INTRODUCTION TO SPEECH NUMBER NINETEEN

The killing of Hasan ‘All Mansur and the subsequent appointment of Amir Abbas Hoveyda as Prime Minister (January 26, 1965/Bahman 6,1343 AHS) ushered in a period of relative, albeit transient, stability for the Shah’s regime As the bloody war in Vietnam continued, Israel in the Middle East prepared itself for a widespread attack on Muslim lands In Iran, SAVAK, using the experiences gained from the crushing of the Khordad I 5 uprising and the arrest of members of the United Islamic Groups and the Islamic Nations Party , set about strengthening its organization with supervision and training from the security forces of America and Israel ^{( 389)} . Meanwhile in Najaf, Imam Khomeini, unassisted, and at a time when many of his friends were in prison or exile, embarked on the lengthy and arduous task of trying to reform ideas at the theological centre. The prevalent mood at the centre was in no way Propitious for mention of struggle and uprising and many there saw interference J politics as degrading the position of the clergy. In addition, apart from juriprudence {fiqh} and dogmatic theology {usul}, other subjects were. regarded as improper and taboo.

However, even with all these problems, the sapling of the Khordad 15 uprising in Iran and Najaf grew stronger and more fructiferous day by day. On  the anniversary of the assault by the regime’s agents on the Fayziya Madrasa (February 1 6, 1 966/Bahman 28,1344 AHS), the students of the Madrasa issued a declaration ^{( 390)} in which they revealed some of the atrocities committed by the regime and resounded the voice of the people’s protest against the continued exile of Imam Khomeini and imprisonment of Ayatullah Taleqani for the world to hear.

In the early months of 1966 (1345 AHS), further arrests of effective elements at the Madrasa took place ^{( 391)} . In one section of a proclamation issued in protest at the recent waves of arrests and signed openly by many of the religious students and scholars of the centre in Qum , we read: “Those who carry out such audacious acts wittingly or unwittingly are preparing the grounds for a profound explosion in the theological centre of Qum and in other parts of the country ^{( 392)} .”

The publication of the message of the religious students at the Qum theological centre in support of the strike by Tehran University students (May 3-20, 1 966/ Ordibihisht 13-301345 AHS) was a step towards the establishment of closer relations and increased co-operation between the theological centre and the university in the struggle ^{( 393)} . In addition , the declaration of the teachers and students of the Qum theological centre issued on the anniversary of the Khordad 15 uprising (i.e. on June 5 , 1 966/Khurdad 15,1345 AHS) and the revelatory letter sent to the military prosecutor by two prominent clergymen from Qazil Qal’ a prison ^{( 394)} (a copy of which was sent to the marjai’-i taqlid, the Human Rights Commission and the UnIted Nations) constituted further steps taken by those committed clergy loyal to Imam Khomeini towards keeping the flames of the Khordad 15 movement ablaze.

On June 5, 1967 (Khurdad 15,1346 AHS) , the usurpatory regime of Quds, in implementing its malicious and expansionist scheme (from the Nile to the Euphrates) and with the all-out support of America, began its full-scale, multilateral attack on the Arab countries in the region - amongst these primarily Egypt, Syria and Jordan - and using its powerful military capability it plunged the Arab Middle East into a devastating Six Day War. Israel’s main objectives behind the war were to secure its expansionist goals and break the resistance of Egypt’s beloved leader Jamal ‘Abdul Nasser.

Imam Khomeini persistently emphasised the iniquity suffered by the Palestinian people at the hands of the usurpatory Zionist regime and the illegality of that regime. Previously, when appropriate, he had called on the Muslim nations to struggle against the occupiers of Quds, and now too, in an emotional, fiery declaration issued on June 7, 1967 (Khurdad 1 7,1346 AHS), he urged the Islamic nations to unite against the common enemy. Imam was fully aware of the close political, military and economic relations that existed between the Iranian regime and the. Zionist occupiers and that Israel’s oil needs were met by Iran. Thus, in his declaration, he proclaimed any kind of relation with Israel and the sale of oil to the Zionist regime as being illegal and contrary to Islam.

On June 9, 1967 (Khurdad 19,1346 AHS), in its news broadcast at twelve midnight local time, Radio Iraq interrupted its normal programmers and broadcast the text of Imam’s declaration initially in the Arabic language and then in Persian. This act constituted recognition, on the part of the Arab leaders, of the importance of its contents and of the effectiveness of Imam’s words and his role in mobilising the Muslim masses of Iran and other Islamic countries of the region. One part of the declaration reads: “This corrupt element (Israel), which has been placed in the heart of the Islamic countries with the support of the great imperialist governments and whose corrupt roots threaten the Islamic countries every day, should be rooted out through the determination and concerted efforts of the Islamic countries and the great Muslim nations. Assisting Israel, whether in the form of selling weapons and explosives or oil, is haram ^{( 395)} and contrary to Islam. Relations with Israel and its agents, whether political or trade relations, are haram and contrary to Islam and Muslims must stop using Israeli products and goods.”

Other maraji’ and ‘ulama of the theological schools also rushed to help their Arab and Palestinian brothers, who were under attack from the usurpatory Israeli regime, by issuing proclamations and opening bank accounts through which pecuniary donations could be made. The Shah’s spy network, led by Israel and America, forbade the holding of ceremonies to commemorate the martyrdom of Palestinians, and through threats, intimidation and seizing the people’s contributions, as well as arresting those actively involved, it began to confront the waves of the Iranian people’s support for the struggles of the Arabs. A ceremony which was due to take place at the Ark Mosque in Tehran on June 7, 1967 (Khurdad 17,1346 AHS) in honor of those martyred in the Arab-Israeli war was stopped, as was an anti-Israel demonstration planned by the people of Tehran. According to one of SAVAK’s documents: “As ordered, the collection of money for the Arab countries - especially Jordan -through Ayatullah Shari’ atmadari does not pose a problem. If anyone else sets about preparing or distributing proclamations other than those of Shari’ atmadari, you are to take the necessary steps and report the outcome ^{( 396)} .” Signed Moqaddam.

In the following months, SAVAK, prevent his pictures and revolutionary slogans from being plastered onto doors and walls. In the summer of 1967 (1346 AHS), agents of SAVAK attacked the Madrasa ransacking it and plundering some of the students’ belongings. In Tehran and Qom, the friends of Imam once again demonstrated in protest at these actions congregational prayer gatherings were suspended. He Town and City Police and the Gendarmerie of Qum laid plans for occupying the Fayziya Madrasa which at that time was a centre for politically conscious activist elements of the revolution and for the distribution of Imam’s proclamations and directives. Their aims were to stop the distribution of Imam’s directives and to after hearing news of the plunder of the Fayziya Madrasa, the clerics followers of Imam in Najaf also took to the streets of this city in protest. In addition, went to the homes of the prominent clergy there to seek their help in ending these tragedies. Imam Khomeini, in a short discourse given #n the occasion, thanked the demonstrators for their expression of support and qmpathy for the oppressed clergy and people of Iran, and called on them to ⁽¹¹⁰⁾ perseverance and be steadfast.

The protests and opposition to the occupation of the Fayziya Madrasa forced the regime to concede defeat and return the Madrasa to the clergy. However, at the same time, it secured a pledge from some of the prominent clerics that they would prevent any kind of political activity from taking place. At the Madrasa . Nevertheless, on the first night of the re-opening of the Madrasa, the sound of salawat for the health of Imam Khomeini rang out from a congregational prayer gathering-taking place there.

Following these events , Eyewitness accounts of the attack and existing records show that at 10 am on Tuesday November 13, 1967 (Aban 22,1346 AHS), police and SAVAK agents, accompanied by a representative from the Public Prosecutor’s office in Qum, attacked Imam’s house and, in an operation which lasted until 1 pm of the same day, seized all of Imam’s books - which according to SAVAK reports amounted to more than ten thousand volumes - along with many historical papers and documents which they then transferred to the offices of SAVAK ^{( 398)} in Imam’s home and prohibited Imam’s brother, Ayatullah Pasandida, from residing in Qum, sending him instead to Tehran. Other frenzied actions at the Shah’s regime at this time included an attack on Imam Khomeini’s home in Qum on the pretext of carrying out investigations, and ordering that there to be no comings and goings of people to the house and that nobody was to congregate there. The agents also ransacked Imam’s new library in Qum called valiasr and stole thousands of books in the different fields of science, politics, economics and ethics. Further, in response to Imam’s political moves in Najaf, the regime summoned those people responsible for paying out Imam’s stipends to SAVAK headquarters and intimidated them into signing letters to the effect that they would stop paying the stipends sent by Imam for the religious students in Qum. The arrest of a number of ‘ulama who supported Imam ^{( 399)} , the attack on the residents of the Hajj Abulfath Madrasa in Tehran and locking the doors of that Madrasa constitute other trammels laid down by the Shah’s regime for the supporters of Imam Khomeini A number of the clergy who found themselves without shelter and support were forced to migrate to Najaf By dint of these many plots and tricks, the Shah hoped to break Imam spirit and stop him in his struggle and moves against his monarchical regime for good However, some of SAVAK’s documents of this time speak of the Shah’s failure in his aims “According to information obtained, payment of Khomeini’s stipends in Najaf and other theological centers, including Qum, has increased, and even with all the restrictions placed upon him, the aforementioned still pays his stipends and it is even said that he is in a much better situation now than when he was in Iran. Thus, bearing in mind the importance of this matter, it is requested that the order be given to utilize all means possible to identify those who pay their religious dues to Khomeini and also those who collect this money and send it on to Iraq ^{( 400)} ”

On receiving these and other sinlar reports, the Shah realized that sending Imam into exile in Najaf had in no way helped the regime. Consequently, he afforded much haste in contacting the Iraqi government in order to obtain their agreement to change Imam’s place of exile and send him to a relatively far-off country (such as India) where the Iranians and Muslims would have difficulty in reaching him. It was the intention of the regime, according to its normal practice, to kidnap Imam quietly from Najaf and take him to an undisclosed destination. This plan however was divulged and different groups of people warned the Iraqi government, through letters and telegrams, of the unpleasant consequences of such an action. As a result, the Shah’s scheme to transfer Imam from Iraq to exile in India was defeated by the strong reaction shown by various political and religious groups in Iran and the world

ASPEECH NUMBER NINETEEN

The scheme of the government in Tehran is more serious than first imagined. Their design in closing the Fayziya Madrasa and imprisoning the ‘ulama and religious students is to cause disruption in the Madrasa and to destroy Islam and the clergy. They want neither Islam to exist nor the clergy; for they realize that as long as Islam and the clergy exist in the country, they cannot implement the orders of their masters and make Iran completely dependent on foreigners. By the festivals ⁽⁴⁰¹⁾ that they create every day and the weaponry that they are constantly buying from this place and that ^{( 402)} , by their wasteful spending and extravagance, they are trying to drive the Iranian nation towards calamity and bankruptcy and, God forbid, to make us the beggars of America and Israel. However, he assured, they will not succeed. Praise is to God, the nation is awake and the Iranian clergy know what their duties are. The imperialists have not been able to deceive the clergy of Iran and put them to sleep, and, God willing, with this awareness they will sever the hands of the traitors to Islam and the country. You have a duty to help your brothers in Iran in whatever way possible. Persevere in the face of difficulties and he steadfast; even this expression of sympathy and support for the oppressed people of Iran will itself be effective. May God awaken everyone from the slumber of ignorance? . ⁽⁴⁰³⁾