In an impassioned meeting with thousands of the proud people of Khuzestan and Kerman provinces, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution called the March 2 elections important and decisive and the basis for transformation. In explaining the importance of the Islamic Consultative Assembly in solving existing problems and determining the direction the country should take, he said, “Prepare the nation to hold elections in the best way possible, that is, with four characteristics: strong and enthusiastic participation, real competition between different factions and perspectives, real vigour and full security."

Referring to the importance of the elections for the Assembly of Experts, Ayatollah Khamenei also said, “Based on the Constitution, the Assembly of Experts lays the path for the future of the country. Along with this, solving the country's problems requires appropriate legislation and the presence of an efficient Majlis.”

Explaining the importance of the principle and logic of elections in the Islamic Republic, he said, “Both republicanism and Islamism depend on elections; this is because there is no way other than by holding elections to realise republicanism and the leadership and rule of the people in administering the country.”

Concerning the effect of the elections on realising the Islamization of the system, the Leader of the Revolution also said, “It is through elections that the Wali al-Faqih is determined from among the representatives in the Assembly of Experts elected by the people”. And added, “Members of the Majlis must also approve laws that accord with Islamic teachings and regulations.”

He said that not having elections would lead to dictatorship or chaos, insecurity and mayhem.

Criticising those who try various methods to discourage people from participating in the elections, he said, “Elections are the only correct and true way to ensure the national sovereignty of the people.”

Ayatollah Imam Khamenei saw high participation as something that can create miracles, saying, “Having a great election with the enthusiastic participation of the people will bring about national unity, and national unity with the powerful presence of the people on the scene brings about national power. National power engenders security; security also supports scientific progress, economic prosperity and finding solutions to various economic, political and cultural problems.”

He considered the elections the basis and the substructure of transformation and said, ”Some people support transformation, but they treat elections only as its prelude.”

To those who held different political, economic and cultural points of view, the Leader of the Revolution said, "If you want to create change to accord with your viewpoint, you have to get those who agree with you to work together, and this can only be realised by holding elections."

Ayatollah Imam Khamenei called upon all those who have an audience in the society: the scholars, university and seminary professors, the radio and media, and the press to invite the people to participate in the elections, and added, “Young people and family members should also encourage whoever they are in touch with, to be enthusiastic in their participation in the elections.”

He said that weak participation would lead to the formation of a weak Majlis, which would be unable to resolve problems entirely, and noted, “Solving problems requires a high level of participation and forming a strong Majlis.”

He elaborated on the second element of holding popular elections: actual political competition. The Leader of the Revolution said, "The field should be open to the participation of political factions and those with various political, economic, and cultural leanings in the great election contest within which they can be active.”

He called the competition between the youth and older, experienced individuals for the Majlis as another kind of competition and added, "Of course, a good and strong Majlis should have both young representatives and experienced ones."

Ayatollah Imam Khamenei said, “Competition means that everyone can campaign. Of course, campaigning is different from lying, slandering and making false promises. Campaigning means expressing one’s views to people accompanied with ethics and religiosity.”

He saw discouraging the people from elections as wrong and harmful to the country, saying, “To discourage the public, some people are constantly reminding them of the country's problems whilst the very solution to these problems lies in having elections. So to solve these problems, one should participate in the elections.”

The Leader of the Revolution devoted another part of his speech to the international and Islamic issue of Gaza. He said, “This incident is unique in two ways: on the part of the Zionist regime, such brutality, criminality, bloodlust, infanticide, malice, and cruelty, and their dropping bunker-busting bombs upon the heads of patients and hospitals have never been seen before. And on the part of the Palestinian people and fighters, the great fortitude and stubborn resistance to the enemy which has confounded the Zionists has been unprecedented.”

He said, “Even though water, food, medicine and fuel do not reach these people, they are standing like a mountain, which makes them win by not giving up. This is because God is with those who are patient to such an extent that the signs of victory are being seen today.”

Ayatollah Khamenei mentioned that despite the abundance of equipment and capabilities at their disposal, the inability of the Zionist regime is another important aspect of this unique confrontation. He made an important point, saying, “The failure of the Zionist regime in this event is also the failure of the United States. Today, everyone in the world sees that there is no difference between the occupying regime, the United States and England. Everyone knows that they are the same.”

He mentioned the shameless act of the American government in vetoing several resolutions of the Security Council for a cease-fire and an end to the bombings. They were acting in complicity with the Zionist regime in dropping bombs on children, women, older men, the sick and other defenceless people. He added, “The great victory of the Palestinian nation and the battlefront of truth and resistance is in discrediting the West and America and exposing the nature of all their false claims of standing for human rights. This is because Israel would not have been able to commit so many crimes without the support of the United States. Today, the ugly face of the hideous monster of the United States and the United Kingdom has been revealed to all the people of the world. In these circumstances, the nature of the White House outwardly has been revealed and internally within the governments of the United States and England.” He said governments and nations must help the resistance in any way possible, saying that the duty of governments and nations is to help the resistance in any way possible. He asserted, “Helping the resistance is everyone's duty, and helping the Zionist regime is a crime and an act of treachery.”

Ayatollah Khamenei expressed his unhappiness at the criminal assistance some Muslim governments have been giving to the Zionist regime, saying, “Muslim peoples will not forget this”.

He said that it was the duty of Muslim governments to prevent goods, oil and fuel from reaching the Zionist regime, which itself has prevented even water from reaching the people of Gaza, saying, “Muslim nations should ask their governments to cut off any relationship and assistance to Zionist criminals, and if they are unable to cut ties permanently, they should at least put pressure on the evil, cruel and bloodthirsty regime by temporarily cutting them off.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also said, “Today, the world's conscience has been aggrieved. People in America and Europe along with political figures and university presidents and scientists are taking to the streets to protest against their governments' support for the Zionist regime, however, some governments continue to provide aid to this brutal regime.”

Ayatollah Imam Khamenei said, “With God's help, the battlefront of truth will undoubtedly win, and the usurping Zionist regime will be eradicated, and we hope that you, the youth, will witness this certain outcome in the future with your own eyes.”

In another part of his speech, the Leader of the Revolution pointed to the need for the "young generation of Khuzestan, Kerman and the whole country" to be aware of the historical honour of the nation and the valuable heritage of Iran and said, “Khuzestan has been the flag bearer and the most important centre of the nation's resistance against foreigners for more than a century. Important aspects of this resistance are their standing against British military invasion years after the First World War and their active role in nationalising the oil industry.”

He said, “Most importantly, they provided a shield protecting all Arab and non-Arab ethnic groups, the Lor, Bakhtiari and others, from Saddam's invasion and nullified his erroneous assumption that the Arab-speaking people of Khuzestan would accept the invaders. This is an eternal honour.”

Ayatollah Imam Khamenei said that the pure soil of Khuzestan was the place where the blood of the best youth of every province was shed, adding, " Khuzestan is a symbol of solidarity and that of the entire nation in defence of Islam, the Revolution and Iran.  It is the manifestation of those special characteristics of the Iranian nation that are the most outstanding."

He also praised the deep cultural identity of the people of Kerman, their nurturing of excellence, moral decency, intellectual wholeness, sincere faith, and their taking the lead in joining the Islamic movement as among the characteristics of the people of this province. He said, “These characteristics have prepared the ground for the emergence of such a great personality like Haj Qasim.”

The Leader of the Revolution saw the characteristics of the people of Khuzestan and Kerman as a source of pride for the youth of these provinces and the entire country. He said, “We must use this generational and historical heritage to compensate for existing shortcomings and build Iran, proving the ability of Islam to run the country.”