Statements in Meeting with the People of Qom

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 and chosen progeny, especially the Awaited One on earth.

Welcome! Dear brothers and sisters, esteemed people of Qom. This ceremony has been held with grandeur for 40 or 41 years; the eyes of the entire nation are on the people of Qom on the 19th of Dey, commemorating that very important and historic event. I would like to say a word about the issue of the 19th of Dey and the incident in Qom; and a word about our dear martyr of these days, Martyr Soleimani.

Regarding the issue of the 19th of Dey, we must reflect and learn lessons. Most of you brothers and sisters present here were not there; you did not witness that day; however, the memory of that day is alive; we must learn from this living memory. The past should always guide us and illuminate the path to the future. The event of the 19th of Dey was such that, in defense of the esteemed leadership of the great revolution, who was not in Iran at that time, the people of Qom stood against the armed and ruthless forces of the tyrannical regime. The people had nothing; they were empty-handed. What drew them into this field? Faith and religious zeal; see, these are two key words: faith and religious zeal. When those people—who were a group from Qom—came to the streets and faced the police and the regime's forces, some of them were martyred and some were injured, and in fact, the tyrants thought they had crushed them, neither the Qom protesters nor others ever thought that this movement would be the source of such a great transformation, not only in the country but in the world. Did it not happen? This very movement, which was carried out that day solely out of faith and religious zeal, was blessed by God; it continued; the Arbaeen marches drew people into the field, and Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) led it, culminating in the great uprising of Bahman the following year, 1979; this movement of a number of sincere people from Qom initiated such a great revolution. Of course, there are many factors involved; the important thing is that the beginning of the movement was a popular action based on faith and religious zeal; this must always be remembered. We can achieve great things through the blessing of faith and religious zeal; just as in this incident [of the martyrdom of Martyr Soleimani and his companions], a great act was accomplished, a significant event occurred, a revolution emerged that shook the world, transformed it, and changed the course of the country's history, the region's history, and perhaps the world's history—this will be judged later. Let us look at this with divine assistance; let us see divine guidance and the hand of divine power in all the events of our lives. That day, the people's hands were empty; today, thanks be to God, our hands are not empty; our hands are full. The Iranian nation is now equipped against the world's oppressors, but reliance is not solely on military tools; military tools are effective only when they are based on that faith and religious zeal; only then do military tools have an effect and facilitate action. We must always remember this in the face of the vast front of the enemy; that God Almighty says, "How many a small group has overcome a large group by God's permission"; this is exemplified here; sometimes a small group overcomes a very large and extensive front by divine power when it is based on this faith and religious zeal.

Do not let this lesson be forgotten; my dear ones! Whether the country's propaganda officials, the esteemed scholars in Qom and other regions, the active youth in the cultural field, or the general public, do not let this unparalleled lesson that occurred before our eyes be forgotten; the lesson of a humble beginning based on faith and religious zeal and the blessing that God Almighty grants to such movements, which brings about these great events one after another. God Almighty has repeatedly emphasized in various parts of the Quran that "forgetfulness should not come upon you" regarding past nations. He says: "And do not be like those who were given the Book before, and a long time passed over them, so their hearts became hard"; the Children of Israel once gained such spiritual power that even though their men, women, and children were under Pharaoh's torture, they were able to defeat Pharaoh, they were able to stand firm, resist until God Almighty opened the way for them and granted them relief of such magnitude by drowning Pharaoh and his followers. The same Children of Israel, after a while, "and a long time passed over them, so their hearts became hard"; after some time passed, they lost that initial state, their hearts hardened, became heavy, and became callous; they lost that trust, that reliance on God, that movement in the way of God, that patience, that steadfastness, and the result was that "and humiliation and poverty were imposed upon them, and they incurred the wrath of God"; this verse is one of the verses; there are many other verses as well. Prophet Moses said to the Children of Israel: "Has the covenant become long for you?"; you were under pressure from Pharaoh until yesterday, now a long time has passed, and you have forgotten and say, "Make for us a god as they have gods"? These are lessons; this is what I always repeat. Thanks be to God, today the quantity and quality of committed and devoted youth in the country is much greater than at the beginning of the revolution; today it is like this; we are not dissatisfied; but be careful that the path is correctly followed; let us not forget this great Quranic, prophetic, and divine lesson that God Almighty helps us with—"And whoever relies upon God, He is sufficient for him"—and keep it in mind.

Now, regarding this dear martyr; I would like to mention two or three points about our dear martyr, Haj Qasem Soleimani: one is about his personality; well, these days a lot has been said about this great man, our dear and brave friend who has ascended to the highest realm, and correct words have been spoken about his characteristics, but I want to say a few sentences that I think are important:

Firstly, Martyr Soleimani was both brave and prudent; it was not just bravery; some have bravery but lack the wisdom and intellect necessary to apply that bravery. Some are prudent but lack the courage and action; they do not have the heart and guts for the work. Our dear martyr had both heart and guts—he would go into danger without hesitation; not only in these recent events, but also during the Sacred Defense, he was the same way in commanding the Tharallah Brigade; he and his brigade—he was also prudent; he thought, planned, and had logic for his actions. This combination of bravery and prudence was not only in the military field but also in the political arena; I have often told friends who are active in the political field about this; I observed his behavior and actions. In the political arena, he was both brave and prudent; his speech was impactful, convincing, and influential. Above all, his sincerity was paramount; he was sincere; he used this tool of bravery and this tool of prudence for God; he was not one to show off or be hypocritical. Sincerity is very important. We must practice sincerity within ourselves.

Another characteristic was that he was both a commanding warrior, skilled in the military field, and at the same time, he was very careful about the limits of Sharia. In the battlefield, sometimes individuals forget divine limits, saying that this is not the time for such matters; but he was not like that; he was careful. Where weapons should not be used, he did not use them; he was careful that no one be wronged, no oppression occur; he took precautions that many in the military field do not consider necessary; however, he was cautious. He would go into danger but preserved the lives of others as much as he could; he was mindful of the lives of his close ones, his companions, his soldiers, and his colleagues in other nations who were alongside him.

An important point is that in domestic matters—since these remarks are mostly regarding his regional struggles and activities—he was not affiliated with any party or faction, but he was very revolutionary. Revolution and revolutionary spirit were his absolute red line; let no one try to downplay this; this is his reality; he was immersed in the revolution, and revolutionary spirit was his red line. In these realms, there was no division into various parties and names, but in the realm of revolutionary spirit, he was firmly committed to the revolution, committed to the blessed and luminous path of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified).

An example of his prudence and bravery, which his enemies know well—perhaps some friends do not know—was that he, by assisting the peoples of the region or through the aid he provided to the peoples of the region, was able to thwart all of America's illegitimate plans in the region of West Asia. This man was able to stand against all the plans that were prepared with money, with extensive American propaganda organizations, with American diplomatic capabilities, and the bullying that Americans exert on the politicians of the world, especially the weak countries, and neutralize these plans in the region of West Asia.

The Americans had a plan regarding Palestine, and their scheme was to let the issue of Palestine be forgotten; to keep the Palestinians in a state of weakness so that they would not dare to speak of resistance. This man empowered the Palestinians; he made it so that a small area, a tiny strip like Gaza, stands against the Zionist regime with all its claims, causing them to say within 48 hours, "Come, let us have a ceasefire"; these were the deeds of Haj Qasem Soleimani. He empowered their hands. He made it possible for them to stand firm, to resist. This is something that our Palestinian brothers have repeatedly told me. Of course, I knew it, but they also came to testify before us. In the multiple trips that these Palestinian leaders made, they all said this. Then, in a meeting that we usually had with various officials who were connected to his work—ordinary official meetings—Haj Qasem would sit in a corner where he was hardly noticed. Sometimes one would want to know or testify, and one would have to search to find him; he did not place himself in front of the eyes, he did not show off.

America's plans in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon were thwarted with the help and activities of this dear martyr. The Americans wanted Iraq to be like the Iranian tyrannical regime—Pahlavi regime; they wanted it to be a point full of oil, under their control, where they could do whatever they wanted; in the words of that person, "like a milk cow"; they want Iraq like this. The faithful and brave Iraqi elements, the young Iraqis, and the religious authority in Iraq stood against these matters, and Haj Qasem (may God be pleased with him) actively assisted all these fronts, provided support, and appeared as a great supporter there. A similar situation exists regarding Syria and Lebanon. In Lebanon, the Americans want to deprive Lebanon of its most important factor of independence—namely, the resistance force and Hezbollah—so that Lebanon is defenseless against Israel, which would come to take Beirut; as they did before and in previous years. Hezbollah, thanks be to God, has become stronger day by day. Today, both Lebanon's hand and Lebanon's eye are Hezbollah; and the role of our dear martyr in this situation is an outstanding and prominent role; prudence and bravery, a brave warrior, a compassionate brother.

The nations, thanks be to God, are awake. The nations are awake today; but the role of the dear martyr and the local companions of this martyr [was irreplaceable]; like this martyr Abu Mahdi (may God be pleased with him)—a luminous man, a faithful man, a brave man, whose face, when one looked at it, was the embodiment of "and my face has become white with Your light"; Abu Mahdi was like this; his face was a spiritually luminous face of God—Martyr Soleimani, along with such faithful, brave, and luminous individuals, was able to accomplish great things. This is about the martyr; of course, more can be said about our dear martyr, but for now, this is enough.

Another chapter regarding Martyr Soleimani is the blessings of this great martyrdom. This dear martyr, whenever he reported to us—whether in written reports or oral reports—about the work he had done, I would praise him wholeheartedly and verbally, but today, in the face of what he initiated and brought about for the country and indeed for the region, I bow before him. A great deed was accomplished; a resurrection was raised. His spirituality, his martyrdom highlighted him; these Iranian farewells and those Iraqi farewells; in Kadhimayn, in Baghdad, in Najaf, in Karbala, what did they do with this dismembered body! We thank from the depths of our hearts for his pure soul.

His martyrdom showcased the vitality of the revolution in our country to the whole world. Some wanted to pretend that the revolution in Iran had perished, was dead, had ended—of course, some also try to make this happen—but his martyrdom showed that the revolution is alive; did you see what happened in Tehran? Did you see what happened in other cities? Of course, I am deeply saddened and affected by the tragic incident that occurred in Kerman, where a number of our dear compatriots lost their lives, and I extend my condolences to their families; I hope, God willing, the pure souls of these deceased will be gathered with Martyr Soleimani. Martyr Soleimani opened the dust-covered eyes with this martyrdom. The enemies felt humility in the face of the greatness of the Iranian nation; they may not admit it, but they have no choice. The enemy that tries to introduce this great martyr and this commander of the fight against terrorism as a terrorist, the unjust Americans, the lying Americans, the slanderous Americans, who truly have no value for their words, these tried to act this way; the Iranian nation slapped them in the face.

An important point to note is that now what is our duty; after all, an important incident has occurred; the discussion of revenge and such matters is another issue; now a slap was dealt to them last night; this is another matter. What is important in terms of confrontation—these military actions in this way do not suffice for that matter—is that the corrupt presence of America in this region must come to an end; it must be terminated. They have brought war, discord, and sedition to this region, and they have brought destruction, the ruin of infrastructures. Of course, wherever they have stepped in the world, they have acted the same way; currently, our region is right before our eyes. They insist on bringing this corruption and destruction to our dear Iran and the Islamic Republic; they insist on it constantly; this issue of negotiation and sitting at the table and such matters is a prelude to interventions and presences; this must come to an end. This region does not accept the presence of America in the countries of the region; the nations of the region do not accept it, and the governments that have risen from the nations do not accept it; undoubtedly. This is now another important discussion in another area.

What our duty is as people, as the individuals of the Islamic Republic: firstly, it is enemy recognition; we must recognize the enemy; do not make mistakes in recognizing the enemy. Do not say that we all know; yes, you know who the enemy is; the enemy is global arrogance, the enemy is Zionism, the enemy is America; you know these, but a vast effort is being made to reverse this issue, to change the people's perspective, with complex propaganda methods; everyone must be vigilant; enemy recognition is very important; this is one; then, knowing the enemy's plans; what the enemy is doing, what the enemy wants to do; and then, knowing the method of countering the enemy's plans; this is what our people must know. Our reliance is on the people. The Islamic Republic is meaningless without the will of the people, without the help of the people, without the positive votes and wills of the people. The people must recognize both the enemy and the enemy's methods, and they must know how to counter these methods; this is the work of thinkers. Fortunately, today in the country, we have many brave and prudent men; both in the military field and in the scientific field, and in the political field, we have prudent, brave, knowledgeable, and aware individuals; their voices must be heard; what they deem appropriate must be carried out correctly at the national and societal level; we have many; fortunately, the disciples of Imam's school are increasing day by day; once Imam said regarding the war that the greatest achievement of this revolution is the training of youth and nurturing these flourishing saplings; Imam said this once; he was right; he was completely correct; it was Imam's wisdom; all these victories and all these important works are small compared to this; the training of outstanding individuals. Today, fortunately, we have many individuals of this kind.

Let us recognize the enemy. I say this emphatically: the enemy is America, the Zionist regime, and the system of domination; the system of domination is not just America, not just the governments; it is a collection of companies and plunderers of the world and oppressors of the world and such like that oppose any center that is against oppression and plunder; these are the enemies; we do not consider a certain government in the region or outside the region that may say something against us and say something to be an enemy; these are not enemies; as long as they do not act in service of the enemy and against the Islamic Republic, we do not consider them enemies; they are the enemies; we must not make mistakes in recognizing the enemy; if we understand this, we will also succeed in knowing the way to counter the enemy's plans. The enemy's plan is to create disruption in the determination and resolve of our youth and people in various sectors; the fundamental plan of the enemy is this; to sow doubt in the faith of the people and in the firm resolve of the people; that is the same two elements I mentioned; the two key words of faith and religious zeal. Sowing doubt in the faith and religious zeal of the people is what the enemy is pursuing; they know that if this happens, the offensive and even defensive power of the Islamic Republic will also be affected and will be eliminated; hence, they are plotting; of course, the plots of America and such are not limited to this; this is the most important one; they are plotting against the Islamic Republic in the political field, in the economic field—you see these sanctions— in the field of security [they are plotting]. A few days before the events of Aban month—these events related to gasoline and such— in a small European country, but truly wicked and malicious, an American element gathered with a number of Iranian mercenaries and traitors, planning and devising a scheme against the Islamic Republic; the plan was the same thing that we saw a few days later in the gasoline events; that is, people were upset about the gasoline incident, a number of people came out in protest; as soon as people—of course, a number of people; it was not many—entered the field, these deceived ones, these malicious ones, these agents of the enemy began to execute the same plan; that is, to come and destroy both government centers and public centers, to set fire, to kill people, to create war; this was a pre-planned scheme. Of course, when I say a few days before this, this few days was a renewal of the plan; these were actions that had been prepared in advance, individuals had been prepared, a number of mercenaries had been paid; they do these things, they do whatever they can. That day, in front of the people, I said, that day when this incident had occurred here, in America, in Washington, elements of the American government were rejoicing; they had told this side that Iran's work was finished; after two days, it became clear that their work was finished. They were very sad and upset. The enemy's plan must be understood; in the face of this plan, we must also keep those essential points in mind. The essential points are the ideological foundations—both the Islamic ideological foundations and the issues related to the revolution—and national unity; this unity that fortunately was seen among the people under the coffin of the pure body of Martyr Soleimani and his accompanying martyrs must be preserved; it must remain preserved; the people's orientation must be this orientation: the orientation of the revolution, the orientation of honoring the men of the revolution, the orientation of honoring the martyrs and honoring everything that reminds us of the values of the revolution.

Let us all know that the enmity of this enemy front that I mentioned is not seasonal or temporary; this enmity is an inherent enmity, a permanent enmity; whenever they can strike, they will strike. The remedy is that we must strengthen ourselves; strong in military terms, strong in security terms, strong in political terms, strong in economic terms. We must strengthen ourselves in various aspects so that the enemy cannot strike; otherwise, their enmity is an inherent enmity. That some think that if we take a step back, if we concede a little, the Americans will cease their enmity, this is a very grave error; this thought is a serious mistake. That some think that you should not do anything that would anger America—some say this and write in newspapers—this is directly opposite to the words of the Almighty: "And their example in the Gospel is like a seed that brings forth its shoot, then strengthens it, so it becomes thick and stands firm on its stalks, to the amazement of the farmers, that He may enrage the disbelievers with them"; the growth of the faithful elements, these flourishing saplings, these faithful youths, is precisely for this purpose: "that He may enrage the disbelievers with them"; the enemies are even more enraged. They are angry at the youth in the fields of science, at the youth in the fields of jihad, at the youth in the fields of service, at the youth in the military; they are angry at them. We hope, God willing, that your voices will always be loud, your tongues eloquent, and your steps steadfast on this path, and may God Almighty have mercy on our dear ones, these recent martyrs—Martyr Soleimani, Martyr Abu Mahdi, and their dear companions, whether they were Iraqi or Iranian—and may God have mercy on all those who pave the way for the movement of this nation.

The resolution passed by our parliament yesterday was a very good resolution, and the resolution passed by the Iraqi parliament the day before was also a very good resolution, which was the resolution for the expulsion of America from Iraq. We hope, God willing, that God will grant success to all of them and help them to successfully complete this path.

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