Speech at the Allegiance Ceremony of Thousands of Workers' Representatives from Across the Country

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

The meeting with our dear brothers and sisters, the workers, and witnessing your passionate sentiments and conscious faith, reminds everyone of the love and deep heartfelt connection our dear Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) had with the hardworking worker class, who are the main pillar of production in the country.

One of the distinguishing features of the Islamic Revolution of Iran is that the workers had a unique and exceptional status concerning the revolution. In the Islamic Republic system, the 'worker' demonstrated such a presence on two fronts, both of which were based on the same foundation, that it is truly historic and memorable. One of these fronts was the front of work, production, and effort, and the other was the front of defending the revolution. Our revolutionary and Muslim worker, who over the past ten years, showed sincerity, self-sacrifice, and tirelessness on the front and in the trench of work, acted with the same motivation as when showing resilience on the battlefield or in the defense of the revolution.

When we look at the war, we see the role of the workers clearly and prominently. I have often been among these dear Basijis on the war fronts. When you asked them who they were, where they came from, and what their job was, you would see a hardworking worker who had come to the front from cities, villages, and remote parts of the country. In the early days of the war, when the fronts were weak and sparse, their presence in the thousands was decisive and provided great assistance to the combat forces.

Various classes participated in the war; however, the fronts were mainly filled with this hardworking and worker class. Sometimes a worker, having a family and several dependents, would leave his life and be present on the war front. The role of this hardworking class of society, who increase production with their bodies and hands and meet the needs of the people, is remarkable and dynamic in all scenes of presence. No one can deny this reality unless they are uninformed.

Sometimes on the front of defending the revolution, workers made sacrifices that truly made one feel ashamed of such sincerity. For example, in the midst of the war, we would hear that workers of a factory had deposited part of their wages into the war account! How much could a worker's wage be that he considered himself a participant in the war expenses?!

The front of work and production also had the same dynamism. At the beginning of the revolution's victory, when everyone was busy with the critical tasks of the revolution and circling around the candle of our dear Imam's presence like moths, some anti-revolutionary and anti-Islamic elements sought to disrupt factories and the organized formation of workers across the country. These espionage networks were called American Marxists (!); no better name than this term could be found to identify them. Although this group acted apparently leftist, they were inwardly affiliated with American global arrogance. Their entire effort was to disrupt the system and cohesion of the Islamic Revolution and to create disorder in factories through organizing and planning their forces. No one can say that we were fully aware of their plans at that time.

Due to the sensitivity of the situation, we spent the days from the 19th to the 22nd of Bahman 1357 (February 1979) with other individuals in the western labor area of Tehran; we even heard the news of the revolution's victory through the radio there. We truly did not know what would happen. In those days, the Almighty God took our hands and placed us where we needed to be.

Workers in society are considered an aware class. I consider this class among the intellectual groups—in the general sense. At the beginning of the revolution's victory, American Marxists (!) began investing in this class. Their intention was to take this effective hand and strong arm away from the revolution, and if possible, use it against the system; they also engaged in much propaganda. If this propaganda were to be effective, we would have had chronic unemployment in the country's industrial units at least in the first one or two years of the revolution.

In response to the propaganda grounds of those days, the fist of the worker class struck the mouths of the enemies of Islam and the revolution so hard that it left them disappointed and bewildered, and for a while, they did not approach this class. This spirit is rare in the world. Even in labor systems that pay attention to the name of the worker, loyalty to the revolution is not like the loyalty of workers to the Islamic Republic. Therefore, the role of workers in Iran is prominent and distinguished.

All of us must strive to please God. The prominence of our revolution lies in this very point. A system that all the great powers of the world, NATO, and regional reactionaries had aligned against and conspired to destroy, today, thanks be to God, remains stronger and more deeply rooted than before, forcing its enemies to confess. Any other system in place of the Islamic Republic, with all this enmity and conflict, would have either been destroyed or forgotten in history.

We did not abandon our principles and continued to speak the strong truth we spoke on the first day, and by the grace of the Lord, as long as there is a drop of blood in our veins and breath in our bodies, we will continue to say it. The secret of the resilience and power of this system is that its individuals have a heartfelt and faith-based relationship and a guardianship bond with God. The people of Iran have proven that the enemy cannot covet them; the reason is this faith in God and working for His pleasure.

In various countries around the world, they chant slogans in your name and the revolution. How much have we been able to establish relations with Muslims in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, East Asia, and other countries of the world that they sympathized with us in the tragic loss of our dear Imam? An Iranian delegation that went to one of the countries found the people there embracing them and crying. Did we create this relationship? No, this spiritual and emotional relationship and heartfelt bond was created by God.

In the Holy Quran, it is addressed to the Noble Messenger: 'If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts'; even if you had spent all the money in the world, you could not have brought hearts so close together. Oil money is nothing, the country's foreign exchange income is not accounted for; even if we had spent all the money in the world on propaganda and propaganda agents and mass media and political parties, we could not have created this emotional and heartfelt bond that we enjoy today. Therefore, the connection with the Almighty God is the main factor of this bond and solidarity.

Thanks be to God, the Islamic Revolution has passed through the most difficult paths for ten years due to having this spirit. I am aware of all the current issues of the country and know what problems the enemy has created and what hardships and malice it has exercised. Perhaps many of the things we know, the people do not know and are not aware of what the enemy has done and what unexecuted plans it had.

Currently, when I look back and see the performance of these ten years, I am truly amazed at the paths we have traversed and the difficult valleys and precipices we have faced. O God! Shower light and mercy moment by moment on that pure soul. What a miracle he showed, and how strong his hand and capacious his heart were.

In the most difficult stages, he had great confidence in the people. In one of his messages to the people, he said: I know you well, and you have also known me well. It was truly so. The Imam knew these people well and was aware of their sincerity, loyalty, zeal, courage, and honesty; the people also truly and fairly knew their Imam well and gave him an appropriate response.

We have moved in almost the most difficult conditions in these ten and a half years and have passed through the most difficult passages. I do not say that everything is over and the enemy has left us; no, the enemy does not cease its treachery; I want to say that we have passed the harder part of the path, and the easier and more comfortable part is ahead of us.

Certainly, the world's analysts did not predict such a situation for the tenth and eleventh year of the Islamic Revolution, especially with the absence of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified); rather, on the contrary, the political strategists of America and Europe had drawn a dark situation for us today. They did not think that on such a day, we would be so united and deal strongly with the events that have occurred. They did not imagine that this nation could quickly recover itself and make the necessary decision and continue its path. Therefore, our situation is much better than what was in the calculations of our enemies and even our friends.

Achieving this success and honor is God's reward for your loyal nation's struggles; 'And those who strive for Us, We will surely guide them to Our ways, and indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.' Our nation did good, and God is with it.

After this stage, our duty is to ensure the protection and health of the revolution and the increasing growth of the Islamic Republic system and the further rooting of this system through sincere work, unity of word, having a heartfelt connection with God, and self-reliance. With this method, we will be able to advance the revolution for decades to come, by the grace of the Lord.

In essence, we have based our revolution on breaking the dominance of the world's oppressors. If we can—by the grace of the Lord we can—continue our path as we have in these ten years, moving strongly, wisely, sincerely, and with devotion, the teeth of all the world's oppressors and bullies will be broken by the iron fists of this nation.

You workers have an important role in the country. The main burden of production is on your shoulders. Certainly, one of the major duties of the Islamic Republic system is that this hardworking class—which has the greatest right in the production and management of the country's economy—enjoys its rightful human and Islamic rights. The living conditions of workers must improve materially and spiritually. With the implementation of appropriate laws and the development of employment, there should be no destitute in our society. Workers, who are among the oppressed classes of society, should be prioritized in economic development planning. If the worker is provided for and his needs are met, the work will be done better.

Our divine duty and the requirement of Islamic justice is that all individuals in society—from every class—have the necessary and appropriate benefits befitting the human dignity of a believer, and the unjust discriminations and benefits that exist in the corrupt societies of the world and existed in the worst form in our pre-revolution society and have not yet been completely eradicated, should be eliminated.

From a spiritual aspect, the worker must also feel that he carries a heavy burden. Officials and people must understand the dignity and importance of his role and know that the worker has a high spiritual and human status in society. In the value system of Islam, being wealthy is not a value at all; even many personal characteristics are not considered values; but being a worker—even if he works for himself—is a value, and if the work done contributes to the advancement of society's life, its value will be doubled; for this reason, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) kissed the hand of the worker. Kissing the worker's hand is not a material privilege for the worker; but it is a spiritual privilege for him; because it elevates the status of the worker in society.

You workers must be aware that the continuation of the honorable life of the dear Iranian nation and the preservation and continuation of the valuable slogans and positions of the Islamic Republic system in the face of the world's bullies and global arrogance is possible through your work and effort. You must do this work sincerely, compassionately, and well. Of course, government officials must strive to provide raw materials for you so that factories can work with all their capacity and power, and new production units are created, and labor forces are attracted to these centers.

Workers must find this field to place their work in the service of the system and the economic prosperity and movement of the people and produce high-quality goods in the best way. It is narrated from the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said: 'May God have mercy on a person who does a work and perfects it'; meaning God's mercy is upon the person who does the work with precision. You must present your work in the best way. Know that your effort is preserved before God; whether the governmental or non-governmental employer understands your effort or not and gives the appropriate reward or not. Of course, they must understand your effort and give a reward commensurate with it. The very precision in work is desirable to the Almighty God, and we must keep this value in mind.

My final recommendation is to strive to maintain unity among the general public. If Islam emphasizes certain classes and accords them special respect—such as teachers, religious scholars, workers, farmers, etc.—it does not mean that Islam engages in classism; no, Islam opposes classism and sectarianism. Believers in the entire great Islamic family are brothers, and their bond is a bond of brotherhood. All individuals of the people must maintain this bond at the level of our own large society, and then at the broad level of the Islamic Ummah.

I see the future, thanks be to God, as a bright future and observe many hopes and feel the enemy worried and even despondent. I see that our aware friends worldwide understand the issues well, and within our own society, informed and aware individuals are very optimistic, happy, and hopeful about the future of the Islamic Republic system. The condition is that we maintain our faith and piety and believe in divine grace. This is the recommendation of all the prophets and saints.

I hope God grants us all the success to please our dear Imam and make the soul of that great one satisfied with the course of our movement, and make the sacred heart of the Awaited Savior (may God hasten his reappearance) pleased and happy with what is happening in society, and attract divine guidance and support towards ourselves and the dear nation of Iran.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings