INTRODUCTION TO SPEECH NUMBER TWENTY-TWO

Date:December 23, 1971 (AD) / Dey 2,1350 (AHS) ^{( 464)} / Dhu aI-Qa’dah 4,1391 (AH)
Place:Shaykh Ansari Mosque, Najaf, Iraq .
Theme:Denouncing the Ba’athist regime’s deportation of Iranians and the announcement of Imam’s decision to Migrate

Even though Imam Khomeini (pbuh), who was living out his exile in Iraq, was the most adamant opponent of the regime in Iran, he never took advantage of the discord that existed between the Ba’athist and the Iranian regimes. In 1971, the Iraqi regime revengefully decided to deport thousands of Iranians from Iraqi soil and thus the latter were brutally cast out into the freezing cold wilderness near the border.

Imam Khomeini strongly objected to the measures taken by the Iraqi leaders, and denounced their inhuman behaviour. The Iraqi regime’s schemes to silence Imam were unsuccessful, and thus it was forced to turn to a new tactic. Hence, to all outward appearances it stopped deporting Iranians, but acwally by creating intolerable conditions Iranians were still in fact forced to leave Iraq. Meanwhile, Teymor Bakhtjar, acting as mediator, officially announced that the deportation of Iranians had stopped and that those who had been deported could return. He also arranged for Iranians, especially clergymen, to be able to leave Iraq of their own will.

On July 5, 1969 (Tir 1 4,1348 AHS) the new governor of Karbala, Shabib al-Maleki, went to see Imam Khomeini during his visit to Najaf, and after delivering the greetings and salutations of Iraq’s President to Imam, met with indifference concerning the deportation issue, much to the astonishment of those present.

The following day, Jomhuri , the newspaper associated with the Iraqi regime, distorted a report concerning the meeting between the new governor of Karbala, Imam, and a number of high-ranking clergymen by writing that during this visit the governor had stated that the revolutionary Iraqi government, headed by Ahmad Hasan Abubakr, held the men of religion in particularly high regard because the clergy were men of truth, justice and brotherly love, and he had added that the July 1 7 revolution provided the answers for all of the clergy’s equitable demands. The report continued by describing how the clergy had thanked the governor and had wished the governing officials success, and that then they had commended the Iraqi government’s actions concerning the returning of Iranians to Iraq and had expressed their contempt towards the oppressive government of Iran regarding their instigation of the Shatt al-Arab problem. Imam became angry after reading this report and on July 8, 1969 (Tir 1 7,1348 AHS) summoned the governor of Najaf asking him to retract the article, but Iraqi officials cleverly contrived not to do so; and in spite of everything, Iranians continued to be deported from Iraq. The Ba’athist regime confiscated the latter’s belongings and sent them to Iran without giving them any preparation time. Imam’s efforts to stop this inhuman behaviour had not been successful. He announced his decision to migrate from Iraq to Lebanon in a speech delivered on December 23, 1971 (Dey 2,1350 AHS)  at the Shaykh Ansari Mosque in the presence of a group of religious students and clergymen of Najaf.

Imam Khomeini’s decision alarmed the Iraqi regime, for it knew that his statements would expose the Ba’athist regime even more than before and would damage their international reputation. Therefore, because of this, they opposed Imam’s departure. The Iranian government became aware of Imam’s conflict with the Iraqi regime and thus tried to take advantage of the situation,

However, Imam’s unique and keen awareness prevented SAVAK and its Iraqi agents from achieving their objective.

When I sent the Iraqi officials a telegram stating my views concerning their behaviour, not only did they ignore my counsel, they reacted by taking the harsh measures that we all saw. ^{( 465)} after this I decided I need no longer remain. Tomorrow I shall request to leave, but

Wherever I may be, my affections will remain with you my brothers, just as if I were here.

As for those of you remaining here, be you clergymen of Afghanistan, India , . . . Iraq or wherever, our relationship will remain the same once I have gone as it was when I was here . . . I hope that the Iranian clergymen will safely achieve their goals and, God willing, will find a position in one of the religious centers, either in Qum, or, if this is not possible, then in Mashhad, in order to protect the religious centers of learning. I also hope that just as the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his descendants, left Mecca one day, thinking that he would never return, so you too who are being forced to leave this place , you whose ultimate desire is to be near Imam ‘Ali and the religious centre of learning in Najaf, will also one day be able to return. I hope that God the Blessed, the Exalted, will protect this place, for there still remains a group of clergymen here . . . and this is where Islamic teachings have been compiled.

This theological centre shall not be broken up; it cannot be broken up. All that can happen is that people can be changed around. Perhaps I am not worthy to be in the vicinity of the shrine of Imam ‘Au (pbuh), hut God willing, He shall choose from those who deserve to be near the Hazrat (Imam ‘Ali) and can defend Islam and the Shi i school of thought. In any case, no matter how much I think about it, it is not right for me to stay at a time when my friends are leaving, when our religious brothers are being sent away in such a manner. By comparison, I was told that when it was decided to throw the Jews out of Baghdad some time ago, they were given six months prior notice and an official body was set up to ensure that the property of the Jews would be bought from them at a fair price. Yet, this is the manner in which they behave with you and with the Iranian Shi’as here. It is deplorable that this country should act in this way with those living in the vicinity of the holy shrines of the Twelve (Immaculate) Imams, peace be upon them, and it is no longer right for me to remain here. Tomorrow therefore, I shall request permission to go to Lebanon where, just as the two martyrs ^{( 466)} (may God bless them) attained martyrdom, so too, God willing, (the audience weeps heavily for a considerable length of time)

Wherever you gentlemen may be, wherever we may be, our hearts must be brave and we must be ready to endure whatever unpleasantness may come our way, be it in Iran or here in Iraq, and we must serve Islam. Do not imagine that this kind of hardship is detrimental to you, for this is not so. It is to your benefit, for not only will God the Exalted favour you, but also your deeds will achieve favourable results here in this world. Look how we are treated in Iran, and in what manner we are treated in Iraq. For a certain group of Shi’ as the situation is like that in Iran and like this in Iraq.

These people, these merchants, businessmen, women and children, are now being sent to the borders in the bitter cold of winter, and there they meet with people who treat them more severely still. These poor, unfortunate people are worse off than you, and I truly feel sorry for them.

In any event, you must be strong. Prepare yourselves and remember God the Blessed, the Most High, for He is your benefactor (the audience weeps bitterly.) You have God on your side and He will help you; and God willing, this theological school will remain secure.