Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei addressed a message to the Iranian people on Friday on the occasion of Nowruz (Iranian New Year) and Eid al-Fitr, and issued a warning to the United States and Israel.
The text of the message from the leader of the revolution reads as follows:
In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful
O Turner of hearts and eyes, O Controller of night and day, O Changer of years and conditions, change our condition to the best of conditions.
This year, the spring of spirituality and the spring of nature—Eid al-Fitr and the ancient Nowruz—have coincided. I extend my congratulations on these two religious and national holidays to every member of the nation, and especially to all Muslims worldwide on Eid al-Fitr. I must also congratulate everyone on the remarkable victories of the Islamic fighters, and express my deepest condolences to the families of all the martyrs of the Second Imposed War, the Dey coup, the Third Imposed War, and the martyrs of the security forces, border guards, and the unknown soldiers.
On the occasion of the arrival of the solar year 1405, I have some words that I will present below:
First, I will briefly review some of the important events of the past year. Last year, our dear nation fought three wars, both military and security-related. The first was the June War, in which the Zionist enemy, with special assistance from America and during negotiations, launched a cowardly attack that resulted in the martyrdom of some of the country's finest leaders and prominent scholars, and then approximately 1,000 of our citizens. Due to a grave miscalculation, the enemy thought that within a day or two, this nation would be the one to overthrow the Islamic system. However, thanks to your vigilance, O people, and the exceptional bravery and immense sacrifices of the Islamic fighters, signs of weakness and humiliation quickly appeared on the enemy, and it tried to save itself from the brink of disaster by resorting to intermediaries and declaring a ceasefire.
The second war was the January coup, in which America and the Zionist regime thought that the Iranian people, due to the imposed economic problems, would do what the enemy wanted. So, through their agents, they committed countless crimes, and a greater number of our dear citizens were martyred compared to the previous war, and they caused serious damage.
The third war is the one we are waging now. On its first day, with tears and heavy hearts, we bid farewell to the compassionate father of the nation, our great and revered leader, may God exalt his noble station, as he eagerly departed at the head of a caravan of martyrs on a heavenly journey to the place prepared for him in the shade of God's mercy and near the blessed light, among the righteous and the martyrs. From that day forward, we have bid farewell with profound sorrow to other martyrs of this war, among them the children of the Shajara Tayyiba School in Minab, the brave and oppressed stars of the destroyer Dana, the commanders and fighters of the Revolutionary Guard, the Army, the Police, the Popular Forces, the unknown soldiers, the courageous border guards, and all the people of the nation, young and old, who passed before us in a caravan of light.
This war erupted after the enemy despaired of a large-scale popular movement in his favor, based on the delusion that if he killed the head of the regime and a number of influential military figures, he would instill fear and despair in you, dear people, forcing you to abandon the struggle and thus fulfilling his dream of controlling and then partitioning Iran. But in this blessed month, you observed the fast while engaging in jihad, establishing a broad defensive line across the country and fortifying strongholds in every square, neighborhood, and mosque, and you dealt him a stunning blow, leaving him in a state of contradiction and incoherent babbling that reflects his lack of awareness and understanding.
You previously suppressed the coup attempt on January 22nd, and on February 22nd you demonstrated once again your unwavering opposition to global arrogance. On March 22nd, which coincided with Quds Day, you conveyed to them with this strike that the matter is not limited to missiles, drones, torpedoes, and military affairs; Iran's frontline is far greater than their petty and insignificant perception. It is my duty here to thank every member of our dear nation for creating this magnificent epic. I also thank the courageous, sincere, and popular president, and the other officials who were present at this ceremony among the people without pretense or protocol. This kind of action and appearance is in itself highly commendable, as it strengthens the bond between the nation and its leaders.
At this time, because of the remarkable unity that has formed among you, citizens, despite your differences in religious, intellectual, cultural, and political backgrounds, the enemy has suffered a defeat. We must consider this a special blessing from God Almighty, and thank Him for it verbally, in our hearts, and in our actions. It is an immutable principle that when a blessing is acknowledged with gratitude, its roots deepen or it develops according to the degree of that gratitude, and more blessings descend upon the thankful. What must be done now, in practical gratitude, is to consider this great blessing simply as a mercy from God Almighty, and to make the best use of it as much as possible. In this way, this unity will become even more firmly established and stronger, and your enemies will become even more humiliated and disgraced. This has been a glimpse into some of the important events of the year 1404.
As we approach the year 1405 AH, we are faced with several matters. First, we bid farewell to our cherished guest, the blessed month of Ramadan for the year 1447 AH. This is the month in which, on the Night of Power, your hearts turned towards the divine realm, and you called upon God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, who then turned His gracious gaze upon you. You asked of our Master, may God hasten his reappearance, and of God, for victory, well-being, and all manner of blessings. And surely, by virtue of the divine care that has always preceded this system and this nation, you will, God willing, receive what you asked for from the depths of your hearts, or even better. Simultaneously, with this farewell, which becomes ever more bitter and sorrowful the more one understands it, we embrace the crescent of the honored, blessed, and auspicious Shawwal, and we await, with hearts filled with both fear and hope, the Eid of God, the Blessed and Exalted. I hope that after those conscious night and day presences of yours, dear people, and the creation of the epic of Jerusalem Day, God will only treat us with His generosity, patience, forgiveness, and abundant kindness that we are accustomed to. I especially hope that we will soon be given the good news of a comprehensive opening in the matter of the appearance of our master, the Imam, the Master of the Age and Time, in general, so that the joy of their hearts will be filled, and blessings will descend upon the people of the earth by His grace and generosity.
Another matter we face is the occasion of the ancient national holiday of Nowruz. A holiday that comes with a message from nature of renewal, freshness, and life, and it is a perfect occasion for joy and happiness.
On the other hand, this is the first year that our martyred leader and all the other prominent martyrs are not among us. The hearts of the families and relatives of the martyrs, in particular, are heavy with grief at the loss of their loved ones. At the same time, I, personally, as an ordinary citizen surrounded by the families of martyrs, imagine that although we are all in mourning and our hearts are filled with sorrow for all the martyrs, we are overjoyed that our brides and grooms are moving into their marital homes during this time. God willing, the prayers of our martyred leader and all the great martyrs of this war will be answered for these dear ones. I recommend that the general public continue their usual visits during this time, while respecting and being considerate of the feelings of the families of the martyrs. Perhaps the residents of each neighborhood can begin their New Year's visits by honoring the martyrs of their neighborhood, if the necessary coordination can be made. Of course, the period designated by the esteemed government for the mourning of our beloved leader remains unchanged, and observing and maintaining it is part of the greatness of this system and this country.
Following these words are other short petitions:
First, I must express my special gratitude to those who are highlighting their social role these days, in addition to their presence in public squares, neighborhoods, and mosques, through redoubled efforts. This includes some government and private production units, some service professions, and especially those who provide various beneficial services to the public free of charge, even though their professions do not require it. Thankfully, these individuals are numerous.
Secondly, one of the enemy's strategies is its media operations, which these days specifically target the minds and hearts of some people with the intention of harming national unity and, consequently, national security. We must be vigilant lest this nefarious goal be achieved through complacency and by our own hands. Therefore, I urge all domestic media outlets in our country, regardless of their intellectual, political, and cultural differences, to strictly refrain from highlighting weaknesses. Otherwise, the enemy may achieve its objective.
Third: One of the enemy's sources of hope is exploiting long-standing economic and administrative weaknesses. Our martyred leader, may God exalt his station, repeatedly emphasized the economy as the central focus and slogan of the year. In my humble opinion, securing people's livelihoods, improving infrastructure and welfare, and generating wealth for the general public is the core issue and should be considered not only a defense but also a significant advance in the face of the economic war waged by the enemy. It is a blessing from God that I have been able to listen to the words of dear people from various social classes. For instance, at one point, I shared a taxi ride with you through the streets of Tehran, arranged at your request, with an anonymous group, listening to your words. I considered this type of sampling superior to many opinion polls. In many cases, my conclusions aligned with your words, which often expressed various criticisms related to economic and administrative matters. During this time, I learned a great deal from you and continue to learn. Furthermore, in the days leading up to and following the 19th of Ramadan, I have learned anew from various individuals among you who were present in the field. I pray that I will not be deprived of this blessing. As a result of these lessons, listenings, and other readings, an effort was made to develop a viable and scientifically sound treatment plan that is as comprehensive as possible. Thanks be to God, this has been achieved satisfactorily, and it will soon be ready for implementation by dedicated officials in cooperation with all members of the nation, God willing. In closing this section, following the example of our great and martyred leader, I announce this year's slogan: "A Resilient Economy under the Framework of National Unity and National Security."
Fourth and finally: What I stated in my first statement regarding the regime's vision and policy in dealing with neighboring countries is serious and true. Aside from the element of proximity, we recognize other intangible factors, foremost among them the shared faith of Islam, the presence of revered shrines and holy sites in some, the significant Iranian presence as residents and workers in others, and shared nationality, language, or common strategic interests, particularly regarding the forces of arrogance, in yet others. Each of these factors, individually, can strengthen good relations. Among these factors, we consider our eastern neighbors very close to us. I have long known that Pakistan held a special place in the heart of our martyred leader, as evidenced by his sorrowful tone during Friday sermons regarding the devastating floods that threatened the lives of our people there. For my part, based on various indications, I have always shared this view and have consistently expressed it in various meetings. Here I would like to ask the two brotherly countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, to establish better relations between them for the sake of God and so that the Muslims are not divided, and I am personally ready to take the necessary measures.
I also want to emphasize that the attacks that occurred in Turkey and Oman, both of which have good relations with us, targeting certain areas within those countries, were in no way carried out by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic or any other forces of the Resistance Front. This is a deception by the Zionist enemy, employing the tactic of false flags to sow discord between the Islamic Republic and its neighbors, and this could happen in other countries as well. I have already addressed the rest of this point.
I hope that, with the prayers of our master, may God Almighty hasten his reappearance, and with the care of God, the Blessed and Exalted, it will be a good year, full of victory and all kinds of material and moral openings for our people and all neighbors and Muslim nations, especially the elements of the resistance front, and that it will not be a year like that for the enemies of Islam and humanity. (And We desired to show favor to those who were oppressed in the land and make them leaders and make them inheritors (5) and establish them in the land and show Pharaoh and Haman and their soldiers from them that which they had feared (6)) “ The Holy Quran/ Surah Al-Qasas”, God Almighty has spoken the truth and His noble Messenger has spoken the truth and we are witnesses to that.
Peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you
Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei
