Statements in Meeting with Air Force Commanders

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

We welcome you dear ones, brothers, and youth, and we congratulate you on these blessed and memorable days; both the honorable birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him), as well as the twenty-second of Bahman, and the nineteenth of Bahman, which is an unforgettable memory and a bright point in the radiant pages of the days of the Revolution.

The commemoration of the nineteenth of Bahman, which we insist on observing every year, and in these consecutive years on such a day we have met with the dear members of the Air Force, is not merely to keep a memory alive - although keeping glorious and cherished memories alive is a value - what is important for us are two other points: one is to learn lessons and gain insights from the past. When we review the memory of the nineteenth of Bahman, we learn a lesson from this event; that lesson is about action, initiative, steadfastness, timely work, and its impact on the movement of society and the country; this became a lesson. It is true that the body of the army before the Revolution was not a tyrannical body; the leaders were tyrannical, but the body was part of the nation; this is clear, it was clear to us from the beginning, and it became clear to the people over the years; however, the manifestation of this popular nature, the role-playing in the arena of popular movement, is another matter. This could not happen unless there was a prominent, eye-catching, and significant movement from within the army; and the nineteenth of Bahman accomplished this.

When you look at the event of the nineteenth of Bahman today, its importance may not be very apparent; but we who were there, I who was an observer of this event and attended the Alavi School among the brothers of the Air Force and witnessed their courageous movement, my feeling and the feeling of those like me who saw that situation is different. The event of the nineteenth of Bahman was a major breaking point, a great act. For officers, non-commissioned officers, and airmen to openly and explicitly align with the Revolution and look the guards of the tyrannical regime in the eye and say "no" to them; this was a very significant act. This action had its effect. A timely and appropriate action did something that dormant and unexpressed feelings could not accomplish. In all areas and fields, action and initiative have such an effect. That day, the field and arena was that field; during the war, the arena was another; today, the arena is yet another. In every period, in every field and arena, timely presence, timely work, and timely action can have such a significant effect. This is one.

Secondly: we should learn lessons from this event for the future; we should not remain stuck in the past. One of the afflictions of gatherings, groups, nations, and communities is being stuck in past glories. We constantly recall past glories, we take pride in them, but do not take action in the present, in the now, commensurate with them. Of course, today our Air Force and army cannot be compared to that day; the difference is as vast as the earth to the sky. Great works have been accomplished, enduring works have been done - there is no doubt about that - but look to the future. The future is an important one; it is a critical future. If a country wants to achieve its dignity, identity, interests, and security, it needs initiative and work. Sitting idly, sleeping, and being negligent of surroundings will not lead to achieving lofty goals. The reason you see the Islamic community and Islamic countries have been lagging behind for several hundred years - two hundred years, three hundred years - and today we are all suffering the consequences of that lag, is due to negligence. Here, in our western region, in other Islamic areas, the apparent grandeur of governments existed, but there was no movement commensurate with time and the future. Others learned science, gained experience, acquired technology, and began their movement to conquer the world; we fell into their trap, losing everything. By "we" I do not mean only Iran; Iran, the countries of the region, the countries of North Africa, our eastern countries; the entire Islamic region fell into negligence. This negligence, being content with the apparent grandeur, not thinking of movement, not thinking of building the future, has caused such damages.

Of course, when nations awaken, this awakening automatically brings movements; however, it has speed and slowness. These movements can be rapid, effective, and good, surpassing the average speed of the world, or they can be slow movements that still do not catch up with others; because others are not idle either. We are working, striving, and building. Do others not do this? Others are also striving, building, and working in the opposite front; we must do something that the sum of our efforts gives us a momentum that exceeds the momentum of our opposing front; then we can hope for the future.

This is my constant advice to all the youth of this country, and today to you dear members of the Air Force and to all the army and all the armed forces. Both in organization, in building tools and equipment and parts, in training, and in moral education and strengthening that main spiritual factor, you must double your efforts. Everyone must double their efforts; the government, officials, various sectors of the country, including the armed forces which form a significant body of the effective organs of the country. These efforts must be purposeful, meaningful, and substantial efforts.

Thanks be to God, today the legitimacy of the movement of the Islamic Republic has become clear. You see the slogans that until yesterday the Iranian nation was chanting, today have become widespread throughout this region. Countries that were among the followers and the petty foot soldiers of global arrogance are now, thanks to their people, standing alongside the Iranian nation as progressive forces; they pursue the same goals, they chant the same slogans; this is your progress; this means that the Iranian nation has been able to find allies, companions, and partners over three decades. We do not say that we created these movements; that is not a logical statement; but it is also illogical to say that the awakening of a nation with this tremendous uproar that this awakening has created over these three decades has had no impact on the awakening of others; this is also illogical, this is completely certain. Today, analyses and interpretations around the world are all about this; they say this is the mother of awakening and Islamic movement. Just recently, in the analyses of foreign analysts reflected in various news media and websites, this meaning is emphasized. This shows the legitimacy of our movement.

The movement of the Islamic system and the Islamic Republic and the revolution that created this movement is towards a lasting, solid, and defensible true identity against aggressions; an Islamic identity, reliance on God Almighty, feeling dignity from being Muslim, relying on the capacities and forces that God Almighty has granted us - whether the personal capacities of each of us, or the vast collective national forces, or our human and natural forces - and calling the world towards spiritual values.

The world has not benefited from drowning in materialism; the world has not benefited from promoting sexual freedoms; humanity has not benefited from what material movements in Europe have created - liberation from spirituality, liberation from divine constraints - they have not achieved justice, nor provided public welfare, nor ensured security, nor preserved the family, nor been able to properly educate future generations; they have suffered losses in all these areas. Yes, a number of company owners, bankers, and arms manufacturers have gained wealth - this is true - but Western material civilization had no human achievement, no human benefit; it did not make them happy, nor did it make the societies that lived under their shadow and imitated them happy.

The message of the Islamic Revolution is the message of liberation from this misery-inducing and wretched movement. Attention to spirituality, attention to divine ethics, while also addressing human needs; the same thing that exists in Islam; a middle ground. Not the excesses of Catholic and Orthodox churches and their erroneous strictness, nor the laxities that arose in Western societies due to their material movement; neither of these is correct; both are wrong. The line of Islam is the line of moderation; it is the line of justice. Justice has a comprehensive and inclusive meaning. In all areas, justice - meaning placing everything in its rightful place - must be considered; the humane middle line; "And thus We have made you a just nation, that you may be witnesses over mankind." (Quran 2:143)

Today, the Iranian nation is among the pioneers of this movement. We are building society, we are building a system, we have a public and popular movement. Thirty-three years have passed since the Revolution. In no place in the world is the commemoration and anniversary of a revolution as popular as this. It is only our revolution that every twenty-second of Bahman, the celebration is held by the people. Across the country, millions of people come to the streets, demonstrate, and chant slogans; this has not existed in any revolution. There have been great revolutions; some of these we witnessed in our time, some we read about in history: anniversaries of revolutions would come, a few people would stand there, a group would march in front of them, salute them. Anniversaries of revolutions were held this way. A celebration would be held, a few people would be invited, they would eat and drink. The holding of the anniversary of the revolution by the people themselves is specific to the Islamic Revolution. Every twenty-second of Bahman, in various cold weathers, sometimes snow, sometimes frost, sometimes biting cold, people came to the field; this year too, with divine grace, with divine guidance, with the hand of divine power, you will see that once again people will come to the field. This movement is a popular movement; and this continues with divine grace. It is a public movement in the country, and the armed forces bear a significant part of this popular movement.

I advise all our dear youth in the armed forces, in the Air Force to engage in self-building, to focus on their spiritual education; to strengthen the level of training, the level of organization, discipline, awareness, brotherhood, and kindness among different ranks as much as they can; these are the signs of an Islamic and religious army. There is discipline, there is brotherhood among different ranks; there is discipline, there is positive competition among various branches and sectors - technical, support, combat - but with a spirit of brotherhood, cooperation, synergy, and intimacy; this is the characteristic of an Islamic military organization. And above all, the spirit of readiness and sacrifice; this is what no one from the enemy's front has. Our youth demonstrated this practically during the war; after the war until today, wherever it has been necessary, they have presented and shown this. They are ready to put their lives on the line, to come to the forefront; this is very valuable. Maintain this spirit of sacrifice and steadfastness and keep the consciousness of God in mind; increase your purity and spiritual piety day by day; God willing, God Almighty will assist you in every way.

We ask God Almighty to grant the officials of the Air Force, the personnel of the Air Force, their respected families, and their children and spouses His favors and to grant them success so that in every section of this important and vast organization, individuals can fulfill their duties in the best possible manner.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.