Statements on the 35th Anniversary of the Passing of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified)

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

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our master and prophet, Abu al-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure, chosen, and infallible progeny, especially the Awaited One among the inhabitants of the earth.

This great annual gathering has an important and necessary goal for the Iranian nation, which is to renew the memory of the esteemed Imam and to benefit from the lessons of the esteemed Imam for the advancement of the country, the administration of the country, and the pursuit of the lofty goals of the revolution; either we utilize the lessons of the Imam that are available to us in his statements and writings, or we benefit from the personal characteristics of the esteemed Imam, each of which serves as a lesson for us.

Today, I wish to speak from the perspective of the esteemed Imam about two important issues that have occurred from last Khordad (June) until today. These two issues are one, the issue of Palestine, which is currently the foremost issue in the world and began with a massive popular uprising, the repercussions of which have captured the world's attention and transformed it into the foremost issue globally; the second is the tragic event of the loss of our dear and valuable President, which is also a significant event with consequences both domestically and globally, and is considered one of the important issues in the history of the revolution. We want to examine and discuss these two topics from the perspective of the Imam; and then, God willing, I will say a few words about the issue of elections and the national and public duty we have regarding elections.

One of the most prominent lessons and approaches of the Imam can be observed in the issue of Palestine; from the very first day of the Islamic movement, the esteemed Imam emphasized the issue of Palestine, made statements, foresaw the future, and provided guidance to the Muslim nations and the Palestinian people themselves. What the esteemed Imam predicted about the future of Palestine over fifty years ago or more is gradually coming to fruition today; this foresight of the Imam regarding the issue of Palestine is a very important matter that I will elaborate on later. Of course, this foresight and insight of the esteemed Imam regarding events was not limited to the issue of Palestine; in many current and important matters of the country, the Imam's precise perspective and foresight became evident to those who had heard him, and there are many examples of this. One example is from the early days of the movement; at a time when the Islamic movement, under the leadership of the esteemed Imam, was taking its first steps, and the tyrannical regime was brutally suppressing every movement in Feyziyeh of Qom, in the streets of Qom, and in Tehran, in such conditions where the number of fighters was few and the opposing side was a tyrannical and ruthless regime, he addressed us, who were young seminarians at that time, saying, "They will be gone, you will remain." Those who were analytical and studied various issues of countries and struggles were astonished by such words; he said it, and it came to pass.

Another example is from the late years of this great man's blessed life, which is the statement he made in a letter to the former President of the Soviet Union, which is among the historically enduring phrases. At a time when the Soviet Union appeared to be at the height of its power and prestige, he said that he could hear the sound of the bones of the communist regime breaking; no one could have imagined such a situation at that time; he said it, and it was not long before what he had predicted came to pass.

In the issue of Palestine, the Imam approached the matters with this perspective. The essence and summary of the esteemed Imam's demand regarding Palestine was that hope should not be placed in negotiations for compromise. They should not rely on the hope that they could resolve the Palestinian issue through negotiations for compromise and reach a just point regarding Palestine; this was the essence of the Imam's message. He believed that the Palestinian people themselves must take their rights in action and force the enemy, namely the Zionist regime, to retreat, weaken it, and that all the nations of the world, especially the Muslim governments, should support the Palestinians; he always reiterated that if the nations enter the field, if the Palestinians take action and commit themselves to action, then the Zionist regime will be compelled to retreat; today this has happened, which I will explain now.

The Palestinians entered the field during the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, acted, took action, and placed the enemy in a corner where there is no escape or means of salvation for it. Yes, America supports the Zionist regime, many Western governments support it, but all admit and acknowledge that the conditions created for the Zionist regime are such that there is no way out for that regime. Regarding this great movement of the Palestinian people, I will explain a few sentences here.

There are two essential points in the Al-Aqsa Flood incident that must be noted; two essential and important points. One point is that the Al-Aqsa Flood operations that occurred on the fifteenth of Mehr (October) last year were precisely what the region needed; our region needed these operations; this was a response to a great need of the region, which I will elaborate on. The second point is that these operations dealt a decisive blow to the Zionist regime; a blow for which there is no remedy, and the Zionist regime has been afflicted with afflictions from this blow that it will not recover from.

As for the first point, which we said that the Al-Aqsa Flood operations occurred precisely at the moment of the region's need, the explanation is that a comprehensive plan had been devised by America and Zionist elements and their followers, along with some regional governments, which was intended to change the relationships and equations of the region based on this comprehensive plan. The relationship of the Zionist regime with the regional governments was to be arranged according to the desires of that regime, meaning the domination of the Zionist regime over the politics and economy of the entire region of West Asia and indeed the entire Islamic world; they had devised a vast program that would lead to this result. They had advanced this program with many preliminaries; America was behind this program, Britain was behind this program, the global Zionist community was behind this program, and some regional governments were seriously cooperating in this program; this program had reached its final moments; that is, it was only a matter of time before this long-term plan would reach the stage of practical implementation. In such a critical moment, the Al-Aqsa Flood attack began and blew all the enemy's plans away. The Flood of the fifteenth of Mehr nullified the meticulously devised plan of the enemy, and with the situation that has arisen in these past eight months, there is little hope that they can revive this plan again. A significant and important task has been accomplished.

The fact that you see the Zionist regime attacking the defenseless people of Gaza with such intensity and cruelty is the regime's nervous reaction to the nullification of that plan. The fact that you see the American government assisting these crimes in front of the eyes of the entire world is due to their nervous reaction to the nullification of a plan that they had painstakingly devised. The Al-Aqsa Flood accomplished such a miracle. This Al-Aqsa Flood occurred at the right time and in the right moment. Of course, I cannot claim that the planners of the Al-Aqsa Flood knew what great work they were doing or not — I do not know — but the reality is that what they did was something that nothing else could replace; they dismantled a major international conspiracy for the West Asia region with the Al-Aqsa Flood operations and nullified it. This is the first point.

As for the second point, which we said that the Al-Aqsa Flood operations dealt a decisive blow to the Zionist regime, it was a blow that is irreparable and has placed the Zionist regime on a path that leads only to dissolution and destruction. We have spoken extensively about this part of the issue; since the onset of the Al-Aqsa Flood until now, we have repeatedly discussed this matter; I want to speak today from the perspective of others regarding this issue. I will set aside our own views for now; I will present the views of those who do not align with us in terms of orientation and approach.

All Western analysts, including Europeans, Americans, and even those affiliated with the Zionist regime itself, believe that in these operations, the Zionist regime, despite all its pretensions and bluster, has suffered a severe defeat from a small group of resistance. They say that eight months after the Al-Aqsa Flood, the Zionist regime, despite all its efforts, has not achieved any of its minimal goals; this is what Western analysts say. Moreover, one Western analyst judges and states that the Al-Aqsa Flood is an event that could change the twenty-first century; this is the perception of a well-known Western analyst — I do not want to mention their names — another analysis from another Western analyst states: the Al-Aqsa Flood will change the world. An Israeli security analyst, when he wants to say that there is confusion among the leaders and high-ranking officials of the Zionist regime, says that if the content of the discussions and disagreements among Israeli officials were published in the media, four million people would leave Israel; a reverse migration; meaning the confusion and turmoil among the Israeli officials is at such a level. Pay attention! This is very important. An Israeli historian says: "The Zionist project is breathing its last — this is said by a Zionist analyst and historian — and we are at the beginning of the end of the Zionist regime; the army has failed to protect the Jewish community in the south and north of Israel." The army that claimed to be among the strongest armies in the world has been defeated within its own territory; defeated by whom? By a strong government? No, by resistance groups, by Hamas, by Hezbollah; it has been defeated by them. This is the Al-Aqsa Flood.

Beyond all this, what we see before our eyes is that the issue of Palestine has become the foremost issue in the world; this is very important. For many years, the official propaganda of the media affiliated with America and wealthy Zionist centers sought to gradually diminish the name of Palestine and the issue of Palestine and to gradually make it forgotten, so that people would forget that there was something called "Palestine"! They spent years and money trying to do this, but today, despite them, the issue of Palestine is the foremost issue in the world. In the streets of London, in the squares of Paris, in American universities, people chant in favor of the Palestinian people and against the Zionist regime. America, in the face of the global consensus of the nations of the world, is inevitably becoming passive and sooner or later will have to withdraw its hand from behind the Zionist regime.

Of course, the tragedies of Gaza, the heart-wrenching events in Gaza, including the attacks on defenseless people, the killing of nearly forty thousand people, the killing of about fifteen thousand or more children — some of whom are infants, some are nursing — these tragedies exist; these are the costs that the Palestinian nation is paying for its salvation, and at the same time, it stands firm and resists and defends the heroes and fighters of resistance. The Palestinian nation, despite all these problems and hardships, has not turned away from resistance; it defends resistance, thanks to Islamic faith and belief in the verses of the Quran; this is very important.

The reality of the matter is that the Zionist regime made a wrong calculation, a wrong analysis of the capabilities of the vast resistance front. Today, there is a large front in our region called the "Resistance Front"; this front has many capabilities; the Zionist regime has made a mistake in understanding this reality, it has erred. The Zionist regime has placed itself in a dead-end alley, where defeats will come one after another, and by the grace of God, it will not find a way out of this alley. Today, the Zionist regime is gradually melting away before the eyes of the world; it is coming to an end; this is what the people of the world are witnessing. Of course, they speak in propaganda, but the reality is this; they know it themselves, many politicians around the world know it, many nations understand it, and the Palestinian nation has understood it. This is regarding the first issue we wanted to discuss today, namely the issue of Palestine and the Al-Aqsa Flood.

As for the second important event, namely the heartbreaking martyrdom of our dear and valuable President and his companions, each of whom was valuable in their own right; among those I knew closely was the late Mr. Al-Hashem, the active, popular, and worthy Friday Prayer Leader of Tabriz, the representative of the leadership in the important province of East Azerbaijan, who established heartfelt and working connections with the people, the youth, the students, the artists, the athletes, and the general populace; he was truly a valuable personality. The late Mr. Amir-Abdollahian, the active, hardworking, and innovative Foreign Minister, a strong negotiator; I observed some of the negotiations he conducted in various matters; he was a strong and intelligent negotiator committed to principles; these were individuals I knew closely; others, whether the governor of Azerbaijan, the brother in charge of the President's protection, or the three dear individuals who were in charge of the flight, all of them, as those familiar with them say, were worthy, prominent, and faithful individuals. The loss of these individuals is truly a loss for the country.

How should we respond to this calamity? This is important. I previously discussed this great loss with the following noble verse: "And do not say of those who are killed in the way of God, 'They are dead.' Rather, they are alive, but you perceive [it] not." Those who are killed in the way of God should not be considered dead; they are alive. Surrounding this verse — whether before this verse or after it — there is no discussion of military movement, war, or fighting; it states, "in the way of God." One cannot claim that the meaning of "killed in the way of God" refers to being killed in the battlefield, as there is no evidence for this in this verse. In the verse of Surah Al-Imran — "And do not think that those who were killed" — yes, that verse is within the context of jihad; this verse, however, is absolute; it states that anyone who is killed in the way of God. The path of serving the people is the way of God; the path of jihad for the people is the way of God; the path of administering the Islamic country is the way of God; the path of advancing the Islamic Republic system is the way of God. Mr. Raisi, dear and his companions were martyred in the path of advancing the country, in the path of serving the people, in the path of elevating the Islamic Republic; thus, they fall under this verse; do not consider them dead; rather, they are alive; the same expression that exists regarding martyrs. Therefore, we consider them "martyrs of service," just as the people said; this expression of "martyr of the republic" and "martyr of service" emerged from the hearts of the people; this is very valuable. Well, this calamity was indeed a heavy calamity for the country.

I would like to say a few words about our late President and a few words about our people and nation regarding how they reacted to this incident. These are lessons; we must learn from events; these events serve as lessons for us.

Regarding our dear President — may God's mercy be upon him — everyone acknowledged that he was a man of action, a man of service, a man of sincerity and honesty; this was acknowledged by all. He did not recognize night or day. He established a new standard in serving the country. We have had serving personalities before, but not to this extent, not with this volume, not with this quality, not with this honesty, not with this tirelessness; Mr. Raisi (may God have mercy on him) established a new standard in serving the nation. In foreign matters, he made the best use of opportunities. All this foreign activity and travel had valuable and blessed outcomes for the country, both for today and for the future. He made Iran appear larger and more prominent in the eyes of the political figures of the world. He accurately defined and introduced the Islamic Revolution and the Iranian nation in his statements and foreign remarks; thus, the political figures who speak about him today refer to him as a prominent figure; this is something new and valuable for us who have dealt with foreign matters for many years. His management style among his colleagues was unique, characterized by sincerity; he interacted with his colleagues, ministers, and government officials with warmth and sincerity. He respected the dignity of the people; he valued the dignity of the people; he allowed the people and the youth to express their opinions; he maintained the respect of the people. He trusted the youth and honored them. He treated those who had wronged him with dignity; he did not respond harshly or angrily to those who had insulted him. Conversely, he was clear in delineating boundaries with the enemies of the revolution; regarding those who were against the revolution, he did not speak ambiguously; he spoke clearly and had a clear boundary; he did not trust the smile of the enemy. These are values; these are lessons; each of these serves as a model for our politicians, for our future presidents, for those who gain the trust of the nation in a certain capacity.

After the loss of this dear one, I saw that almost all newspapers, all media, and various individuals from different currents spoke of his services and tireless efforts, praising and defining him; my heart ached; I felt sorrow for Raisi; some of these individuals were not willing to say a word of these praises during his lifetime; they saw these distinctions during his lifetime but concealed them, and even said the opposite and hurt him. Of course, he often did not respond, but sometimes he would come to me and express some complaints. May God exalt the ranks of this dear and valuable man; may God exalt the ranks of all those who accompanied him and grant patience to their families. This is regarding these dear individuals.

As for the people; in my opinion, this section regarding the people is a prominent one; well, it was a heavy calamity. How do we respond to a heavy calamity? In the face of calamities — whether personal calamities or national calamities — how are the reactions? One reaction is that a person becomes depressed in the face of calamity, becomes isolated, effectively succumbs to the calamity, and loses hope; this is one type of reaction to calamity. Another reaction, a different reaction to calamity, is to stand firm against the calamity — that is what is referred to in Quranic expressions as "patience"; patience means standing firm in the face of calamity — to be patient; rather, in addition to patience, to create an opportunity for oneself from the calamity, to create a heroic epic, to derive sweet results from a bitter incident; the Iranian nation chose the latter. The Iranian nation created an epic in the face of this bitter incident; these massive gatherings, this extraordinary epic-making of the Iranian nation in bidding farewell to these dear ones, is one of the remarkable works of the Iranian nation.

Our nation has accomplished many great works throughout the years of the revolution and after the revolution; one of the great works is this: that in mourning for their dear ones, such as martyr Soleimani, martyr Raisi, and others, their mourning was epic. This million-strong gathering in Tehran, in Mashhad, in Tabriz, in Qom, in Rey — two consecutive days — in Zanjan, in Maragheh, in Najafabad, in Birjand, these massive gatherings that the people formed, these epics are a sign that these people do not succumb to such calamities but rather their resilience and motivation increase.

These enthusiastic gatherings had messages; one of the messages was that the Iranian nation is motivated, is not tired, stands firm, is alive, shows its presence in the face of various events, and demonstrates its motivation. Another message is that there exists emotional connections and affection between the people and the high-ranking officials of the country; this is in stark contrast to what the enemy wants to convey. The enemies have constantly said from outside, and unfortunately, some have repeated it inside, that "the Islamic Republic has lost its national capital"; no, the fact that a president is taken from the people, and the people come out in millions into the streets, this is national capital. Such a thing does not exist in any part of the world.

This has not been seen in any other country. Some presidents have been in countries that people loved, and they mourned their deaths; I remember some instances; however, it was not comparable to what happened here. Here, the people entered the field with such grandeur; this is unprecedented. There is nothing like this in any part of the world. This reflects the relationship between the people and the officials; the relationship between the people and the commanders. Now, the issue of the esteemed Imam is outside of these categories; what happened at the passing of the esteemed Imam was beyond these categories; that was another reality. However, the behavior of the people towards these immediate officials, like Soleimani, like Raisi, is such.

Another message in these gatherings was that the people support the slogans of the revolution; they cannot conceal this, because the late Raisi (may God have mercy on him) explicitly expressed the slogans of the revolution, was a manifestation of the slogans of the revolution; when the people praise him, respect him, they are actually demonstrating their attachment to the slogans of the revolution, because he was a manifestation of the slogans of the revolution.

Another point is that the people appreciate their servants; our officials should know and pay attention to this. Officials should not think that if they serve, this will be forgotten by the people; no, the people recognize, understand, and appreciate; this encourages service. These important themes arising from the gatherings of the people will have an impact on the political equations of the region; these will affect the definition of power in the region and the distribution of power in the region; so that great political analysts and political figures of the world can look and see that this is the Iranian nation; with this motivation, with this affection, with this presence, with this readiness, with this commitment. This reflects the realities of Iran and Iranians to the world.

Another important point is that the country, despite losing its president, was able to fully maintain its tranquility and security.

Well, dear brothers and sisters! My remarks have concluded. I would like to say a word about the elections. The elections that lie ahead of us are a significant task; this election is a highly productive phenomenon; if, God willing, this election is held well, with grandeur and magnificence, it will be a great achievement for the Iranian nation. The fact that after this bitter incident, the people gather with high votes to elect the next official, this will have an extraordinary reflection in the world; hence, this election is very important. This electoral epic complements the epic of bidding farewell to the martyrs; this task complements what you previously did in bidding farewell to the martyrs. The Iranian nation needs an active, hardworking, knowledgeable president who is committed to the principles of the revolution to preserve its interests in the complex international equations, to solidify its strategic depth, to bring its natural and human capacities to fruition, and to sweeten the people's lives while also filling the economic and cultural gaps.

My final recommendation is to listen: in this great movement that is taking place, in the upcoming electoral competitions among candidates, ethics should prevail; speaking ill, slandering, and spreading filth do not help advance the work, and they harm national dignity. The electoral scene is a scene of dignity and epic, a scene of competition for service, not a scene of tug-of-war for power. Brothers who enter the field of electoral competition should consider this as a duty; they should fulfill their duty, and God Almighty will guide the hearts of the people, God willing, to the best option, and God willing, a worthy president for the Iranian nation will be appointed.

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