America
& Terrorism
Ayatollah al-Udham
Sayyed Ali Hussaini Khamenei
Full text of speech of
Ayatollah al-Udham Sayyed Ali Hussaini Khamenei
on US response to the New York and Washington explosions, delivered
on September 26, 2001:
In the
Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
I welcome all the honorable members of the audience
and the honorable families of the martyrs. On the occasion of
the blessed month of Rajab I hope the Almighty will grant His
special kindness to pious hearts and the honorable families of
the dear martyrs.
These days and nights are very valuable. They are
the blessed days of the Almighty. The month of Rajab is a great
opportunity for all pious hearts to strengthen their ties with
the Almighty. All human beings need this spiritual communion because
the forgetful heart will be targeted by the shaitan. When the
shaitan takes over the mind and the spirit of a human being corruption
in the world will be spread.
The importance
of piety and spirituality
The true and deep way to combat any form of evil
and corruption in the world is to be close to God and to immunize
our heart and soul against the shaitan's influence and rule. If
shaitan had not ruled the hearts of some of the people who originated
major works in human societies, the world would have been able
to see peace, mankind would have been able to see security and
safety.
All the miseries of mankind stem from being separated
from God. Therefore, in Islam there are opportunities to establish
a special connection with God Almighty. One such opportunity is
the month of Rajab. We should value the month of Rajab. The prayers
said in that month are all lessons. They are not merely tongue
wagging.
Those prayers should be heartfelt and with an awareness
of their deep meaning. Let them run through your hearts and tongues.
In the month of Rajab and then the month of Sha'ban, a Muslim,
young, old, woman or man should have clear and close relations
with God in order to prepare themselves for the month of Ramadan.
Then, the month of Ramadan becomes a divine feast.
We should prepare before enjoying that feast. "Cleanse
yourself before you walk into the tavern" [part of an old
Farsi poem]. That cleansing should be done in the months of Rajab
and Sha'ban so that one could arrive at the divine feast of Ramadan
and benefit from it.
If we manage to benefit from the month of Ramadan,
then we can see progress in our own behavior, manners, outlook
and ideology. We become our own judges and we would be able to
recognize development. If we do not undergo such tests we would
feel the ensuing miseries and problems with all our existence
and in the atmosphere of society. We should take advantage of
the month of Rajab.
On the importance
of the martyrs and the armed forces
To you, the families of martyrs, in particular,
the issue of martyrs and martyrdom is one of the most outstanding
issues in Islam. Our martyrs are not people who have died in a
war for hegemony. They are different from those who have been
killed in ordinary wars in many parts of the world, where they
have attacked the lands of others.
There is a difference between those and our martyrs.
Our country was invaded; our independence was attacked; the honor
of this nation was attacked; they shouted abuse at us; all the
big powers joined forces against us; the same people in the world
who talk so much about peace and security today, they equipped
one of the cruelest governments against us; they attacked our
home, our cities, our villages, our roads, our installations;
they violated our borders.
If the armed forces had not stood strong and mobilized
itself against the enemy, if the Iranian nation, in the form of
Basij, had not gone to sacrifice themselves alongside the armed
forces, do you know what would have become of the country?
Do you know how the enemy would have trampled on
the honor of this great nation, the dignity of this great nation
and the pride of this great nation? This nation, all of us, owe
our life to the combatants and the dear martyrs. The martyrs were
the ones who demonstrated greater bravery and boldness. They didn't
fear danger and they were martyred. Some flew to the heaven and
others turned into living-martyrs [the war disabled]. It is the
blood of the martyrs, the endeavor of the disabled and the effort
of the combatants which brought security and peace to our country.
Those who speak against the armed forces, who speaks
against the Basij forces should understand that they are not serving
the interests and the future of the country. The armed forces,
be they the organized armed forces or the members of the Basij,
who are prepared to enter into battle in order to defend all the
people and the borders of the country, are among the most valuable
groups in our society. Everyone needs them and this will be realized
at the time of danger.
In its cultural onslaught, the enemy tries to weaken
and discredit the resistance of our people, and, in reality, smash
the people's resistance and destroy their bastions. The most important
bastion of a human being is his bastion of faith, motivation and
love. You should not allow these bastions in your hearts to collapse
and be destroyed by them.
Martyrdom, is a pleasant-smelling and scented flower
which can only be reached and smelled by those chosen people and
those chosen by God from amongst human beings.
The families of the martyrs should be proud of their
martyrs. The ailed spouses, the bereaved mothers and fathers and
the children who have never seen their father have experienced
these hardships, but now they should feel proud. It was your fathers,
husbands and children that were able to bring dignity to this
country, which today, thank God, is very precious. If it was not
for them, our situation would be different.
Some issues have been brought up in the world today
under the influence of the incidents which occurred in some of
cities in America.
The wave of global propaganda and political moves
continuously fan the flames of bias propaganda reports. World
media is controlled by a particular group. World newspapers, radios
and television stations are controlled by capitalists, and the
rich and powerful. They are not in the hands of ordinary people,
or intellectual, pious or wise people.
They disseminate whatever they like and whatever
corresponds with their own interests. They divert them into communication
channels of radios, televisions, news agencies and newspapers,
and spread them throughout the world and some groups, unaware
of what they are doing, take up those reports . Unfortunately,
some groups also help them while they do not benefit from what
they are doing, but they help such waves of selfishness and arrogance.
During the past two or three weeks and since the
explosions in America turned into global and international matters,
our country's officials have adopted some good stances and mentioned
some good points. At the same time, I would like to mention a
few points in order to inform our dear nation, which, God be praised,
is quite alert.
The first point is that the behavior and remarks
of the American government and officials concerning this incident
were very arrogant and pretentious and continue to be so. Their
remarks do no tally with any kind of logic. Of course, their dignity
has been badly harmed, their security reputation has been badly
dented, but those are not adequate reasons for resorting to their
arrogant image in order to compensate for their humiliation.
They put on a very angry face to tell the people
of the world that: O' people of the world, we are angry and you
do not dare say anything which would contradict what we are saying.
No one should dare say anything different from what they are saying.
They think that, through such methods, they can sideline independent
people, nations and governments.
An example of what they say is that whoever is not
with us is with the terrorists. That is very wrong. No, that is
not the case. Many are on the side of America and are more dangerous
than many terrorists of the world. Today, the government of Israel
is sheltering the most dangerous of terrorists. Those leading
that government have personally ordered and taken part in the
most tragic acts of terrorism. Right now they are committing acts
of terrorism and they are also on the side of America.
That is not correct that anyone who is with you
is not with the terrorists. No, that is not the case. The most
stubborn and evil terrorists are on your side right now. The same
applies to the opposite side. Anyone who is not with us [America],
is on the side of the terrorists. No, that is not right either.
We are not with you and we are not on the side of the terrorists
either. [People chant: Allahu Akbar, Khamene'i is the leader,
death to America, death to Israel
]
Criticizing US
treatment of Muslims
The second point is that from the early hours after
the incident, they made the general atmosphere of their country
anti-Islamic. How did you determine in those first hours that
Muslims have conducted this act? If your information apparatus
is so powerful that from the early hours, the radio and television
in America spoke in such a way that everyone believed that it
was the work of Muslims, if you are so powerful in information
gathering , then why haven't you been able to detect this widespread
operation which has definitely taken months and some even say
years to plan. How did you realize that it was the Muslims?
They made the general atmosphere such that people
in America attacked mosques and attacked, shot and stabbed those
Muslims who had an Islamic appearance. In America and some European
countries they made the atmosphere anti-Islamic.
The American president in his first remarks said
that this was a Crusade. The Crusades are the wars which the Christians
set out from Europe to capture Bayt al-Muqaddas [Jerusalem]. Those
wars lasted for 200 years. At the end, however, Christians and
Europeans were defeated by the victorious Muslims who forced them
out of the region. The crusade means the battle between Islam
and Christianity.
Why should a senior official be so inconsiderate
and unrestrained in his speech if he did not have any ill intentions?
Why have they accused the world Muslims of committing a terrorist
and disastrous act? They, first, turn the public opinion against
Islam and then, officially, tell the people not to attack the
Muslims. How could this be possible?
They have created an atmosphere under which Muslims
and Arabs are condemned. They publish Arabic and Islamic names
and pictures of people with Arabic attire in their dailies. Do
they mean that there was no American or westerner or people with
western names among those accused of committing this act? Did
they all have Islamic names? Why have not they published those
names? They, first, create such an atmosphere, then advise the
people not to attack the Muslims and say that Muslims are good.
Is such a thing possible? This is a very bad and ugly act with
long-lasting repercussions which will not be rectified easily
or anytime soon.
The third point is that in these issues, they have
been very demanding. Now that they have been attacked, the Americans
expect the entire world to cooperate with them. Why? Because their
interests have experienced a blow. Well, this is very demanding.
Have you ever respected the interests of others,
that you now expect everyone to respect yours? In today's world,
is the possession of cannons, guns and missiles a permit for a
government to say that: It has to be what I say and nothing else?
Will the people of the world accept this? It is these that has
made America detestable.
Look and see that today in which countries the people
are burning the American flag. Everywhere is not Iran. This conference
that was recently held in South Africa [the Durban Conference]
demonstrated the feelings of the world people, organizations and
the different governments. With its bullying and great demands,
America has isolated itself.
If the American interests in the Persian Gulf are
threatened, everyone has to cooperate. But if the interests of
the Persian Gulf countries are threatened it doesn't matter. Many
times they have trampled on the interests of different countries
including our country, now they are saying that the whole world
has to cooperate with them because their interests have come under
attack. This is a great demand.
On Israeli terrorist
acts
The next point is that in the minds of the American
officials the meaning of terrorism is wrong. They define terrorism
incorrectly. They define terrorism in such a way that the massacre
of the people of Sabra and Shatila - two Palestinian camps in
Lebanon, in which men, women and children were all massacred one
night on the orders of a person who is at present at the head
of the usurper Zionist regime [Ariel Sharon] - is not terrorism.
That does not constitute as terrorism in the eyes of the Americans.
A few years ago, some people gathered in front of
the UN office in Qana, in Lebanon, to stage a protest. An Israeli
airplane, or helicopter, came along and killed hundreds of them,
men, women and children, hungry, thirsty people. They sprayed
them with bullets and killed them all. They do not consider that
as terrorism.
Many times they Israelis have kidnapped, killed
people in Lebanon. That is not considered as terrorism. A few
months ago the usurper government approved that certain Palestinians
should be assassinated. They even mentioned the term assassination.
They said they should be assassinated, and they assassinated them.
They blew up their cars, they killed several people. All that
is not considered as terrorism.
Criticizing
America
But the people of Palestine, who have risen in the
defense of their lands and to reclaim their violated rights, who
scream with stones in their hands - they have no weapons - are
called terrorists. That is the logic of the Americans. Well, that
is an incorrect logic. The world will not accept that logic.
The next point is that, they Americans say: We have
no good and bad terrorists, that all terrorists are bad. But in
practice they, themselves, divide terrorism into good and bad.
In the skies of the Persian Gulf they shoot down an Iranian airliner
with hundreds of passengers onboard, without any reason or excuse;
they blow up the airplane, tear the people into pieces and drown
them in the sea - a clear case of terrorism. But then they give
the commander of the warship a prize.
Where can mankind take that grievance to? Not only
do they not put them on trial, not only do they not admonish them,
not only do they not apologize to Iran, but they give a prize
to the commander of the warship. That is good terrorism. [People
chant: Death to America, several times]
Their logic is wrong. The purport is wrong and they
expect the entire world to mobilize behind them for the sake of
this wrong purport. Moreover, they expect the rest of the world
to help them. That is, not only they expect the world not to protest
against them, but they want help from everyone too.
On US intentions
in Central Asia
On the whole the evidences show that there is something
else behind the scene of Afghanistan's issue today. They and their
wrath are facing the hapless Afghanistan which has no supporters,
because one man - or perhaps 10, 100 or 1,000 people inside that
country - are accused of being behind the explosions in New York
and other places. But behind the scene, the issue is different.
Firstly, evidences show that the American government
intends to repeat what it did in the Persian Gulf in this region,
that is, in Central Asia. They intend to come and establish themselves
in this region under the pretext of lack of security here. Evidences
show that they intend to do so in Pakistan, the Subcontinent,
the Central Asia and in Afghanistan, on the other side of our
eastern borders.
Secondly, they want to settle scores with anyone
who defended the oppressed people of Palestine. This is what they
are really pursuing, the rest are superficial matters.
No help for US
over Afghanistan
The next point concern their statements in which
they have demanded that Iran should help them. They have asked
for various assistance, including intelligence information and
other forms of help. I am surprised how they have the audacity
to ask the Islamic Republic government and the Iranian nation
to help them?
Over the past 23 years, you have employed everything
and all your might to inflict blows on this nation and this country.
Now you expect us to help you? What help? Even if the nation of
Afghanistan were not Muslims and oppressed and even if they were
not our neighbor, your request for assistance would have been
misplaced. Let alone the fact that the nation of Afghanistan is
oppressed and deprived. Truly, one feels sorry for the people
of Afghanistan.
You the American government expect assistance from
the Islamic Republic. No, we shall not offer any assistance to
America and its allies in their attack on Afghanistan. [People
chanting Allahu Akbar, Khamene'i is our leader, death to America,
death to Israel
]
Doubting America's
sincerity
In the final analysis, we doubt the sincerity of
the American government's intention to combat terrorism. It is
insincere and does not tell the truth. It has other aims.
We do not think that America is qualified to lead
an international movement against terrorism. America's hands are
soiled with all the crimes committed by the Zionist regime in
the recent years, which it is currently continuing with utmost
ruthlessness and violence. Destroying people's houses with tanks.
America is supporting this.
Such a government lacks the necessary qualification
to lead an international movement against terrorism. Everybody
should know this, and our country's officials have also stated
this in private gatherings and meetings. I also would like to
repeat it for the benefit of our public and the world. Everybody
should know that Iran, the Islamic Iran, will not participate
in any movement that is led by America. [People chanting Allahu
Akbar, Khamene'i is our leader, death to America, death to Israel
]
Fight against
terrorism is Jihad
Of course, the fight against terrorism and the fight
against those who undermine the people's security is an essential
fight. It is a must. It is a Jihad. Anyone who can take part in
this fight, must do so. But this is a global movement and therefore
should have a moral leader.
Over the past few days our officials have declared
that we are ready to help and join this movement under the auspices
of the United Nations. Yes, let me say that the UN is good but
there is one condition. And that is, the UN should not be influenced
by America and other major powers. Otherwise , if the UN and its
Security Council or other departments were to be influenced by
them by the American administration and other major powers , one
could not trust the UN either. We do not have good experience
over such matters in the past.
Here, the Islamic governments shoulder a heavy burden
of responsibility. They must enter the arena as a global movement
against terrorism, against violation of the people's lives and
against violence which infringes the daily life of human citizens.
They must enter the arena as an immense humanitarian movement.
This is a great obligation and the Organization of the Islamic
Conference is duty-bound in this respect. We, as members of the
OIC, believe that one of the essential obligations of this organization
is to enter this arena is a must. It must, however, be present
in this arena independently. It must not be a subservient to this
or that power.
On the other hand, the issue of Afghanistan's nation
is raised today. The nation of Afghanistan is a Muslim nation.
It is part of the Islamic ummah.
On the plight
of Afghans
The innocent people of Afghanistan have committed
no crime. Are the lives of those who died in the World Trade Center
in New York more precious than those of the people of Afghanistan?
Why? Is it because their collars are dirty? Is it because they
have been deprived of hygiene, nourishment, peace of mind and
security, all because of people who for many years were lackeys
of the big powers? Is that the reason?
Before the events in Afghanistan, the coup d'etat
twenty odd years ago, those who were in power were lackeys of
the big powers. Then the communists came into power; they were
affiliated to the Soviet Union. And what happen then, the people
know and can see.
The interference of the powers has determined the
fate of the people of Afghanistan in recent years. These are the
reasons for the poverty and backwardness of the people of Afghanistan.
Otherwise the people of Afghanistan are freedom loving, with a
very rich and ancient culture, they are brave, very talented.
We know the people of Afghanistan. We have lived
together for centuries. We know that they are very talented people.
They are not inferior to any other people in the world. And they
have so many stronger points. What crime have they committed that
they should be the victims of various objectives and policies?
The Organization of the Islamic Conference and Islamic governments
have a duty here.
They must act wisely and rationally and do not allow
the Afghan people to be harmed. Even if a few terrorists - we
cannot be certain of this of course, this being a claim by the
Americans - have camps there. Well, Afghan people should not have
to pay for sins committed by them. Why should they be trampled
on?
We ask God to bestow His Grace on Islam the Muslims
[People say Aamin]. We ask God to protect Islamic countries against
their enemies [People say Aamin]. Gladly, our government and nation
have been treading on its own correct path with patience, wisdom,
calmness and steadfastness. Our government and nation will continue
on the same correct and dignified road. May God bless this country
and nation and keep them in the prayers of Hadhrat Baqiyatullah
(AJ) [People chanting God is our protector and Khamene'i is our
leader].