Address of Imam Khomeini on Presidential Investiture (9.10.1981)

The Leader of the Revolution and Founder of the Islamic Republic of, Iran delivered a speech, as part of . the investiture ceremonies of President Khamene’i October 9, 1981. Following is a translation of that speech:

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Today they are present on the scene more than before, and the people’s turn-out in the recent election and the increase in the number of voters in the Presidential elections is, in itself, proof of this fact. I think this is without precedent in the world; despite the fact that no wide publicity campaign had been implemented and only in a short time, all sects of the nation from the great Ulema of Islam to the oppressed sects, set to the polling booths and gave their votes without any expectations [for personal benefit]. Votes in support of Islam.

We are all indebted to these efforts and services. We and you gentlemen -- be you administrators or in the Armed Forces - are indebted to the efforts of this nation, for this nation rid us of isolation. This nation pulled you out of prisons and expelled the oppressors from this country. May God forever support this nation and may He forever cause these individuals who are toiling in the interest of Islam on and behind the battle fronts to prosper and triumph.

This is true because for one thing Islam is your ultimate goal and mine and the nation's, and for another, the nation is united with the government and the Armed Forces, and the Majlis and the judiciary branch and the rest of the administrative organisations. People are on the scene, since people’s presence on the scene caused our victory. The continuation of victory still depends on that same fact.

Perhaps you can compare this country with some other countries such as Egypt, Iraq, and their likes and also with the big countries which are lying in far-off places but directly agitate their lackeys in order to attain power here. A President is martyred in Iran and nothing happens and after a short time another president comes in his place. Whereas in Egypt, a corrupt president is killed and Egypt goes into chaos. the declaration of martial law in that country is for one whole year!

The difference between here and there and between this President and that President is that here we rely on Islam' and our nation has risen up under the flag of Islam. A President is martyred - the people are on the scene and they will put another one in his place. Whereas there [in Egypt] the reliance is on guns and machine guns and Armed Forces. The government is separate from the people and the people separate from the government. The reliance of our nation is on God while the reliance of the governments in Egypt and Iraq are on Europe and the United States and the Soviet Union. The nation is on the scene here, while there, the nation is outside the scene. That is why nothing happens here in the wake of the martyrdom of our Presidents, while there the government does not even allow people to participate in the unblessed funeral ceremony of their dead President and requires that every person have a pass card. Why? Because the people are opposed to their government.

I feel impelled to remind and warn all Muslim governments that you are mistaken. You have lost your reliance on God and have placed your trust in worldly powers such as the Soviet Union and the United States. Your people hate you, and therefore if one day you turn the spears away, you will be obliterated. Come to your senses and quit this attitude! Learn from the people and the government of Iran. The Iranian people have now established peace in the country and they preserve it without reliance on any other power. The government, too, has discarded reliance on arms and is relying on God and the people. That is why nothing happens here after the martyrdom of Presidents or Prime Ministers. It is so because we are under the blessed flag of Islam and our reliance is on the Blessed and Supreme God, and a nation loyal to Islam. Likewise other Muslim people rely on God and Islam. Governments should win the support of their own people, rather than continuing their rule by force of arms.

None of you governments of the Muslim countries have as much power or as many supporters as had Muhammad Reza Shah; for he was supported by all the world powers. When I was in Paris, I came to realise that everybody - all - supported him. But despite that, by their uprising our people broke the spears and crushed the firearms, and thereby forever expelled the superpowers from Iran. No matter how much the big powers tried to retain him, they weren’t able. That was because Iran relied on God and its own power.

Governments which are dependent on the United States and the Soviet Union, who deny the Holy Qur’an, in their dependency have to wake up and remember that it is in Islam that they will find dignity, and quit shrewd acts, and return if there is still a possibility for their return to their nations, so that they may not need spears and so that they may not have to establish martial law.

You have all witnessed that in this great Revolution which took place in Iran, we never experienced a single day of martial law in any part of our country. Martial law is to suppress the nation. We have no person separate from the people who has wanted to suppress them.

Saddam Hussein who with encouragement and prompted by his own visionary and unrealistic ambitions attacked Iran, today is trying to get himself out of this trap, and everything in one way or another; he is fixing a new scheme. One day he enters into a secret deal with Israel and bombards an area of his own country. He bombards a new establishment and blames it on Iran, and accuses Iran of being an accomplice of Israel. He claims that Iran, which before the Revolution was against Israel, and which after the Revolution until now has always been against her/;'and has announced her opposition and today has boycotted its allies in every respect, is not against hut 'for' Israel! But why did he have to entangle himself in this trap so that he has to tell such absurd lies and make such conspiracies?

And another day they do a mischievous act or intrigue in Kuwait bombarding oil installations and assign it to Iran. Kuwait and the rest of the Sheikhdoms would be much better advised to take note of facts and remember that such conspiracies will not do them any good. They should remember that the superpowers will continue to exploit you and when they see that you are of no good to them, they will throw you away.

We witnessed that before Sadat was killed, the United States had chosen his successor. Here is Sadat who was living and walking like an animal while the United States was deciding on his successor. A person who totally humiliated himself in his promises for serving the United States who was deciding on his successor. A person who totally abased and humiliated himself in his promises for serving the United States, what a chaotic situation occurred in Egypt on the day of his assassination. This second imposed president who even before coming into office declared his solidarity with the United States and Israel wants to rule Egypt like his predecessor and put himself totally in the grips of the USA Apparently little did he see of how the people in Egypt sent his wicked predecessor to hell and will do the same to him. The people in Egypt should know that as Iran did, they will triumph if they rise up against those plots there. They should not be intimidated by martial law by taking to the streets as did Iran and throw away the residuals of the United States. The people in Egypt should not sit back and allow their shattered government to get herself together to impose her influence on the people.

Today is the day when the nation of Egypt should rise up. Today is the day of government's weakness and people’s strength. They should show their strength. They should defy this martial law and take to the streets. It is a responsibility for alt people in Egypt to stand against 'a government which wants to defy Islam with arms and distinctly says she will suppress every citizen who is loyal to Islam, as much as it is the responsibility of all Ulema in that country. For the sake of God, stand up and defend Islam. What excuses do the Ulema in Egypt have for sitting still against this government which has declared her opposition to Islam and everybody loyal to it?

Today you are victorious. Today the Egyptian nation has the power in her hands. It is not certain whether the Armed Forces support the government, except perhaps those who are pensioners of the United States. The Armed Forces of Egypt should take note that if they support a government which has openly announced her loyalty to the U.S. and Israel that she is against anyone who is loyal to Islam and will suppress him, they will disgrace themselves. Do not give them any chance that tomorrow Israel may rule over you, or so that Israel or the United States might hold power in your country. What did the Armed Forces of Iraq gain by Saddam's mistakes, who by serving the U.S. and Israel - who had been hurt by Iran -- when he attacked Iran? What did the Iraqi Armed Forces gain other than thousands of them being killed? We and our Armed Forces don't like that Muslim youths who have been forced to come to Iran, be killed. We like all of the Muslim peoples and their youths and we want them to go the' way of Righteousness and the way of Islam and that of their nations. Why are the Iraqi Armed Forces sitting back while Saddam is destroying troops and her Armed Forces and is defying Islam? Oh Armed Forces of Iraq, the people of Iraq are against this corrupt and atheist party [Baathist Party.] You -should oppose too, and don't allow more of your youths to be killed. Rise up and throw away these worthless residuals. All Muslim nations should rise up and tread the' Right Path, and all governments should return to their people in a courteous and humble manner. Of course it is already too late for Saddam and it seems that time had passed too for Sadat.

But as for the people who are busy with plots and convoluted schemes inside our country, we loathe to see our deceived youngsters, our young girls and boys with these satans, be inspired and prodded by them. [To the counterrevolutionaries.] You children -- boys and girls -- what virtue do you find in your leaders other than claims and deviations? Weren't they the same who claimed that they were for the people and against aliens? Were they not the same people who claimed and still do that they are against the United States and the West? You witnessed that they practised contrary to what they preached and sought refuge in the bosom of the United States and the U.S. supports them. Why should you young people let others manipulate your judgement? Why do you not think independently? Why do you not study about your own leaders themselves who have escaped or are in safe places and leading you to your own destruction? They urge you to do everything needed to be done. So that they can come here and rule upon you ! Why don't you think? Why aren't you looking for your own good? If any day they should return here, you don't know what they will do to you. Those who do not believe in Islam will not keep their promises. They are the same people who in the past would even kill of their own if they noticed any sign of opposition in them. And they are the people who after coming to power will allow only their own party to exist and will even kill their own supporters if they should say anything against them. Do not believe that they exalt Islam or your people or this nation. You noticed that despite their claims they eventually fled 'to places which they claimed to be enemies of -- they fled to places where there, they are against all oppressed nations. Why don't you think? Why don't you pity yourselves? Wake up and pay attention and quit this wickedness. Don't allow them to corrupt you for their own dirty aims. Don't allow them to cause you to be killed. We loathe to see you youngsters who are the future resources of this country ruined or killed.

I implore the Blessed and Supreme Lord for the health and success of all people as well as all nations especially the oppressed masses. From all those who have attained any position by the hard toil of this nation, I expect them to expend their capability in serving the oppressed masses and the slum-dwellers. God willing, after the establishment of the

new government which is already finished not one official can have any excuse for his failure in fulfilling his duties. And if in the past there were obstructions and obstacles today you have established a good understanding among yourselves and no one is likely to obstruct the fulfilment of the duties of others. I expect that you will join each other in a united move and that you will consecrate yourselves to serving the oppressed people to whom you are indebted. And God willing, you will succeed, I want our Armed Forces to do away with the troops which are unjustifiably in our land and God willing, expel them from our country. I hope that God will make you Armed Forces and the statesmen and the oppressed masses prosperous and cut the influence of the oppressors over the oppressed masses.

But this unity which created hope and was manifested by our people on the 10th of Mehr deserves a worthy and meritorious reply. it is now up to us to recognise and correctly appreciate the value of this general confidence and to be assured that as long as we progress on the path of God and Islam, the people's votes and confidence will be the backbone of our path and our task, in any other case the ties of this unity shall break and that harmonious affection which rises from the heart and the soul shall be gradually transformed into a crushing hatred, may it never be thus. We know clearly that our frank and pure-hearted people on the 10th of Mehr did not give their confidence to a person but to a current which is particularised by ins sincerity to Islam and the Revolution and serving the deprived and the oppressed.

I presently declare in this honour. able company that in reply to the harmonious affection and confidence of the people I shall resist until death for the establishment of the Islamic government which i& our revolutionary nation's desire like the other friends who offered their lives in the slaughter-house of love for God and the people and remained sincere to their promise and pact.

Now that the Iranian nation with its firm vote has elected me to the presidency as the trustee of the nation, I declare with a hopeful spirit, without wrath or hatred and with a pure and sincere feeling of affection, that in the Islamic Republic and in the heart of this great and resistant nation there is an appropriate and deserving place for all the servitors of Islam and the Muslims and all the true lovers of God and the people. Consequently, declare to all those who have cut away from the people and their society in the hope of a chimerical mirage to join the future of the people and to become a drop in the midst of the tumultuous sea of the people. Erase the limitations and the restrictions of personal and collective egoism from your soul and spirit. The persecutors should stop persecuting these sincere, kind and modest people and act bravely and generously towards this brave and generous nation. If this is realised everyone is dear and popular for the nation and otherwise hated and banished by God and the people.

Secondly, our country's culture, politics, and economics have been plundered and pillaged for many years by the superpowers. International colonialism has sucked the soul of this nation for years and years. Presently our nation intends to create a new proceeding on the international level by cutting all dependency with the actualisation of the slogan "Neither East nor West." I shall also follow the great leaders and standing by the side of these people traverse this path firmly and boldly, with complete faith that our nation will be victorious, since-our Revolution is the revolution of the' deprived and the divine promise is just and shall be materialised.

Imam Khomeini’s message on the Occasion of the Attempted Assassination of Hojjat-ul-Islam Khamene’i (28.6.1981)

Imam Khomeini, Leader of the Revolution and Founder of the Islamic Republic, sent a telegram to Hojjat-ul-Islam Khamene’i June 28, 1981. Below is a translation:

Hojjat-ul-Islam Seyyid Ali Khamene’i, we sincerely appreciate the infinite Grace of God Almighty who has selected the opponents of Islam from among the foolish people. From the initial stages of the victorious fulfilment of the Islamic Revolution the conspiracies of the counterrevolutionaries have further substantiated the solidarity of the Muslim society. The adversaries of Islam have ultimately betrayed their treacherous inclinations through their provocative speeches. Ironically, they have also contributed to the enlightenment of the nation through their anti-revolutionary journals. Their abortive assassination attempts have fortified the national consolidation and the unity of purpose among Iranian Muslims.

Through their abortive assassination attempts on your life the opponents of Islam have once again revealed their evil tendencies and their lack of political insight. You are valued as a sacrificial soldier on the battle fronts and at the same time as an enlightened and inspiring preacher at the holy shrines and masjids. By such a mischievous commitment, the political splinter groups have violated humanitarian values. The political factions have committed this crime right after your illuminating speeches delivered at the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Friday Congregational Prayer. Such an evil blunder testifies to the lack of political insight on their part. They have made an abortive assassination attempt on the life of a Muslim personality whose call for the resistance of the oppressed has echoed throughout the world.

The prevalent cruel measures are quite alarming. The parents of such misguided youngsters should warn them against the phoney ideologies of the political factions in order to prevent these misguided advocates of such criminal organization from falling victim to the opportunistic objectives of the Left Wing.

I hereby extend my heartiest congratulations to you upon your praiseworthy contributions to the prosperity of Islam both on the battle fronts and at the holy shrines of Almighty God. I fervently pray for your ultimate recovery and welfare.