and dynamic society needs transformation. Today, we need transformation in different areas. Of course, I should add that after Imam’s demise, the Revolution and the country have not drifted away from a transformational outlook. In other words, the Iranian nation has thankfully managed to pursue Imam’s transformational outlook and to move forward. We have carried out transformations, in the true sense of the word, in different areas and we have become stronger than the past. In certain cases, we have even become livelier. These achievements exist. The scientific transformation that has been brought about is not a minor achievement, rather it is an important one.

At that time, we were very humble, scientifically speaking. However, today, we are well-known in the world in terms of scientific movement and endeavor. The same is true of our defense capabilities. Today, as a matter of fact, we have almost reached the deterrence point in terms of defense capabilities. It is a very important achievement for the country. In the arena of politics, the country enjoys a significant status in the world. Today, the Islamic Republic is exhibiting an aura of power and awe in the world. All of these are noteworthy developments that have taken place in the country.

During the past 30 years, the transformational movement that Imam has launched has not come to a halt and it has continued to move forward. In certain cases too, noteworthy infrastructures have been built, but they have not fully materialized yet. They exist, but they are not enough. What I want to say is that we have failed to carry out transformation in certain important areas and in some areas, we have retrogressed which is a regrettable, undesirable and unacceptable matter because it is against the nature of the Revolution. The survival of the Revolution depends on constant innovation, transformation and progress. Transformation means achieving a status of advancement in a tangible way. This means a surge and a big movement. We have needed this in various areas. However, we have not at all had the capability to carry out this transformation in certain areas.

The progression and regression of societies depends on individuals’ willpower

The opposite of the Revolution is regression. Many revolutions in the world regressed. After the passage of five, ten, fifteen years from their revolutions, they suffered from regression due to their negligence. Regression is the opposite of the Revolution. Both – revolutionary progress and regression – depend on individuals’ willpower. If humans take the right action, they will be able to move correctly. If they take the wrong course of action, they will regress.

In the Holy Quran, both have been mentioned. There is an ayah in the holy Sura al-Raad which says, “Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves” [13: 11]. The context of the ayahs in that sura show that this ayah reflects the positive aspect of change. In other words, when you change yourselves for the better, Allah the Exalted will bring about positive events for you. The second ayah in this regard is in Sura al-Anfal: “Because Allah will never change the grace which He has bestowed on a people until they change what is in their own souls” [8: 53]. This is the negative and retrogressive aspect. If God bestows a blessing on a people and if they do not move and act correctly, he will take it away from them. We read in Dua Kumayl: “Oh God, forgive me for those sins which change the direction of blessings.” This change in the direction of blessings means the elimination of blessings, which is due to our decisions. We should seriously take care not to let this happen to us.

This is true in our government and system as well. After Imam’s demise, there has been a transformational movement, but in my opinion, it has not been enough. For various reasons, we are capable of carrying out transformation in different civilizational arenas of the country and the system. However, there are certain requirements. That is to say, I expect myself, our youth, our people and our outstanding personalities to be thinking about bringing about transformation in the areas that we need.

Advocating transformation and avoiding having a reactionary attitude

What are the areas where we need transformation? This requires a separate discussion and later on, I will briefly discuss it, but there are certain points about transformation. If we wish transformation to materialize in the true sense of the word, we should pay attention to these points. One point is that advocating transformation does not necessarily mean lodging protests, rather it means being oriented towards improvement. This is what advocating transformation means. It means not being satisfied with what we already have. This could be the main ground for transformation. Of course, in certain cases, the ground could be dissatisfaction with the present conditions, but this is not always the case. In most cases, transformation means not being satisfied with what we have and pursuing a higher stage and a higher phase. It is not necessary for us to feel defeated in a certain area so much so that we want to bring about transformation. In certain cases, we do not at all have a sense of defeat.

What conclusion do I want to draw from this? The conclusion is that even when we carry out positive transformation – for example, in the area of science – no one should say that what we have already achieved is enough. We should not be satisfied. We should not be satisfied with our assets and instead, we should be after more transformation and we should consider it necessary, even when it comes to the areas that we have already transformed. Therefore, transformation means having a desire to accelerate, to speed up our movement and to avoid being reactionary and insisting on conspicuously wrong ideas. This is what transformation means. This sense of transformation holds true even for areas about which we have no complaints. So, this is one point.

Careful thinking, one of the main requirements for proper transformation

The second point is that proper transformation requires careful thinking. Every move behind which there is no thinking could not be called a transformational move. Some shallow and narrow-minded moves could not be referred to as transformation. Transformation requires an intellectual source of support. For example, one of the areas that definitively needs to be transformed is the issue of justice. We should bring about a transformation in the area of justice and this needs an intellectual basis so as to know what well-organized thoughts and ideas we have in the area of justice. After that, on the basis of these thoughts and ideas, we should pursue transformation. In other words, having an intellectual source of support is one of our spiritual assets. This means that we should utilize our spiritual assets which include Islamic rules and regulations, the holy ayahs of the Quran and the words of the Imams (greetings be upon them). We should benefit from these assets and carry out transformation on this basis.

Whatever Imam did regarding transformation was based on Islamic criteria and the principles of Islam. Imam moved within the framework of these principles. If such careful thinking does not exist, our transformation will be carried out wrongly and we will take the wrong step. Moreover, we will not be able to persist. There will not be any persistence in pursuing transformation.

This reminds me of certain individuals: In the course of our Revolution, we had certain people who were revolutionary and sympathetic individuals at first, but because they did not have firm ideological bases and because their faith was not founded on solid ideological and intellectual pillars, they turned into fossils with the passage of time and once they began to pass into an advanced age. That is while, the Revolution was essentially against fossilization. In fact, the Islamic Revolution put aside some fossilized and deviant elements. As a matter of fact, when some former revolutionary youth began to step into a rather advanced age, they got close – some got close and some turned into – to being some sort of a fossil. As the late Amiri Firouz-Kuhi says in a poem:

“Youth was spent acquiring knowledge, old age in ignorance

The chapters of the book of my life have been written in the wrong order”

Some people are really like this.

Intellectual hollowing versus transformation

Another important point is that transformation should not be confused with intellectual hollowing. A little before and especially during the Pahlavi era, something called “modernity” entered the country. They considered this modernity as a transformation in the life of the Iranian nation, but it was not really a transformation, rather it was the intellectual hollowing of the Iranian nation. Modernity took the Iranian nation’s identity away from it. In fact, the Iranian nation lost its religious, national and historic identity through modernity. During the time of the Pahlavi dynasty, the Iranian nation lost its identity partly because of Reza Khan and partly because of westernized and bewitched intellectuals of those days who would encourage, guide and help Reza Khan and who would justify his actions. In other words, the Iranian nation drifted away from its real identity. This is hollowing, not transformation. Transformation should have a forward direction, but modernity had a backward direction.

If nations lose their identity and their spiritual assets, this is in fact considered as a civilizational death. This is a civilizational death. Our country has unfortunately suffered from this condition as well. In scientific, social and academic discussions, they took such an extremist outlook that a western scientist’s ideas were considered as a touchstone. When they had a discussion, they would say that such and such a western scientist had a particular belief and idea: end of discussion! This means that we have to block the path of thinking. When you imitate others and when you do not dare say something different from what such and such a westerner says in humanities or other sciences, this means that you have to stop thinking and endeavoring and instead try to imitate. This is the exact opposite of what prophets would teach: “To unveil before them the hidden virtues of wisdom” [Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 1]. This means cultivating and awakening hidden sources and treasures of wisdom in people. This is the exact opposite of what those individuals were promoting. This was another point.

The necessity to show patience in the process of carrying out transformation

Another point is that transformation is not a movement that is necessarily launched at once. Sometimes, transformation occurs gradually. Therefore, one should not be impatient. If we aim at the right target and if the movement is launched in the true sense of the word, then it will be alright even if we achieve transformation later. The main point is to take the path and to make the move. Therefore, we should not show impatience. If we think that it should happen all at once, this is not correct.

The problem with the modernity given to us by puppet governments was that it was devoid of a guiding hand. This was one of the problems. If there is going to be a transformation, there should be a reliable and guiding hand to protect it. Trustworthy and reliable hands should provide guidance for such transformational moves. Otherwise, without a guiding hand, there will be the same situation that existed before. This is another point.

Avoiding haphazard and hasty actions

Another point is that transformation should not be confused with haphazard and superficial courses of action. If a task is carried out in a haphazard and hasty manner, this is not transformation. Sometimes, we do things in order to satiate our desire to do something. Such courses of action are of no value. Transformation is about doing deep and careful work. Of course, speed is important, but speed is different from hastiness. Well, these were points about the transformations that we should be looking for. The Iranian nation, in particular our youth, should pursue transformation. Therefore, these points should receive attention.

In which areas does society need to bring about transformation?

Well, in which areas should we carry out transformation? As I mentioned before, it requires a separate discussion to determine in which areas we have shortcomings and in which areas we should bring about transformation in the true sense of the word.

However, if we want to give a short list, we can cite certain examples: for example, transformation in the economic area rests on our capability to cut the umbilical cord of our economy from oil. In other words, we should be able to create an oil-free economy. This is a transformation in the true sense of the word. Another transformation depends on the ability of the administration and the Majlis to draw up the budget in a way that it reflects performance and function in the true sense of the word. We could refer to this as “operational budget”. Of course, most administrations claim that their budget is “operational”, but it is not the case. If the budget of the country is drawn up in a really correct and proper manner, this will be a transformation in the area of the economy.

Another area of transformation is education. We really need transformation in the area of educational matters. Regarding education, transformation signifies changing the function of primary, secondary and tertiary education so that it works on the basis of depth and practicality, not on the basis of memorization. You should introduce practical materials. In our schools and even universities, there are some courses which are of no value to those who study them: they have no value for them until the end of their lives! This is because, they are not supposed to be specialized in those courses and therefore, the information that they receive in those fields are of little value. For instance, they learn some general information which is of no value and it just wastes their time. If we wish to bring about transformation, in the true sense of the word, in the area of education, courses and materials should be based on practically. If the transformation plan that the educational system has drawn up is implemented, part of this goal will be attained.

As for social matters – such as administering justice or resolving problems such as addiction – well, these are really social problems that need to be solved. Another area of transformation is family. Today there are reliable reports telling us that our country is galloping towards aging. Well, this is terrible news. This is one of those matters whose effects become tangible only when there is no cure for them. Therefore, we should attend to them through transformation. There is a need for transformation in these domains.

A requirement for transformation: fearlessness in the face of enmity and opposition

Well, an important requirement for carrying out transformation is fearlessness in the face of the enemy and of enmities. Allah the Exalted says to His Prophet, “You did fear the people, but it is more fitting that you should fear Allah” [The Holy Quran, 33: 37]. It says that we should not be afraid of this and that’s words. After all, every positive and important course of action might have some opponents. And opponents oppose. Today, with the advent of cyberspace, oppositions have taken a harsh, biting and annoying form. If there is an important, proper and solid plan, we should not heed these confrontations. We should not have considerations for foreign enemies either. Every project that is carried out in the right direction in the country will face a vast front of enemy that constantly engages in plotting and doing harm.

This front works both in the area of hardware and software. Their software plots include questioning, slamming, destroying and annihilating every important, correct and reasonable decision made in the country via their vast propaganda campaigns and with their propaganda empire which is controlled by the Zionists. We should not be afraid of them and we should move forward. In my opinion, the way to do so is to involve young forces. It is young forces that do not have considerations for this and that, that do not fear and that move in a bold manner. Of course, the presence of young forces should take place in the manner that I explained before. This means using youth’s thoughts, morale, activeness and courage. However, this is not in contrast with the presence of veteran forces. The condition for their presence is to avoid eliminating veteran forces.

When there is trust in God, superpowers decline and weaken

Fortunately, when the country has trust in God, the result is what you see in the present time. One part of the enemy was the Soviet Union that suffered that fate. Another part is the US which is in such an appalling situation today. What is being witnessed today in US cities and states is the revelation of certain truths that used to be covered up all the time before. These are not new developments. This is the truth coming to light. It is the appearance of the slime at the bottom of the pool which has risen to the surface. This is how it is.

When a police officer holds his knee on a black man’s neck and presses hard for several minutes with total inattention while the man keeps imploring and begging him to stop, while the police officer keeps doing it until he dies and while the other policemen just watch without taking any action to stop him- this is not a new incident. This runs in the nature of America! This is what the Americans have done to the whole world. They did the same things to Afghanistan, to Iraq, to Syria, to Vietnam and to many other countries in the world. This is America’s behavior. This is the nature of the US government which has revealed its true colors. When the people chant, “Let us breathe”, or “We can’t breathe”, which has turned into the slogan of the people in large demonstrations in different cities, this is in fact what all nations – which have fallen victim to America’s oppressive presence, usurpation and actions – want to say from the bottom of their hearts.

Scandal for the American ruling system and humiliation for the American people

In any case, by Allah’s favor and grace, the Americans disgraced themselves with their own behavior. On the one hand, they handled the Coronavirus pandemic in a poor way, which brought them disgrace. This disgrace continues to loom large over their heads. Despite the fact that the disease spread in their country much later than other countries and while they could benefit from others’ experience and prepare themselves, their poor management has caused them to have casualties and infected cases several times larger than other countries. They could not and cannot handle it. This is due to the corruption that exists in the ruling system of the US.

On the other hand, they behave towards their people like this. Despite the fact that they kill people in a visibly appalling manner, they are so brazen that they show up in public without one word of apology. That is while they open their big mouths to say that they support “human rights”. Apparently, the black man who was killed that way was not a human and did not have any rights! This is how it is.

In any case, as I said before, the American peopple have a feeling of shame and humiliation because of their administrations. It is really necessary for the American nation to feel ashamed of the government that holds power in the US today. I believe that even those people – whether the Iranians inside our country or the Iranians outside the country – whose job is to support, defend and embellish the US, even they cannot hold their heads up because of the current circumstances in the US.

I hope that God will develop events to the advantage of the Iranian nation, that He will increase the power of the Islamic Republic on a daily basis and that He will associate the immaculate soul of our magnanimous Imam and our dear martyrs – in particular, our recent martyrs including Shahid Soleimani – with His saints, God willing.

Greetings be upon you and Allah’s mercy