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Khomeini Addresses the Crowds at Behesht Zahra
Cemetery, Tehran
February 1,
1979
The following is the translation of the historical speech by Ayatollah
Khomeini after the fall of the Shah and 2500 years of Monarchy in Iran
TEHRAN, Iran -- (Transliteration includes
original grammatical errors in the speech) ... This rule of the Pahlavi
which was established, was illegal to start with. Those who are my age and
have seen it, know, that the Majlis which was established, it was
established with force of a spear... the population had no role in the
Majlis...with force and the lawyers they forced upon (People) to vote for
Reza Shah. This Monarchy was void from its beginning, the Pahlavi regime
was from its beginning against the law and against logic and against Human
Rights. This is on the assumption that a nation has voted for someone to
be their Sultan. Very well...If these (the people) have control over their
future then they can choose their future. Let's say a nation voted, even
if the whole nation voted, that so and so be the ruler and Sultan, what
right does this give a nation of 50 years ago to choose the future of the
next generation?
Therefore Mohammad Reza Shah, first of all the rule of
his father was illegal. It was established by force and threat of the
spear. The Majlis is illegal. Therefore the rule of Mohammad Reza is also
illegal. Even if we assume the government of Reza Shah was legal, what
right did they have to choose our destiny? The destiny of every person is
up to himself. At this time we say that we don't want this Sultan. When
(people) vote, we don't want the rule of Reza Shah, nor the rule of
Mohammad Reza Shah, we don't want a monarchist regime, their future is up
to them. And this is another reason that his regime is illegal.
Now we come to the governments that have originated
from Mohammad Reza Shah and the Majlis which we have, from the time of the
Concession (Mahrootiyat), until other times...people had no role, not even
compared to some lawyers and representatives...in choosing the
representatives, do you know that in these Majlis's that exist now, be it
the Shora Majlis or Senate Majlis... you are the nation of Iran... you are
the people who reside in Tehran... I ask you people who live in Tehran,
did you know about these people in Shora and Senate that you are supposed
to have chosen? Do you people who that these representatives that are
sitting in the Senate and in the Shora have been selected by force up on
you, without the knowledge of the people? A Majlis that is without the
will of the people and without the choice of the people, is illegal.
Therefore these people, who are sitting in the Majlis and are collecting
the property of the nation, supposedly for their salary... they did not
have this right and they have to pay it back.... and those who are in the
Senate did not have the right either and have to pay it back.
A government that is rooted from a Shah who himself and
his father are illegal, is also itself illegal. The representatives of
that government are illegal. A government that is dictated by such a
Majlis and such Sultan is illegal.
This nation was saying this word during the Mohammad
Reza Khan, that we don't want this monarchy and our future's choice is
with us... now are saying that these representatives are illegal... this
Senate is illegal... this government is illegal... now if someone who has
been selected by an illegal Majlis and illegal Shah, which are are
illegal, can he (referring to Prime Minister Bakhtiyar) be legal? We say
that you are illegal. You must go. We say that a government that
introduces itself as being legal, and yet does not recognize itself as
being legal... until a few years ago, was saying this ministry is legal,
now what happened that all of a sudden is claiming to be legal?
This Majlis is illegal, ask the representatives
themselves, have people chosen you? Whoever that claims that people have
chosen them we give their hand to someone, to take them to their
municipality, and ask people, is this person your chosen representative?
Have you elected him? You must surely know that their answer would be
negative. Therefore a nation that screams, this government, this Shah,
this Majlis, is against the law. Our religious right, legal right and
human right is that our destiny be in our own hand. Does this nation
deserve to have a cemetery of martyrs in Tehran and other places?
I must say, that Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, this evil
traitor is gone. He ran away. Gave our property away. Destroyed our
country. Expanded our cemeteries. Destroyed our country's economy. Our
economy is destroyed and in chaos, and it will take years to bring back
this economy, with the help of the people. A government or a sector of
population cannot do this, unless people give hand in hand to bring order
to this economy. Just observe, with the excuse that they want to make
farmers out of villagers, they created Land Reforms. Their Land Reforms
have ended up here. There are no longer villagers or farmers. Now you need
everything from foreigners. Mohammad Reza did this to create a market for
America, so we could need them. So we import wheat and rice....everything,
import eggs... or even from that Israel that is a puppet of America.
Therefore the things that this man has done in the name
of reform, these have been corruptions themselves. Land Reforms have done
such a damage to our country that maybe we cannot fix it for another
twenty years. Unless the whole nation comes together and years pass. He
has kept our Culture a backward culture. In so much that after many years
of educations our children's education is not complete in the country and
have to go to foreign countries to complete it. It's been 50 years, more
than 50 years that we have universities, more than 35 years than we have
this university. But because there has been treachery against us, it has
not grown. We have not had a social growth and he has destroyed all our
people and force.
This man, as he has been a puppet, has created blasphemy
centers, his television is a blasphemy center, most of his radio is a
blasphemy center, the centers that give out permits are corrupt and
blasphemous. These people have come together. There are more liquor stores
in Tehran than there are bookstores. Porn houses are so much. Why? Our
cinemas are center of blasphemy. We are not against cinemas, we are
against blasphemy/corruption. We are not against Radio, we are against
blasphemy. We are not against television, we are against that which has
been picked by foreigners to keep our young backward and destroy our
workforce. When were we against progress? We are against pretension to
progress, when Europe put a foothold in East, specially in Iran, instead
of us progressing, they have made us become nomads. Cinemas are a center
of progress that have to be service of the people, in service of educating
the people. Do you see that they have destroyed our young. Also these
places, we are against these. They have been traitors to our country.
And our oil. They gave away our oil, they gave our oil
to Americans and non-Americans. The oil they gave to America, what did
they get back in return? Instead they got weapons to make a base for
America. We gave them oil and made them a base. America with these
deceptions, which this man was part of, took our oil and made a military
base for itself. They brought weapons that our military cannot use on
their own and have to be dependent on them. We have to use their
specialists. If God forbid he had continued to rule, he would have
finished our oil. Our farmers that are finished, this country would have
been finished. We would have been slaves for foreigners. This is why we
scream. This is why the blood of our young have filled the streets.
Because we want freedom. We have been suppressed for 50 years. We did not
have publications, we did not have proper radio and proper television.
People of knowledge and the religious people could not speak. The Friday sermon
could not do their job properly, nor people could do their work properly.
During his time suppression was always at its fullest and is at its
fullest. We say that person himself, his government, his senate, they are
all illegal. If they continue this they are criminals and they have to be
prosecuted and we will prosecute them.
I make government. I slap this government in the mouth.
I determine government. I, with the backing of this nation, create
government. I, with the fact that this nation accepts me. This Mister, who
he himself does not accept himself, his friend do not accept him, the
nation does not accept him, the army does not accept him, only America
accepts him and has ordered the army to back him. The English have also
backed him and has ordered to back him. A person, who the nation does not
accept him and no level of society accepts him, wherever you come from and
say accept him, we will not accept him. Yes, they bring a few thugs in the
streets, these thugs are from themselves. They scream and make these
statements. However, this is the nation and the nation is this. In this
country there cannot be two governments. It is clear this country does not
have two government, the illegal government must go. You are illegal, the
government that we say, relies on the vote of the people. It relies on the
rule of God. You must either deny God or deny the nation. This man has to
sit in his place, or he has to follow America and others to massacre this
nation.
As long as we are alive we will not let them to gain
control. We will not let it all be repeated again, all the past tortures
and oppression. We will not let Mohammad Reza to come back. They want to
return him. Wake up people, they are making plans, they are making
connections. They want to return us to the age of oppression and
suppression and America to absorb all our heritage. We will not let them,
as long as we are alive we will not let them. I pray God for your well
being. I say that it is necessary that we continue this movement, until
these people are terminated. We will make a Senate with the vote of people
and we will make the first government, the permanent government.
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I must make a recommendation to the Army and a
thank you to a section of the army. One of my suggestions is that we
want you to be independent. We are the ones who are working, given
blood, given our young, our dignity, have gone to prison, so our
Army can be independent. You generals don't want that? You don't
want to be independent? You army Colonels don't want to be
independent? You want to be slaves?
I suggest that you join the nation. Say what the
nation says, we must be independent. The nation says that the army
has to be independent. The army has not be under the American and
foreign advisors. Join us, as we are saying this for your own
benefit. Say that you want to be independent. Say that we don't want
these foreigner advisors. We are saying so we can have an
independent army. Our verdict is that we pour into the streets and
pour our young's blood, so we can say we want independence. We want
you (the army) to be the master of your house. |
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I thank the parts of the army that joined the nation.
These groups saved their dignity, the dignity of the nation and dignity of
the country. These army ranks, air force pilots are all thanked by us and
have our gratitude. All those who in Esfahan and in Hamedan, knew their
religious, moral and national duty, joined the nation. They backed the
Islamic movement of people. Those who joined us, we tell them, thank you
and join Islam as it is better than blasphemy. The nation is better than
the foreigners. We tell you this subject, but you should do this for
yourself. Let him (Shah) go. Don't think if you let him go we will come
and hang you. These are things that you or others have created, otherwise
these army ranks that have joined us we will protect them and treat them
with respect. We want the country to be strong. We want the country to
have a strong order. We don't want to destroy order. We want to protect
order. However an order from the people, in service of people, not one
organized by foreigners and ruled by foreigners.
Peace be upon you with God's mercy and his givings.
The presentation of the above material
is property of Iran Culture and Information Center.
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