In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
 
 
الحمدلله ربّ العالمین و الصّلاة و السّلام علی سیّدنا محمّد و آله الطّاهرین.
 
 
You are very welcome, dear brethren [and] dear sisters. Praise be to God, [our meeting] today was a very good meeting and through what [our] friends brought up here – [I mean] those thirteen people who talked [in this meeting] – fortunately, one of those points, which I had written down to discuss in this meeting was put forth in this meeting and it was engagement of universities with the country’s issues and the country’s challenges, and this is my definite recommendation and now, God willing, I may say a few words [in this regard] as well. I mean that I see that those academics, who talked in this meeting, paid attention to most major issues and challenges of the country and talked about them. For example, assume the issue of cinema – which is an important issue – the issue of the JCPOA [Iran’s nuclear deal], the issue of water [reserves], [and] the issue of social maladies. Theseremarks, which these gentlemen made here, were [aimed at] discussing these issues; and this is [also] my recommendation. Or [take into account] the issue of family and marriage and child-rearing, the issue of aerospace industries and the topic of aerospace, which is a very important issue; the issue of science diplomacy; or the issue of water, which is a very important issue and I noted that [these] gentlemen paid attention to them here. Or [take into account] the issue of innovations – which I may bring it up as well – [and] the issue of economy and the likes of these. Well, praise be to God, [discussing] these [issues] is very good.
When I look and compare our meeting of this year with some meetings held, for example, during the past seven, eight, [or] ten years, I see there is a lot of difference. I mean, this shows that the [Iranian]academic community has made a progressive intellectual and motivational move during these years. This means that at the present time, I see the movement of the academic community, the feeling of the academic community, motivations of the academic community, efforts and feeling of [social] pains by the academic community is [now] better than, for example, ten years ago [or] fifteen years ago; this is an important point. Of course, I do not want to claim that this group that is present in our meeting is the entire academic community, but after all, [as the proverb goes,] you may know by a handful the whole sack, which means that [these participants] show that this way of thinking, [and]this feeling exists in our academic community. Of course, the time is short; I mean I had got ready for more time, but there is not enough time, [and] I have to cut my remarks short.
Dear brethren [and] dear sisters! University is a very important center. I say this out of my profound and heartfelt belief and I have reason for this; why? Because university is one of the important centers for training the power of intellect of the country; training the power of intellect of the country.And no country can be managed and can progress without the existence of the power of intellect. Look, one conclusion can be drawn from this introduction and it is that a good university is vital for the country. Well, professors play an extraordinary role in universities; I mean, in this process of making and training the power of intellect for the management of the country, a [university] professor plays a special role. Therefore, the position of professors is very important, very dear and sensitive; it is a sensitive position. If universities want to play this role – the role of creating and training the country’s power of intellect – in a correct manner, it has requisites, and they must pay attention to these requisites. I have written down three of these requisites here, which I will talk about each of them in brief.
One [of these requisites] is to get involved in [resolution of] the country’s issues. I mean, universities must not consider themselves separate from the country’s issues while the country’s issues [and] the country’s challenges must be real and true and main issues for universities.
The second [requisite] is cultural and moral and identity-based training of students. I mean, the issue of training goes beyond [simple] education; [and] it [must be done] with a moral and spiritual orientation to purify [human] soul and inspire the young students with a sense of identity.
The third [requisite] is continuous and incessant development in the academic environment. The reason is that, firstly, all institutions in the world need development, because humans are developing and progressing and moving ahead [and] therefore, human institutions must create within themselves a power for continuous development and this must be a concern for them. Secondly, without any compliment, our universities have been founded on the wrong basis since the outset. This does not mean that the academic environment is a wrong or a bad environment. No, fortunately,our universities have had many good products, but the foundation of the universities has been laid by untrustworthy people or through untrustworthy policies in time of the monarchial regime and this foundation still exists. They founded universities on the basis of fighting religion, they founded universities on the basis of scientific imitation and not scientific innovation and production of science. Universities have been founded like this and, well, some of its effects still continue up to the present time. Therefore, a reform [process] and a development [course] and internal development arenecessary for universities in a continuous manner, examples of which I have written down here, that I will explain. These are three instances of requisites and of course, there are other requisites too.
As for getting involved in the country’s issues, an example of which we fortunately observed today and I really was happy to see that our brethren and sisters brought up these issues. I really thank God that this thing that I expect it, fortunately, exists in the mind of at least a group of our dear academics. Why I say that [universities] must get involved in the country’s issues? Well, after all, any country has issues. At the present time, we also have problems [and] have issues [and] will have problems in the future and all countries in the world [and] all societies in the world are like this [and] have problems, and these [problems] must be solved. These problems must be solved in a scientific manner, [because] if we address these problems in a non-scientific, [and] unplanned manner [without good] thinking and in an unwise manner, they will not be solved, the problems will become more complicated, they will continue [to be], and will multiply and increase [in intensity]. Therefore, problems must be solved in a scientific manner. Well, if they are to be solved in a scientific manner, who is supposed to solve them? Scholars, [and] scientists [must solve them]; I mean, academics, who are among the country’s scholars and account for a large part of the country’s scholars. Therefore, universities must be aware of problems in the country and seek to solve them.
Well, for example take into account the issue of [the Iranian] economy. It is frequently said, and it was also said in this meeting, that some of the economic management methods used by us – what is being practically carried out in the country – are weak or wrong. Well, this must be rectified; who must rectify these [erroneous methods]? Who must pay attention to this issue? Universitie. I have already recommended [this] to some high-ranking officials several times saying that the economic opinions that university professors publish in the print media – now [I mean] those [opinions], which are published in the print media, which I often read – tell [your people] to collect these [opinions and] bring them to you, so you would know that apart from that decision, which is taken, for example, within that given state-run body, there are also such remarks. This is problem-solving; [and] looking at these opinions and listening to them is naturally problem-solving. Therefore, the issue of the economy is one of these issues, about which one of the gentlemen [who are present] here made remarks today.
[We have problems] in [domestic] industry. Well, our industry is plagued with problems, [and] the universities can play a role in this regard. Of course, it is necessary for me to say that some universities, as they have reported to me, have worked good in the field of getting connected to industry; some other universities, no; [they] have not done this and have not worked properly [in this regard]. I recently heard that a one-year scholarship for professors [active] in [various fields of] industry has been planned and approved by those authorities and centers that approve [such plans]; this is good, [and] this is a very good step. Assume that they would grant a scholarship to professors related to industry to go into industrial units and become familiar with the problems of the country’s industry up-close. We have problems in the country’s industrial sector; the universities must solve these problems. Of course, some industrialists complain [and] say that being in connection with the academic centers has not helped us. However, basically speaking, universities can help progress of industry, prosperity of industry, [and] promotion of industry, so that, for example, to solve the problems that exist in our oil industry or the problems that our power industry faces and for other purposes, we would not have to bring somebody from outside [of the country] and sign a contract with him to give us technology. This is what they say at the present time, and since we think that we are forced and need to sign this contract with that given foreign oil company in order to, for example, be able to increase the oil production capacity of our [oil] wells, for example, from 25 percent to 50 percent, then it may impose something on us.
If our universities enter this arena, I believe that they will certainly be able [to do anything]. How come that we have been successful in certain fields? The entire concerned world believed that it would be impossible for us to achieve 20-percent uranium enrichment; they did not basically believe that such a step could be taken inside the country, but it was taken. They set conditions and provisions in order to sell us 20-percent enriched uranium [and] some of our officials, unfortunately, were gradually becoming willing to give these concessions. [However,] there was some insistence [on this issue], there was some resistance [and] our youths made an effort [and] all of a sudden, the world saw that we did not need 20-percent [enriched uranium] from America and Russia, and I think France – about which they talked at that time; we produced 20-percent [enriched uranium] on our own. Well, that talent, which can pull off such a big job – [because] experts know that when it comes to enrichment, the most important step is moving from 3 percent and 4 percent toward 20 percent; otherwise, it is easier to go from 20 percent to 99 percent [enrichment] – and we, who managed to do that, why shouldn’t we be able to boost the output and production from our oil wells? Why shouldn’t we be able to work for the progress of our own industries? Therefore, universities can help industry in this regard.
About the issue of social maladies. [They include] the issue of divorce, [and other problems like] addiction, slum dwelling, [all kinds of] crimes, cyberspace and the likes of these, which they enumerated here. Of course, we have got all the country’s organs involved in this issue for a while – now this gentleman said for four years, but apparently it is not four years; it seems to be between two years and three years. We have got concerned organs from all three branches [of the government], involved in this case of social maladies, good sessions are being held, follow-up is being made, [and] many steps are being taken. Of course, these are among long-term activities and their effect will not be seen in the near future, [but] universities can help. They offered proposals, which are very good and now I tell my own office to collect these proposals, which were put forth, in all the fields they are related to, [and] deliberate in certain sessions and find solutions in order to make them operational and put them into force.
Or [consider] this issue of the production and consumption chain and the issue of innovation, which they mentioned here. Well, first of all, we must [have] innovation, which means creation of ideas, then production, then marketing and the likes of these. This marketing of supply and consumption is a chain; this chain must operate correctly. I mean, there is a chain from the production sector to the consumption sector, [and] these links must transfer the potentials to each other in a correct manner in order for this work to be done correctly. If there is a flaw in this chain, who is supposed to enter the arena [and fix it]? Universities [are supposed to do this]. Universities must see where the flaw is, [and] remove the problem, so that, we would be able to do this job.
Or this issue of supporting Iranian products [is also very important], and I fortunately noted that one of these gentlemen has paid attention to this issue, has thought about it [and] worked on it [and] exactly the same points, which I have written down here, existed in his remarks. For example, let us see what impediments there are to the production of high-quality products. The first issue is that we must produce high-quality goods inside [the country], so that it would have customers [and] would be sold. [Therefore, we must see] what the impediments are to the production of high-quality products, [and] then [focus on] the quality of marketing. [We must see] what we must do to be able to find a market for these products both inside and outside [the country]? Now, [marketing] outside [the country] is an issue – which is a separate issue – [and] the issue of domestic [marketing] is [dependent on] the same mental and cultural issue to which they referred; it is totally correct. I mean, in those sectors, which deal with sociological and psychological sciences in universities, they must conduct a study to see what is the reason behind the fact that certain groups of people are more willing to buy foreign products and less inclined toward domestic products and what the solution is [to this problem]. Of course, he enumerated a number of solutions, but these are not sufficient. These [solutions] need scientific study, [because] some solutions can be really found [for this problem]. [If you do this,] all of a sudden you notice that within two years, three years, [and] four years, the situation totally changes. Even now, this has been relatively achieved through this publicity [that is ongoing], [and] some shop owners sell their foreign products to customers as domestic products! I am aware of this – I am informed [and] it has been reported to me. I mean, a person goes to buy a commodity [from retailer and] he has its foreign counterpart and since he knows that the customer needs the domestic product, he lies by saying that this is a domestic product! This is a very desirable thing [to happen]. Of course, lying is a bad thing, but it is very good that a retailer would have to say this [product] is domestically made in order to sell his commodity; this culture must be promoted. How this [culture] is promoted? Well, this has a scientific way; you must do this. Or [consider] transfer of new scientific achievements to production sectors; all of these are the steps to be taken by various sectors in universities.
Therefore, when it comes to the country’s issues, universities must first find [important] issues, which I fortunately noted in the remarks of these gentlemen and wrote it down here and it [was] very interesting. I saw that they have really deliberated and found issues. For example, assume that they say this is an issue, which now you say that a woman [must] be both a housewife and, for example, have higher education as well, [because it is not clear] how these two [propositions] can occur at the same time. Well, this is an issue. Look, this [effort for] finding issues is a very important thing that we would deliberate to find issues and then resolve them. Therefore, universities can help both in finding and resolving issues. Of course, there is a lot to say in this regard. I have written down certain points here, but the time is short.
Of course, [the country’s] executive officials must want [this to happen]. I hereby [ask] those administration officials who are present here to bring up these issues and the issue of the connection between universities and the country’s issues in a serious manner during the cabinet meetings, so that everybody would be motivated, would become interested [and] follow up [on these issues]. Of course, I say this to each and every minister. Once I had an energy minister [during my presidency], who was a very good brother and was a graduate of Amir Kabir University. He was talking to me over a case, saying that we have a problem with regard to that case. I said, “Brother! You take a step away from the cabinet and go to this very university where you studied and bring up this issue there, [and be sure that] they will solve it for you.” They would certainly solve it; I have no doubt [about this]. I mean, if this [issue of] involvement of universities in the country’s issues is taken seriously in a real manner by the executive officials, which this is what must basically happen, in my opinion, this will go ahead. I mean, an executive [official] must go to a scientist’s residence [and ask him for solutions]; this is the basic principle. No scientist must have to wait behind an executive official’s [office] door; it is the executive, who must go to that scientist’s place of residence and ask him for help.
That second requisite, which I mentioned, is moral and cultural and identity-based training; [that is,] training of the power of intellect. What is the power of intellect? What is intellect? In the Islamic literature, intellect is not just that system [in human body], which conducts material calculations for us. No, [it is said in the Islamic literature that] intellect is that [human faculty] by which the Compassionate [God] is worshipped and Paradise is earned; this is what intellect is. [Elsewhere, they say,] intellect guides and saves [humans]; this is what intellect is. Intellect must be able to elevate humans. At a certain level, intellect is that factor, which takes a human being close to God, [and] takes him close to the rank of monotheism. At a lower level, intellect is that thing, which guides one toward the Islamic lifestyle. At another level, intellect is that thing, which regulates material communications of the worldly life; all these are done by intellect. Intellect and the power of intellect is that power, which would have all these [characteristics]; therefore, it needs spiritual training. Train students in a spiritual manner. These [students] are young, [and] a young person is naturally tender, is relatively clean [of moral impurities], and is easy to be steered in a spiritual direction and this [goal] must be achieved in universities.
[Elsewhere they say,] “You cannot overcome time unless with intellect;” after all, it is not possible to live without intellect. Therefore, the training aspect of this power of intellect must be powerful. Universities must raise young people who would be faithful, would be honorable,   would be given to action, would not be lazy, would be endeavoring, with self-confidence, be ready to accept what is right, [and] be looking for truth. These are characteristics of a sublime human being. Islam wants [to raise] such a person, [and] it is this person, who if [he is] in charge of management of the society, would be able to guide that society toward what is good and [toward] salvation. Otherwise, this [habit], which for example, has become common in cyberspace and is now an ordinary and common thing to accuse one other, this one against that one [and] that one accusing this one, magnifying a small weakness, [and] dishonoring a faithful person without being clear who is doing this; this is a very bad thing. There are such things among our youths, which must be prevented [and] this [is possible] through spiritual training.
In a meeting attended by the Prophet [of Islam], a person leveled an accusation against a faithful person’s honor and said something to discredit him – it has not been mentioned in the hadith what kind of accusation it was – [but] there was another person at the same meeting, who came out and defended that faithful person who had been accused. The Prophet said, ‘What you did – which defended the honor of a faithful person – this is a shield against the fire of Hell, [and] this is a cover against the fire of Hell’. This is the [true] meaning of the Islamic lifestyle. I mean “show mercy [to others] so that [others] would show mercy to you;” have mercy on others so that the Almighty God would have mercy on you; these points must be taught to our young people. Our youth must be [an example of the Quran’s saying that] “[The followers of Mohammad (PBUH) are] forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves” – that is, the same verse, which they recited here. He must be raised like this. [He must] stand against oppression, stand against encroachers and trespassers, but treat his faithful brother with kindness [and] forgiveness. We must teach our youths how to be forgiving. If this young person is not purified at the present time, when he takes charge of some [state] position in the future, he would do his job either with weakness or in an uncertain manner or wrongly. This [young person] who is ready now to accuse that given person [of something just] for joking, for [idly] passing time, [or] for satisfying that internal feeling, when future comes and, for example, he takes part in an election competition, he will be ready to totally step on a faithful person’s honor just to ensure his own victory. This [young person] becomes like that after all; [this behavior] will make the same effect at that time as well.
Another [important issue] is the issue of lack of identity; you must raise the youth with a sense of identity. If a society does not have a sense of identity, loud bullying voices will easily overpower it. The one who resists is the one who has a sense of identity. Sometimes this identity is a national identity, sometimes it is a religious identity, [and] sometimes it is a human identity, [or] is honor; whatever. [Our youths] must be raised with [a sense of] identity. Fortunately, at the present time, our Iranian-Islamic society has a profound and historical and powerful and resistant identity, which it has also demonstrated it; we must transfer this [identity] to our youths. The cultural issue is an important issue after all; cultural sectors must feel responsibility and must work in this field.
The third issue, as I said, is the incessant development of universities. I have written down a number of issues to explain. At the present time, there are clear examples for rectifying and reforming the work done by universities.
One of the clear examples is that we turn a consumer approach to science into a production approach to science. Till when do we have to wait and consume the sicenec produced by other countries? I have no opposition to taking science from others; I have said this frequently and everybody knows that. I said that we are not ashamed of learning from that person who owns science and to be his pupil, but being a pupil is one thing [and] imitation is another thing. Till when we must follow the science [produced] by this or that [country]?When it is said with regard to humanities that let us deliberate and find the Islamic humanities, why a group immediately becomes infuriated [and says] that “Sir, this is science.” Is it science? In experimental sciences, where its scientific nature and its results can be tested in laboratories, many cases are being proven on a daily basis in which scientific findings have been wrong, [and] now you expect nothing [should be wrong] in humanities? What amount of conflicting and opposing remarks are made in [the field of] economy? There are so many conflicting remarks in management, in various issues of humanities, [and] in philosophy; what science [are you talking about]? Science is that [knowledge], which you can acquire, can understand, [and] can ooze out of your active mind. It must be our goal to be able to produce science; till when [must we] consume the science [produced by] this and that? Yes, there is no problem that like a commodity, which we do not produce [and] somebody else produces and we take it from them and use it, to use the science from others, but this cannot continue forever [and] this cannot be permanent. Sometimes the science [produced] by others is not transferred to us in a correct manner, sometimes they do not give us that good part of it, [and] sometimes they do not give us its new and updated version and this is unfortunately what happened in our country during years of the monarchial government. We must not re-experience what has been experienced before. Therefore, we must produce science.
Of course, I have recently heard that some people keep writing and saying and denying the country’s scientific advances, which have been confirmed by international institutions. I reject one hundred percent of this claim and reject it totally. No, the country’s scientific advances are real and as some people claim are not bubble advances. We have advanced in [the field of] nano[-technology, have advanced in [the field of producing] stem cells, have advanced in [the field of] nuclear [technology], have advanced in [the field of] biotechnology, have advanced in various fields of medicine, [and] have advanced in many different sectors; these advances are real and do exist.
As they said here, there was a time that when you got out of big cities, there were few Iranian physicians. I myself was in [the city of] Zahedan [and] in Iranshahr [in Sistan and Baluchestan Province]. Doctors who were there were Indian; I myself went to [be visited by] them. Of course, they were not bad, but well, the country needed foreign doctors. Even in early [years after victory of the Islamic] revolution, heart patients had to wait in line for eight years, nine years, [or] ten years. I mean, a heart patient went to a hospital, his turn for surgery was ten years later and most of them died before that time. We were like this. At the present time, specialist doctors carry out open heart surgeries in remotes cities. These advances are real advances. Why some people want to make our academic community and our specialists and scientists desperate? No, [our] advances are truly real advances, but these [advances] must be further developed.
Another measure is to pursue purposive research. We are currently doing some research. Well, the importance attached to writing papers in our universities is a topic [and] is by itself an issue. A group is opposed [to this] and another group says there is no other option. Now, increased number of papers – especially those papers, which are cited – is a credit for the country and there is no problem with that, but some objectives must be persued in the production of those papers. I have said this before [and] this is not an issue for today. Years ago, I myself said [and] some esteemed professors who talked here repeated that the research work must be made purposive. See what the country needs, [and] where there is a void. These research projects must fill that void; this is very important. Aimless research must be discarded. Of course, any research has naturally two goals: one is to achieve the level of scientific reference and being among the leaders of science and technology, [and] the second goal is to solve the present and future issues of the country. These [two goals] are not at odds with each other. I have heard that some people say, “Sir, how [come that they do not conflict?] Is this goal right or that goal?” Both goals are right. Research must be both aimed at achieving the peak of science and establishing a scientific reference point – and we must certainly reach this point in the future to become a scientific reference in the world – and must be also used to solve the current issues of the country.
Another issue, which must certainly receive attention and be followed up in universities, is the issue of higher education [development] plan, and fortunately, once again, one of the gentlemen paid attention to it and named it. This [development] plan has been approved by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution in the [Iranian calendar] year [13]95 (2016), but has not progressed in a suitable manner. This means that a national division of labor must take place among the country’s universities with regard to various sectors and discussions that exist in the field of science. This is very effective for planning, will make planning easy and will facilitate assessment of scientific situation of the country, and will also lead to some sort of synergism if done together [by Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and Ministry of Health]. Of course, the Ministry of Health has been apparently better active in this regard; they have reported this to me.
The next issue, which receives attention in universities, is to realize the country’s comprehensive scientific map. Well, part of the comprehensive scientific map has been realized, but all of it has not been realized. One of the problems, which I happen to have brought up in the past in this very meeting, is that a large part of our academia has not read the comprehensive scientific map of the country and is basically unaware of it. This much work has been done on the comprehensive scientific map of the country, all these scientists, specialists, [as well as] scientific and academic experts have worked on it and a comprehensive and good thing has come into being and been produced. Well, this comprehensive map must be realized in universities. Who must realize it? This very academic body of the country [and] academics themselves [must realize it] after all. They must read this comprehensive map, see it, know what it is, [and] what has been sought in this comprehensive scientific map and [then] discussion forums must be held for professors and postgraduate students in order to make [this comprehensive scientific map] operational, so that its effects would be visible in educational environments, in the country’s education and in the country’s research [sector].
The next issue is the imbalance among academic courses; some of these courses have been neglected. Figures given to me show that, for example, the number of applicants taking part in university admission exams for the course of mathematics, which is a very important course, has decreased by about 50 percent. This is dangerous to the country’s future. We need these important courses in basic sciences – especially mathematics or physics – for the future. If the number of students applying for these courses dwindle and they swarm to other courses, which are moneymakers, [and] which can ensure that one will have money and a job immediately [after graduation], this will [cause] problems [in the future]. The side effects of this imbalance must be certainly made up for and rectified by academic institutions.
Another issue is the issue of attaching excessive importance to [writing scientific] papers, which I said that papers must be oriented toward resolving the country’s issues. The simple path taken to create a paper in order for professors to be promoted is by itself a problem. According to the promotion bylaw, writing papers plays a very basic role in the promotion of [university] professors. Well, this is a simple path. A little more accurate work must be done [in this regard], which means that promotion must not be simply based on [writing] papers. There are more basic steps to be taken, which can be introduced as criteria for promotion. Very well, this shows that you both confirm what I say and are also tired; [so] let me wrap up my remarks.
Dear ones! Universities must raise a student who would be hopeful in the future, optimistic about the country’s conditions and optimistic about the future. This is the most basic issue. The present-day students must be ensured that when their turn for management and efficiency and planning and reform and the likes of these comes in the future, what is delivered to the will be a country better than today. This hope must be given to students. This is [also] a reality. At the present time, we have greatly progressed compared to ten years ago, compared to twenty years ago, [and] compared to forty years ago. Now, some of you are aware [of this], [but] many of you are young; I mean you do not remember [how the situation was] thirty years ago – you do not remember the conditions of the country [at that time], [and also] do not remember the conditions of universities – but I tell you that the progress of the country and the progress of the academic environment during these [past] twenty [or] thirty years have been really admirable.
[Therefore,] students must be trained like this: believing in the country’s capabilities, believing in the country’s achievements – both domestic and overseas achievements – [and] believing in the progress of the country and ability of the country and power of the country for building the future. They must believe in these issues, knowing the country’s position in the world as well. At the present time, we are a country in the world, which has the highest number of enemies among the arrogant governments and worthless powerful [states] and we [also] have the highest number of supporters among people’s masses in many countries; I am not saying in all countries, but in many countries. The degree to which the Islamic Republic is creditable in many of these countries – in neighboring countries and beyond neighboring countries – no other country among foreign countries is this much creditable. There is possible to be a tendency toward and fondness with, for example, that given scientifically advanced country, but [genuine] love and respect by no means. The Islamic Republic enjoys this standing, [and] has this base [among people in other countries]. This is why it has also wicked and determined enemies and all these enemies will be defeated in the face of the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic through the divine assistance and will not be able to do a damn thing.
Now assume that the Shimr of our time, [that is] the child-killing prime minister of the occupying regime [of Israel] goes to Europe and plays victim [by saying] that yes, Iran wants, for example, to annihilate us and the likes of this. Well, first of all, these [Israelis] are [like] Shimr in the real sense of the word; I mean these [Israelis] are people who top all the oppressors in history in terms of oppression and tyranny. [However,] that European addressee [of Netanyahu] listens and nods and says yes and makes no reference [to the fact] that you [Israelis] are committing these crimes in Gaza, [and] are committing these crimes in al-Quds. They make no reference to these [Israeli crimes]. He [Netanyahu] says [what he wants and] these [European officials] just shake their heads. Well, this world is a bad world after all. The Islamic Republic has moved logically in all fronts. With regard to this issue of the occupying regime, [former Egyptian leader,] Gamal Abdel Nasser shouted slogans forty or fifty years back, when you were not born, saying that we will pour Jews into the sea. I mean [when] he wanted to talk against Israel, he said we will pour Jews into the sea. The Islamic Republic never said this from day one. From day one, we offered a plan. We said that at the present time, democracy and referring to the public vote is a modern and advanced method, which is accepted by the entire world.
Very well, in order to determine the type of the government in the historical country of Palestine, you must refer to the public opinion of the people of Palestine [and] hold a referendum. This [proposal] was communicated to the United Nations a few years ago and was registered there as the viewpoint of the Islamic Republic and the opinion of the Islamic Republic. This is what we say: those people who are really Palestinians – for example, assume those people who have [been] Palestinian since at least a hundred years ago and before [or] have [been] Palestinian since eighty years ago and before; there have been both Muslims and Jews and Christians in Palestine who are Palestinians – a poll [must] be conducted among these Palestinians wherever they are, whether in the occupied territories, that is, across the entire land of Palestine, or outside Palestine. Any system [of government], which they would decide for the land of Palestine, would be acceptable; anything that they would want. Is this a bad opinion? Isn’t this a progressive opinion? Europeans are not willing to understand this, [and] then, that child-killing, wicked, oppressor, [and] Shimr[-like] person plays victim [by saying] that yes, Iran wants to annihilate us and destroy us and do away with a population of several million.
O Almighty God! Make what we said and what is in our mind and what we heard dedicated to yourself and your path. O Almighty God! Take our country closer to the peak of the elevation and progress, which is desirable to Islam, on a daily basis. O Almighty God! Put the environment of our universities, our academics, our esteemed professors [and] our dear students under your own supervision and favor and attention and support; make them successful in doing what makes you satisfied. Resurrect the purified soul of our honorable Imam and the purified souls of martyrs with their [spiritual] guardians; [and] also join us with them.

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