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

You are very welcome my dear ones, dear brethren, dear sisters, [and] esteemed families. [I see your] resolute faces, which are sign of determination and resolve and faith, which these are all great national riches; both these faithful human beings, and [their] motivations and strong hearts. No wealth in any country can be imagined [to be as valuable] as the huge wealth of qualified and efficient manpower. These days are important days, [because] they are both anniversary of the amazing Event of Mubahala (invoking the curse of Allah upon the liar), and the descent of the [Quranic] chapter of Hal-Ataa, and [mourning] days of [the lunar month of] Muharram are also drawing close, while from the viewpoint of the situation in the region and sensitivity of incidents that are taking place in the region, [these] are [also] important days, [and] an important juncture [of history].

As for the IRGC [Islamic Revolution Guards Corps] Navy, what is important is the presence of the children of revolution and revolutionary forces at sea; this is a very essential and important point. Security is infrastructure for all advances of a nation. If there is no security, there would be no economy, no culture, no personal happiness, and no public happiness for people in the society. Due to [certain] reasons, maritime security is more important for countries that have sea coasts, because sea is a general international means of communications. Presence of [global] powers [and] presence of nations at sea is not considered an exceptional event, [because] it is a common and ongoing affair. If a country, which neighbors sea and has sea coast, cannot make the sea that is close to it secure, in fact, it has not been able to build the pillars for its domestic security. Therefore, maritime security is very important. Well, our youths, thank God, in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps have worked in these fields, [and] have taken prominent and valuable steps. These [steps] should not be ignored in the sensitive history following the Islamic [Revolution].

Right now, presence of esteemed families [of IRGC Navy staff] in the southern region [of Iran] is one of those great works, which is mixed with [some sort of] jihad. I deem it necessary to say this in presence of esteemed families. [The fact] that the IRGC Navy would make [the southern Iranian port city of] Bandar Abbas and its coasts and difficult regions its [main] base, and families go there and put up with these hardships, is very valuable. This is not something that one could take lightly.

The southern region itself, [including] the Bushehr province, Bandar Abbas, [and] these regions, which are exposed to maritime incidents, have passed good tests during the [post-]revolution years. Well, at first, presence of the [Islamic] Revolution was not very tangible at sea, but later on, the children of the revolution and those trained by the revolution and the youths of the revolution made their way there and the situation changed. When the ground was provided, people of the region, youths of the region, [and] the boiling motivations that existed in the region, all of them were put on the right course. Then you see that, for example, in Bushehr region, a prominent and honorable martyr like Martyr Nader Mahdavi is raised, which in the opinion of those people who are fond of issues related to martyrdom and jihad and the likes of these, such figures like Nader Mahdavi, and those who accompanied him, those people who did those big things, who struck fear in enemy’s heart, gave prestige to the Iranian nation, and flaunted the power of the Islamic Establishment and the Islamic Republic at the enemy, their memory must be kept alive. These people, their name and their memory, must be highlighted in both the written history and the oral history, just [in the same way] that the hostilities of the enemies must be also made known.

[The fact] that in the Persian Gulf region the goal of all those people who supported and defended this evil and ominous creature, that is [the former Iraqi dictator] Saddam [Hussein], the same people who have claim to [be advocates of] human rights, the same people who later on deployed [their forces] against Saddam – although they had helped him for many years against the Islamic Republic – [the fact that] their goal was to make the Persian Gulf insecure for the Islamic Republic, this [issue] shows the importance of the Persian Gulf. [It also] shows how this security is important that their animosity was aimed at making this region insecure for Iran, which has the longest coast in this marine region – [both in] the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.

The presence of the revolutionary youths and the IRGC and the [IRGC] Navy, and formation of this [military] force and its entry into the arena caused the sea to become insecure for them. Their warship was damaged, their helicopter was damaged, [and] their oil tanker was damaged, [so that] they understood the Islamic Republic is not an entity with whose fate they could play in any way they wanted; this is [the sign of] the spiritual power of the Islamic Republic Establishment. [The fact] that the Quran orders us “And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy,” [means that] your presence, your situation, [and] your movement must be such that it would scare the enemy. The enemy is aggressor by nature; [because] aggression, coming forth, conquering, and encroaching [upon other nations’ rights] is the nature of the world-devouring [powers]; it is their nature; if your embankment is penetrable, [the enemy] would infiltrate; [therefore,] you must move in such a way that it [enemy] would feel that it cannot infiltrate [among your ranks]. Establishment of the revolutionary front in the southern [part of] the country and presence of revolution’s forces within framework of the IRGC Navy and the youths of coastal provinces – these brave youths, these youths whose hearts are not attached to [pleasures of this] world – caused this Quranic goal to be achieved: “…terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy.” This [situation] must continue forever. I have frequently announced that we will not be initiator of [any] war; [and] we have our reasons for this; we will not start any war, but [at the same time] the enemy must be stripped of the courage to start a war, [and to do this] the enemy must be known, [and] the nature of the enemy must be known.

Today, organs affiliated to arrogant [powers] have defined dangerous goals for themselves in this region; these are the goals that deal with the fate of nations. [And] the tools they use [to achieve their goals] are also very dangerous and inhumane and brutal tools; that is, they are not shy about resorting to methods that would kill innocent human beings. You just observe what they are doing in our western region, in Iraq, in Syria, or in our eastern region, in Afghanistan, [and] in Pakistan? They are not shy about it, that is, the life of human beings has no value for them. That they claim [to be advocates of] human rights and the rights of human beings and citizenship rights and such empty and absurd allegations and frames, [they are] all against the reality; the evidence is what you see; they attack a hospital, [and] kill tens of patients through bombardment, then they say ‘forgive us, it was a mistake’! Sometimes they even don’t [bother to] apologize. In Gaza, in Yemen, in Bahrain, in Syria, in Iraq, [and] in other regions disasters take place, which make one surprised about ruthlessness and brutality of those who cause these disasters, [and wonder] how could they put a person inside a cage and burn him and set him on fire alive? [And at the same time] [while] human rights bodies just sit and watch [this brutality].

Then when a dog or a cat falls into a well, they take advantage of all kinds of tools in order to bring it out of the well unharmed; that is, [they want to show that] ‘we are supporting [any] living creature’. The great threat [that is] posed [to our] world is this pretense, this lying, [and] this hypocrisy; the enemy is like this. Their purpose is to achieve their goals in the region. Of course, the Islamic Republic, by the divine assistance and by relying on the divine power and strength, not only prevents infiltration of the enemy into its territory, [but also] to a large extend prevents enemy’s plans from being implemented in the region. This is a success [bestowed on us] by God, [and] is [manifestation of] the divine power, which is a blessing [resulting from] these determinations and resolves that you, young people, have. Many of their plans have failed and been foiled due to the power and presence and involvement of the Islamic Republic in those places where it should have been involved; therefore, well, their highest focus for hostility is the Islamic Republic Establishment and [they do] whatever they can, and [the fact] that they talk about negotiation and dialogue is for infiltration.

Some people in the case of negotiation and the issue of negotiation are showing oversight, are taking it easy, [and it appears that they] don’t understand this issue correctly. Now some people are carefree – the carefree [people] of the society for whom nothing that happens is important [even if] the expediency of the country is lost, [and] the national interests are destroyed – that we have nothing to do with them. However, some [people] are not carefree, but take everything easy, [and] do not understand the depth of issues. When it comes to negotiation, they say, ‘why you are against negotiation with America? Well, [even] Amir al-Mo’menin [Imam Ali (PBUH)] negotiated with that given person, [and] Imam Hossein (PBUH) also negotiated. Well, these [kinds of remarks] are sign of taking [the issue] easy. They are sign of not understanding the depth of the issue. The country’s problems cannot be analyzed like this; [and] the country’s expediency cannot be realized through this commonplace and simplistic approach. Firstly, Amir al-Mo’menin, who [talked] with Zubair, or Imam Hossein (PBUH), who talked to Ibn Sa’ad, they advised him; the issue was not negotiation in the sense that is known today; today, negotiation means dealing, that is, you give something [and] take something [in return]. Did Amir al-Mo’menin (PBUH) deal with Zubair [by telling him] that ‘[you] give [me] something and take something [in return]’? Did Imam Hossein (PBUH) deal with Ibn Sa’ad [by telling him] that ‘[you] give [me] something and take something [in return]?’ Was this [their goal]? Do you understand history like this? Do you analyze the life of [Infallible] Imams like this? Imam Hossein went [to Ibn Sa’ad and] admonished [him], advised him, [and] said [to him:] ‘be afraid of God’. Amir al-Mo’menin (PBUH) [also] advised Zubair, reminded him the memory of the time of Prophet (PBUH), and said, ‘be afraid of God’. And it happened to be effective, [because] Zubair withdrew from the war. Today, negotiation does not mean this; [because] we have to negotiate with America, which is the Great Satan. A group [of people] really, through a take-it-easy approach and like common people and without [correct] understanding of the truth, bring examples and write in newspapers, [and] in websites and say in [their] speech that ‘why Amir al-Mo’menin (PBUH) negotiated with Zubair, [but] you don’t negotiate with America?’ That is, [there is] so much mistake in understanding the issue. Now, this was not even negotiation in this sense. 

Secondly, we are not against negotiations [even] in the sense that it means today; right now, we are negotiating with the entire world. We are negotiating with European governments, [and we are also negotiating] with Latin American governments; these are all [examples of] negotiation; we have no problem with negotiation. The meaning of what we say that we don’t negotiate with America is not that we are opposed to negotiation in essence; no, we are [only] opposed to negotiation with America. This [opposition] has a reason, and [an] intelligent human being must understand why [we don’t negotiate with America]; otherwise, the others with which we are negotiating are not our devoted friends either – [and] some of them are [even] enemies, some are indifferent, [and] we negotiate with them and have no problem [with this] – but America’s negotiation with the Islamic Republic of Iran, would mean infiltration. This is the definition they have for negotiation and they want to clear the way for the imposition [of their demands through negotiation]. Today, the huge propaganda giant of the world is in control of America; today, the Zionist current, which is serious enemy of humanity and enemy of virtue, is in cahoots with America, [and] their hands come out of the same sleeve, and they are [united] with each other. Negotiation with them would mean to clear the way so that they would be able to infiltrate into the country both in the economic field, and in the cultural field, and in political and security fields. 

During these very negotiations on issues related to [Iran's] nuclear energy [program], wherever they found an opportunity and they were given latitude – which of course, Iranian sides, thank God, were vigilant, but in some places after all they found opportunities – they have made some kind of infiltration [and] have taken a step harmful for [Iran's] national interests. This is what is forbidden. Negotiation with America is forbidden due to countless disadvantages that it has and the benefit, which it does not have at all; this is different from negotiation with that given government, which neither possesses such facilities, nor such a motivation; these are different from each other, [and some people] don’t understand this [difference].

The current problem of the country, unfortunately, is due to the existence of some people, who are at times carefree and at times easygoing, which are of course few [and] form a minority; [and they] are nothing compared with the huge mass of revolutionary and vigilant and insightful population, but are active: they write, and say, and repeat and repeat! [And] the enemy is helping them. Today, an important chapter of the activity of enemies of the Islamic Republic – which, of course, we are informed about them and are aware of what they are doing – is that [they want to] change the officials’ calculations and manipulate people’s ideas and [establish] these [ideas] in the minds of our youths; [and they want to manipulate] both revolutionary ideas, and religious ideas, and [those] ideas that are related to the country’s expediency. Their main target is also the youths. Under such circumstances, the country’s youths must be very vigilant. Thank God, they are vigilant; both our universities are vigilant, and our armed force are vigilant and our military organizations – both the [regular] army, and IRGC, and Basij, and the police force – thank God, are prepared [to take action]; I have no concern in this regard. I am addressing you, the children of the revolution, the youths of the revolution, who thank God, are partner to and active in one of the important issues of the country, that is, maritime security, to tell you that [you must] understand and know the importance of what you are doing today. Just as in the Event of Mubahala, the entire faith stood against the entire infidelity, today, the entire faith in the Islamic Republic Establishment is facing the entire infidelity; and in the same way that spirituality and purity and spiritual power of the Revered Prophet [of Islam] (PBUH) and his Household managed to drive the enemy out of the arena, by Grace of God and through divine power and strength, the Iranian nation will drive the enemy out of the arena with its power and with its spirituality.

The role [played] by the IRGC at sea is an important role. The role of the activities of the youths in the southern region [of Iran] – [including] in Bushehr province or other coastal provinces – is a prominent role. Southern [Iranian] youths have really passed their test and have [passed it] good, and have shown that they can defend the honor of their country and their revolution and their [Islamic] Establishment in the true sense of the word. The role [played] by esteemed and dear families, who have accepted presence in that region and have resided there, is [also] very important. If [all members of] families are not cooperative and empathic with men of those families, nothing can be done. Today, fortunately, the women of our country, [and] the ladies of our country have very clear, sincere, [and] informed motivations; [and] it was the same all through the period of  war [with Iraq]. I sometimes manage to sit with the families of martyrs, [and] talk [with them]; most mothers of martyrs, if not more motivated and more enthusiastic than fathers of martyrs, are no less [motivated and enthusiastic] and in many cases their motivations and insights are even more [than fathers of martyrs]. These are the women of our society; this is very valuable for the country.

What I am saying is that you [must] increase your preparedness; both scientific preparedness, [that is,] in [the field of] science and in research, and instrumental preparedness, [that is,] with regard to instruments of war. Just as the commanding general pointed out, faced with the tools that the IRGC has deployed, the enemies have started to think about changing their war strategies; that is, IRGC’s presence at sea combined with initiative has caused them to have to change their strategies. Therefore, your initiatives, your inventions, [and] your innovations in the issue of tools, and innovation in tools must increase in parallel with the enemy’s movement in [the field of] scientific work and tool building and military presence; and this is possible; [because] innovation of human mind has no end. Just in the same way that, for example, one day the IRGC reached the conclusion that it must go for speedboats, it can [also] think about new issues, which would go beyond this [limit], be better than this, [and] be more powerful than this, and bring them to the arena. You [must] keep thinking, [and] have the upper hand, [because] “you may terrify the enemy of Allah.” If the enemy is not scared, it will intrude [on your territory]; [and] if it is not scared, it will dare to invade. This is the second recommendation.

The third recommendation is [about] cooperation. Today, thank God, the [Iranian] Army’s Navy is poles apart and totally different from the Army’s Navy [as it was] in early years of the revolution. I both knew that [old version] of the Navy with full details, and know this [new version of] the Navy; [the new Navy consists of] faithful and ready to work youths. Cooperate [with each other and] empathize [with each other], help each other, [and] take advantage of each other’s experiences; this synergy, will help, [and] will increase this national wealth. These are my remarks for you.

Know that the Almighty God has your back, [and] have no doubt about this that [as the Quran says:] “if you assist Allah, Allah will assist you.” Our effort must be aimed at fulfilling ‘if you assist Allah” [part of this promise and] assist God. If our intention, our action, [and] our move conforms to ‘if you assist Allah’, then it would be certainly followed by “[Allah] will assist [you]’; the divine promise will never be violated. Pursue this movement, pursue this work, [and] pursue this seriousness, [because] the future belongs to you. The enemies of Islam and Muslims, will be defeated both in West Asia region, and in other regions; [they] will be defeated both in the security and military field, and with favor of God, [they will be also defeated] in economic fields and in cultural fields, provided that we work [hard]. If we are ready to act, if we are present correctly and in the true sense of the word, and be prepared to act, the enemy will certainly be defeated; there is no doubt about this.

I ask the Almighty God [increasing] achievements for you, and I ask the Almighty God to, God willing, increase your [state of] bliss, dear youths, and the progress and promotion of the Iranian nation, and [I ask God] to elevate the grades of the purified soul of the honorable Imam [Khomeini] and the dear martyrs of the revolution and the martyrs of IRGC and the IRGC Navy.

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