In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

و الحمدللَّه ربّ العالمین و الصّلاة و السّلام علی سیّدنا ابی القاسم المصطفی محمّد و علی ءاله الاطیبین الاطهرین المنتجبین سیّما بقیّة اللَّه فی الأرضین.

You are very welcome dear brethren and sisters, and have perfumed this Hosseiniyeh and my place of work and endeavor with the fragrant memory of the martyrs.

One of the blessings of the Islamic Revolution is the reproduction of the basic Islamic sciences at this time. We had many of these great sciences in books and in [our] minds, but the Islamic Revolution materialized and led to objective realization of these sciences. One of the very important parts of these teachings is an anthology of the teachings related to martyrdom, this very issue that has been clearly mentioned in this honorable verse [of the Quran] which was recited [here]: “And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision. Rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty, and they receive good tidings about those [to be martyred] after them who have not yet joined them - that there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.” This is a kind of teaching, one of the great teachings of Islam; [that is] the arousing and enlivening role of martyrdom in an Islamic social system. Martyrs give good tidings to those wo have not joined them yet – like I and you – that in this path there is neither fear, nor any grievance; it is all rejoicing, exhilaration, liveliness, [high] spirit, [and] hope; this is a lesson. This lesson was repeated in the course of history of the Islamic Republic; our martyrs entered this arena with motivation and with liveliness, made an effort and this effort made by them, which was [also] honest, was accompanied with divine reward and they were martyred, which this martyrdom is undoubtedly, a great blessing and a great reward that God gave it to these devoted, honest, [and] purified servants and bestowed it upon them. [Martyrs] entered this arena with liveliness, met with God through divine permission, and in the life after death, they neither experienced any sorrow, nor any fear struck their heart; [and they] reflect this [back] into the society, overflow this toward those people who have not joined them yet. Just as what we have witnessed this [issue] during these long years: anywhere a martyrdom took place, afterwards, it was a cause of honor for the family of the martyr, was [a source of] feeling of dignity for those [of his family] who remained after the martyr, was [the source of] spiritual excitement and exhilaration and high spirits for people and [had] many other social effects; one of them and among the most prominent of them was the incident of the 7th of Tir (June 28, 1981).

The [incident of the] 7th of Tir was no small incident; they annihilated the prominent, [and] effective managers of the [Islamic] Establishment – 72 persons – all at once, [of course,] on the outward. [The incident is important because] a personality like Martyr Beheshti is among these [martyrs]; Martyr Beheshti was one of a kind; he was among those people the likes of whom one rarely finds in consecutive generations. [When] such a person, a great number of efficient ministers, of Majlis deputies, [and] of political and revolutionary activists are taken from people, well, what is the natural and ordinary impact of this incident? [The result must be] failure of the nation, [and] failure of the revolution; it must be logically this; however, it turned out quite the opposite [way]. Exactly, the opposite of this incident, [and] the opposite of what enemy expected from this incident took place. The nation became united; the course of the revolution was put [back] on a real course; [the revolution] was put on the correct path; enemies of the nation were exposed, [and] were defamed.

There were some people who were accomplices in this major crime and for many years among the people [and] among the youth, through propaganda, they had introduced themselves in a different way – [as] advocate of freedom, [and] advocate of values; they were exposed [after this terrorist incident]; it became evident that [they were] a handful of terrorists lacking any kind of mental and ideological and revolutionary base; it was them who a little while after this incident sought refuge with a person like [former Iraqi dictator] Saddam Hussein; worked against the Iraqi people, [and] also worked against the Iranian people; [they] attended the war fronts; fought against their own nation; [what] revelation [could be possibly] more evident than this? They were accomplices [in the 7th of Tir terrorist incident]. Some people were acting behind the scenes; they were also exposed; there were people who confirmed this move and this crime; they were also exposed; both inside the country, and outside the country; everybody came to know what had happened in this country and what [kind of] people were facing and opposing the Iranian nation. There were some people who remained silent; a silence [that was] accompanied with satisfaction, “they heard it and were content with it,” who were also exposed.

The honorable Imam [Khomeini] [set] the genuine course of the revolution by taking timely and suitable advantage of this incident; put that path in front of the Iranian nation; and set the course of the revolution – which was going astray in the early stages and [some people] wanted to stick it to the East and West – [and by doing this he] saved the revolution; this was the blessing of this incident. Yes, we paid a price; we lost prominent personalities, [there is] no doubt about that, but [we] must see what  the impact of this [incident] is. The Muslim nation, throughout the 1,400-year history, is still indebted to the blood of the martyrs of Karbala; [can any other] cost [be] higher than giving Hossein ibn Ali (PBUH)? Is there any life more precious than the lives of the disciples of Hossein (PBUH)? They gave these [precious personalities]; this cost was paid, but Islam stayed, the Quran stayed, the genuine current of faith stayed in the society; this issue is [also true] about the incident of the 7th of Tir, [and] is [true] in the case of our other martyrs. 

Among the effects of this incident was spiritual liveliness and spiritual exhilaration of people. Among the effects of this incident was the show of power and force and penetration of the revolution in the depths of the society; the enemies came to their senses; [they] saw that any incident, which if happened in any [other] country would have led to implosion of its [political] system, led to more solidarity of the Iranian nation. [Therefore,] they understood that this revolution could not be dealt with violence, it won’t be effective; they sensed this.

Among the important effects of this incident throughout the time up to present day, was revelation; revelation of [the true nature] of arrogant powers with a claim to [be advocates of] human rights. The same people who perpetrated this crime and other terrorist crimes in this country, are freely moving about in European countries and America; meet with officials and heads of those countries, [and] human rights speeches are arranged for them! What revelation [could be] better than this? This showed at what level of hypocrisy and two-facedness and lying those with human rights claims, and those claiming to be against terrorism, stand. Everybody is today seeing this [issue] in front of their eyes.

We have 17,000 martyrs of assassination in the country; 17,000 martyrsof assassination! Is this figure a small figure? Is this a joke? Those people who carried out these assassinations, are today moving about freely in Western countries. These assassinations were assassination of what people? Assassination of a businessperson, assassination of a farmer, assassination of a scholar, assassination of a university professor, assassination of a God-fearing faithful [person], assassination of children, [and] assassination of women. 17,000 martyrs of assassination have been recorded in history of the Islamic Revolution. Well, this [issue] has two sides: one side is disclosure about those figures who today claim to be against terrorism and this is a mirror in front of their false claim and shows that what liars these [people] are, how cheating they are, how evil they are, [and] how mean they are to offer these supports to ruthless terrorists; [and] at the same time, claim to be against terrorism and be opposed to terrorism; this is one side of this issue. Another side is that a nation that has offered 17,000 martyrs of assassination – apart from the martyrs it has offered in the Sacred Defense [against invasion by Iraq] – at the same time, it has stood fast at the service of the revolution, in the path of the revolution, [and] in the face of the enemies of the revolution. The grandeur of this revolution, [and] the grandeur of this nation has become evident through these martyrdoms. “…and they receive good tidings about those [to be martyred] after them who have not yet joined them - that there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve;” [this] is good tidings; good tidings that [they] are giving to Iranian nation; good tidings that [they] are giving to Muslims. These are the teachings that we had in books, [and] we had in minds; these our beloved martyrs – these children of yours, spouses of yours, [and] fathers of yours – in the external reality, they highlighted these [ideas], embodied them, showed [them] to us, showed [them] to future generations.

Today martyrs are still bolstering the moral of Iranian nation. Just a few days ago, 270 martyrs arrived in Tehran and you saw what incident they caused; what enthusiasm, what excitement! [It was] the opposite point of dissuasions, the opposite point of disappointments, [and] the opposite point of stagnation and idleness; [inspiring] mobility, readiness, eagerness, love, [and] idealism; this is what martyrs do.

Fairly speaking, we have worked inadequately on the issue of our martyrs. This incident of the martyrs of the 7th of Tir has a strange capacity to be introduced; both introduction of these personalities who were target of these crime; and introduction of Iranian nation [to show] how it keeps, [and] maintains its composure in such a shocking incident and not only does not flee the arena, but also finds higher spirits; and introduction of the enemies [of Iran to show] what mean creatures and what evil policies are behind these incidents, [and to introduce] the criminal hands of these [enemies]. This capacity exists in the incident of the 7th of Tir and other incidents – the most important of which is of course the incident of the 7th of Tir. We worked inadequately, [and] did not introduce [these incidents]. Many things could have been done and should be done; concerned organs and all of us have been plagued with inadequacy [in this regard]. And it seems that this issue should be left to thecultural, faithful, revolutionary, popular, [and] self-motivated front; these young people who you see around the country who do certain things in a self-motivated manner – do cultural jobs, do artistic jobs, revive certain truths, show certain talents, [and] take advantage of potential talents – this is also a job for them. With [the use of] art, with the language of imagery, by taking advantage of new tools, [they] must be able to [introduce] this incident, [and] these personalities. [They must] introduce a person like Martyr Beheshti in the world, introduce a person like Martyr Rajaei; [and] introduce Martyr Bahonar. Every one of these personalities, who were martyred in the incident of the 7th of Tir or other incidents, deserve a very grand imagery, [because] their images can be portrayed [in a grand manner]. 

These books that are related to the life of martyrs, I sometimes read [them]; truly they teach [us] lessons; I learn lesson, my morale is boosted by reading these books; it shows what personalities these [martyrs] have been, what moral characteristics they had, what splendor they had, what service they have done through their sacrifice; they took their lives in their hands and entered the arena. [Do you think that] the martyrs of the 7th of Tir did not know that such an incident was awaiting them? It was evident; in that time, everybody that moved in this arena was similar to he who is moving in a minefield; there were various incidents on all sides, however, they valiantly entered this arena and moved on. The blessings of martyrs are numerous; that is, really by these expressions, justice cannot be done to them; really [the value of] what they did, [and] the service that they provided cannot be appreciated.

It is the same about the families of martyrs. In our meeting today, there are families that have offered three martyrs; three martyrs or more; tolerating the loss of one’s children and one’s loved ones, this is easier said than done. There are families that had only two sons and they have offered these two sons in the path of God in the arena of the Sacred Defense. Ladies have come here who have given both their husbands and child away in the path of God. These [sacrifices] are easier said than done! We read in the history of early Islam that in the Battle of Ohod, a lady had put the bodies of three martyrs on the back of a beast of burden and was taking them from the Ohod arena to Medina. We were surprised [and wondered] how such a thing [could be possible]! In reality, it looks like a fable; now, in front of our eyes, we are witnessing these fabulous and myth-like realities. With high spirits, with good spirits, spirits that can even exhilarate people with low spirit, [and] strengthen and bolster their resolve. And today, our country needs this firm resolve.

Everybody should know this: today, the country [needs correct] recognition of the enemy. Let’s know the enemy; know the global enemies who embellish themselves with all kinds and types of media and propaganda articles of makeup and display [that false countenance] before the eyes [of the world]; let’s know America. See [the true colors of America] in these few days: tomorrow is the 7th of Tir (June 28), [when] the [terrorist] incident of the [Islamic Republic] party has taken place; in [the Iranian year 13]66, on this very day of the 7th of Tir [June 28, 1987], the incident of the chemical bombardment of [the northwestern Iranian city of] Sardasht took place; yes, it was done by Saddam [Hussein], but who was behind Saddam? Americans were, westerners were, those people were [behind Saddam] who provided him with chemical bombs, [and] gave him the green light and remained silent in the face of this huge crime and this strange massacre. On the day of the 11th of Tir [July 2] – that is, a few days later – Martyr Sadouqi was assassinated which this was also done by these criminals; on the 12th day of Tir [July 3] – a few days after this – is [the anniversary of] the downing of [Iran's] Airbus [passenger] plane over the Persian Gulf. From the 7th of Tir up to the 12th of Tir, you just see how much assassination, massacre and bloodshed [has taken place]. [How many] women, children, scholar, [and] politician were targeted by these crimes [which were committed] by stooges of America? Even if these [terrorist] incidents had not been designed by security services of American and the West, [they] were at least helper [of their perpetrators]; [they were] at least, encourager. Let’s know these enemies. As put by some friends, it would be appropriate to declare this [period] from the 7th up to the 12th of Tir as the “American human rights” week. Really, American human rights in a very clear and evident thing in these few days in our country and [other incidents] similar to these [incidents] are just too many. Therefore, we need to know the enemy. Those people who try to introduce a righteous image of this monster – which is American policies and policies [adopted by] some followers of America – they are being traitorous; they are committing crime. These people who cover up this clear fact, [who try to] hide this evil animosity under the covers of justification, they are betraying this nation. Our country and our nation need to know the enemy, [and to] understand the depth of [its] animosity.

And it [our country] needs to get prepared for confrontation. This confrontation is not always a hard confrontation, [is not] a confrontation in the arena of military war; it is more difficult than that, [because it] is a confrontation in the arena of soft war, in the arena of culture, in the arena of politics, [and] in the arena of social life. The dear nation of Iran, today, needs the message of martyrs; it needs this message. Our nation needs this hope-inspiring message, this revealing message, this message that is full of spiritual exhilaration and spiritual spirit that martyrs give us. The entire nation is indebted to martyrs and is indebted to you, the families of martyrs; we are all indebted [to you.]. Those people who deny this, those people who are not ready to [see] the names of martyrs be mentioned in glory, and everywhere the name of a martyr is mentioned or the names of martyrs are mentioned and [everywhere] tribute  is paid to martyrs it is as if they are being inflicted a wound, these [people] are unfamiliar with expediencies of this nation; they are foreign, even if their birth certificate is Iranian, but [they] are in fact foreigners; these [people] are not honest and straightforward with Iranian nation.

Peace be unto you and so may the mercy of Allah and His blessings.