On October 22, 1978 (Mehr 30, 1357 AHS), Imam Khomeini once again delivered two important speeches. In this his first discourse, he points to the suffering of the Iranian nation, the circumstances surrounding Riza Khan’s rise to power and his transformation into monarch saying: “We all know that the Iranian nation has lived under the yoke of the Pahiavi dynasty for more than fifty years. This dynasty was initiated with the rule of Riza Khan, the servant of the British who brought him to power. In our more recent history, it has been his vicious son, the servant of America, who has dominated us. He himself confessed that the Allies thought it fitting that he should be in control of affairs. .

In the book Tarikh-i Bist Saleh-yi Iran we read: “ . . . The British Foreign Office openly admits that its government interferes in the affairs of Iran and that it brought Riza Khan to power. In order to successfully continue with this policy of hidden influence, the British Foreign Office brought a large organisation into being. To say that this secret organisation has complete flfluence in all the political, social, administrative and cultural affairs of our

Country would be an understatement. It carries out the duties assigned to It so skilfully that there is no limit to what it can achieve . . . “^{( 164)}

Confirmation of the British role in the origins of the Pahiavi dynasty is supplied by the memoirs of Major-General Sir Edmund Ironsides, Once commander of the British forces in Iran. He wrote on February 23, 1921, the day of Riza Shah’s coup d’etat: “I fancy that all the people think I engineered the coup d’etat. I suppose I did strictly speaking.”^{( 165)} In August 1941, British and Soviet forces invaded Iran in a move to forestall the growth of German influence, to secure the oil fields of Iran and to acquire a route for the transport of supplies tothe Soviet Union. During the invasion, and despite the fact that throughout the Second World War Iran had declared her neutrality, Riza Shah was ousted by the very patron who had brought him to power, exiled to Mauritius and his twenty-two-year-old son Muhammad Riza Pahlavi installed on the throne. The report given of his “abdication” was: “On September 16, 1941, Riza Khan, exhausted by having expended all his energy on the country over the past few years, announced that he was to abdicate. Early in the morning he left, the Sa’d Abad palace and headed for his palace in the city where his baggage was ready and waiting for him. His letter of abdication was drawn up ready for him to sign. He then set off to lsfahan.”⁽¹⁶⁶⁾

After the Anglo-Russian invasion of Iran, British Foreign Minister Anthony Eden made a statement conceding that Britain had engineered the rise to power of Riza Shah.^{( 167)}

So British Imperialism, in the form of Major-General Ironside, had engineered Riza Khan’s rise from a humble officer in the Cossack Brigade to absolute ruler of Iran, and fifteen years later his son was made nominal suzerain of the country by the World War Two Allies. At the time, the British and Russian occupiers had no other option but to install Muhammad Riza on the throne, for they had no other suitable candidate. A fortuitous international situation at the time was to prove propitious for the establishment of his rule. As Russian forces continued their occupation of northern provinces of the country past, the deadline provided by treaty after the war had ended, the United States moved In on the pretext of assisting anti-communist forces. By larch 1946, the Red Army had moved out of Iranian territory and the US Had gained a strong foothold in the country. Gradually, the US replaced both And British influence in the country and emerged as the principal patron of the Shah’s post-war regime, propping itup with military and economic aid as well as with political backing Imam Khomeini refers to these events in this speech, and touches on the 1~943 Tehran Conference in which Franklin Roosevelt, the US President at the time met with the then British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Throughout the crisis of the last year of Muhammad Riza Pahlavi’s rule, American support remained stalwart. In December 1977, US President Jimmy Carter paid a brief visit to Tehran where he announced that the Shah and he had identical views on human rights, and that there was no leader in the world for whom he felt such “deep gratitude and personal friendship” as the Shah^{( 168)} In the days following the) Jaleh Square massacre (September 8, 1 978/Shahrivar 17, 1357 AHS), Carter telephoned the Shah to reassure him of US support, while regretting the loss of life, and US diplomats underlined the vital importance of the Shah to their strategy. Other Western leaders did the same, but the Shah also received a visit in the midst of the August crisis from another friend, Chairman Hua Kuo-feng of China. Hua repeated conventional Chinese Views about the importance of Iran to the security of the Gulf, and when the Shah’s troops shot at the Iranian population in Jaleh Square a few days later, the Chinese press attacked the demonstrators for being “financed and organised from abroad^{( 169)} .

Imam voiced very strong objections to the Chinese leader’s visit at this time and in this speech he urges the young Iranians residing abroad to make the Voice of the oppressed people heard in the world: “You can propagate their cause and this would prove to be very valuable. You are responsible before

God. Do not suppose that because you are here, you are; thank God, relieved Of any responsibility. No, this is not the case. You are responsible before God, each one of you has a duty to speak out wherever you go and to whomever you meet.” As demonstrators took to the streets throughout Iran with shouts of “God Is Greater, Khomeini is the Leader,” and demanding “independence, freedom and an Islamic republic,” David Owen, the British Foreign Minister, disregarding the demands of the people which were being broadcast across the globe by the world’s press, stated in a press conference that if the Shah’s regime fell, the communists would take over. His statements constituted nothing other than an open expression of support for the Shah’s regime^{( 170)} .

Dr ‘All Amini, an experienced Iranian politician, reappeared as a key adviser to the Shah as the revolution came to a climax. Amini, who in May 1961 had been appointed to replace Sharif Imami as Prime Minister by the Shah who felt himself under pressure “too strong to resist^{( 171)}

from the Kennedy administration, was widely viewed by the Iranian people as being “Washington’s man” and up until a few days earlier he had not seen the formation of a military government as a fundamental solution to the problems. However, on October 22, 1978 (Mehr 30, 1357 AHS), he suddenly shifts position and says: “I am not a member of the CIA nor an American agent, but if needs necessitate, I will support the formation of a military government as long as there is no resultant bloodshed.”(!) Dr Amini had earlier stated: “I will accept the premiership on certain conditions; and my discussions with Imam Khomeini will solve all the problems.” And in discussing the Shah’s regime he had also admitted that: “This authoritarian, oppressive and rigid regime was bound to disintegrate sooner or later because its foundations are rotten.”^{( 172)}

Most certainly, when Mr Amini categorically denied his membership of the CIA, he did not think that exactly one year later documents from the American Espionage Den in Iran would fail into the hands of the Shah’s opponents and a collection under the heading of “moderates” and referring to his long association with the CIA would be published.

The judges and the employees of the Prosecutor’s Office are on full strike. Martial law agents, who until today had occupied the Prosecutor’s Office, leave the building after complaints by a few of the judges to the Minister of Justice. At a time when the media reports that most of the schools in the provincial cities are closed arid pupils are out on the streets demonstrating, the Minister of Education announces that 167 schools are dosed throughout the country. Tehran is directly confronted with a shortage of oil and petrol as tanker drivers go on strike and stoppages at the Rey oil storage depot continue. Long lines of cars can be seen at the petrol stations and people queue for cooking and heating fuel. Tehran is not too cold; the people are ready to suffer the shortages and continue the movement.

At the radio and television stations, which up until a few days ago were under the complete control of the regime, a large number of employees issue a written statement demanding the complete political neutrality of the TV and radio. The statement comes at a time when the two stations are surrounded by armed troops

The Tehran University of Technology (now renamed Sharif University of Technology) witnesses student demonstrations unknown in its history As students gather in the university grounds, the cries of “Death to the Shah” and“Long Live Khomeini” fill the air A Kayhan reporter in a dispatch from Isfahan describes how peaceful demonstrations by the people there were Marred by violence as troops, acting on the orders of General Naji, the military governor of Isfahan, tried to disperse the crowds on this occasion tear gas Canisters were thrown from army helicopters above the crowds. Demonstrations In Qum, a city which from January 9, 1977 (Dey 19, 1356 AHS) had been the initiator of this most recent uprising of the Iranian nation, continue unabated. The French Figaro newspaper writes: “The holy city of Qum situated 1 50 kilometers from Tehran, has once again been turned into the capital of the opponents of the Iranian government. The clergymen, who are now immersed in prayer and politics, have come to realise two things: one, that after years of rule by self-serving governments, there exist no other opposition forces apart from the clergy; second, that the number of communists and liberals in the country does not exceed more than the fingers on one’s hand and that even then most of these are in exile. A month ago the government apparently surrendered on all fronts, yet still when one walks Around Qum one discovers the meaning of struggle until the last breath⁽¹⁷³⁾

The key aspect of this speech is Imam’s response to the propaganda of The Western media and of some of the leftist and “Islamic Marxist” groups Inside the country who at that time endeavoured to portray the repetitive victories of the people in the recent struggles as being insignificant and who, by attacking Islam and the clergy, attempted to make it appear that the leftists had a crucial role in the movement. In this speech, Imam also draws on particular historical examples of the behaviour of the prophets and the religious leaders and compares these with examples of the actions of leaders of the materialistic schools of thought and the world powers. He then speaks out in support of the rightness of the path chosen by the Iranian nation and criticises the inhuman policies of the leaders of America, China and Russia. He goes on to describe Carter’s latest statements^{( 174)}

in support of the Shah as deceitful In concluding his speech, Imam emphasises the important role both individuals and groups can play in promoting the cause of the oppressed people of Iran and in helping their voice to reach the world. Finally he says: “Our nation is now crying out that this traitor must go, they are shouting ‘death to this monarchy,’ and, God willing, It will be swept away. When a nation wants something, God willing it will achieve it.

Some of the gentlemen say that if I have any commands, they are ready to carry them out^{( 175)}

I have no commands; they are not mine to give. The commands that we are now all mindful of and we must obey are the commands of God, for we are His servants and are making use of His blessings.

The Iranian nation is an oppressed nation, it is a Muslim nation, it is a nation which is blessed by God, and we who are the servants of God, wherever we are, we must help the Iranian people as much as we can. This is not the time for commands, prohibitions or leadership; the situation does not call for such things. There is no leader and follower. Now all classes of our society, from our youth - our school-children and our university and theological students - to the merchants of the bazaar and farmers, all of them know what to do. They do not need to be guided by anyone. Now everyone knows what afflicts the Muslims, the nation of Iran, the Muslim nation and the school of Islam. They know what our problems are and how they should be solved; this is clear for everyone to a certain degree, God willing.

We all know that the Iranian nation has lived under the yoke of the Pahiavi dynasty for more than fifty years, and that throughout this period the Pahiavi monarchs did whatever they wanted to this country. They tyrannised the people and acted as servants to the foreigners. This dynasty was initiated with the rule of Riza Khan, the servant of the British who brought him to power^{( 176)}

In our more recent history, it has been his vicious son, the servant of America, who has dominated us. He himself confessed in one of his speeches (which was later reproduced in a book) that the Allies thought it fitting that he should be in control of affairs, but then later, this sentence was expunged from the book because it was felt that it was a disgrace for him to admit such a thing^{( 177)}

The foreigners are the root cause of our problems, and these problems of ours have not appeared recently, they have a long history. They began when the foreigners penetrated Iran and other countries of the East. The foreign experts studied all aspects of these countries and realised that they could derive much profit from the natural resources and minerals that they found there. They knew that to do this, they had to take these resources in whatever way necessary and not let the indigenous people make use of them. Their experts know where all our mineral reserves are^{( 178)}

Once when I was in Hamadan, a former student of the religious sciences came to see me and showed me a large map on which all the villages of Hamadan province were delineated. Certain places had been marked, and when I asked him what the marks signified he told me, they indicated where minerals, petroleum or metals that had been located by foreign experts lay beneath the ground. This didn’t only happen in Hamadan. Their experts travelled through the deserts of Iran, on camels when they were the only means of transport, searching for our minerals, and when they found what they felt they could use, they marked the spot.

Over the past two hundred or three hundred years, they have also been successful in removing the obstacles, which impede their plans. They recognised Islam as being one of these obstacles and over these many years they strived to remove this barrier, which they realised would not allow them to attain their goals in the country. Their propagandists and experts disseminated deceitful propaganda against Islam. They did not present Islam as it truly is. They said that Islam, like all other religions, was a drug. They see all religions as being the opium of the people, as something used to opiate the people so whatever is taken off them they will not make a sound, and this is how they presented Islam.

The propagandists of these exploitative oil-devourers have constantly throughout this long period spread this notion, such that many of our youth who do not have enough information about Islam, who lack a correct understanding of what the Qur’ an really is, what it contains, what it demands, what solutions it offers for the problems of the day, have been deceived by them. They believe their propaganda without realising what lies behind it and where it has its roots. Today, there are those both abroad and sometimes within Iran itself who introduce our youth to certain ideologies which are neither scientifically nor politically founded, rather they are perversions that have been created and propagated in order to turn people away from Islam. For these exploiters and oil-devourers have realised that if the people recognise Islam for what it truly is, then the way would not be open for their penetration of Muslim lands. Islam leaves no way open for them, and if the Qur’ an is studied correctly, then it becomes clear that it is not a book which seeks to stupefy; it is a book which seeks to rouse the people. It was this book, which stirred those Arabs, who at that time knew nothing, to topple the mighty, oppressive empires. If the Qur’ an and the teachings of Islam were opiates, then the Muslim armies would not have spread throughout the world and destroyed the empires of the time as they did.

The battles fought by the founders of Islam or the founders of other divine, monotheistic ideologies, have always involved the prophets and the people on one side, against the monarchs on the other. Moses, upon whom be peace, took his shepherd’s staff and set off towards Pharaoh’s palace to destroy it. Pharaoh did not use Moses to stupefy the people so that he could continue with his oppression; rather Moses took his staff and stopped his tyranny. The Prophet of Islam may God’s peace and blessings be upon him and his descendants, (the audience recites a salawat) when appointed, did the same. One only needs to look at history to see whether the Prophet acted in the interests of those capitalists of Hijaz, Ta’if, Mecca and such places and encouraged apathy amongst the people so that these capitalists could do with them as they wished, or whether he stirred these weak, oppressed people, these destitute people, to battle with these capitalists until they defeated them or made human beings out of some of them.

When our youth hear of these spurious ideologies they Do not stop to consider, they Do not pay enough attention to what those promoting them are saying and why they speak so highly of such an ideology as communism. They Do not look to see what the aim behind this action is, the aim is to present the Muslims and Islam in such a way as to cause our youth to turn away from Islam. Islam is portrayed as being a means to Allow the aristocrats and the noblemen to gain dominance over the people and to prevent them from objecting. Well, they obviously haven’t read the Qur’an to see what the message of Islam is. The Qur’an contains numerous verses concerned with battle. Islam has declared war on these capitalists, on these shahs, these monarchs, it does not help them to plunder the people the ulama of Islam, the Prophet of Islam the Imams of Islam, all of them opposed the kings of their day. Harun who reigned under the title of “caliph,” imprisoned Hazrat Musa ibn Ja’far for ten or fifteen years. Why? Because he prayed? He himself prayed, both Harun and Ma’ mun⁽¹⁷⁹⁾ after him prayed. They were even the congregational prayer leaders and the leaders of the Friday prayers. So, did Harun imprison Imam Musa because he prayed? Did he have him arrested because he was a sayyid, a descendant of the Prophet, or because he was an Imam? Was this the reason? No, he arrested and imprisoned him because Imam Musa opposed his rule; he opposed the rule of the taghut - the illegitimate regime. His opposition to Harun’s regime caused all his problems. He was not arrested simply because he prayed or because he was a good man or because he was a descendant of the Prophet. No, for Harun himself invoked the Prophet’s name when he called the azan⁽¹⁸⁰⁾

and he praised, him. Imam Musa was arrested and imprisoned because he opposed Harun’s regime.

From the outset and throughout each period of history, our ‘ulama have staged uprisings. History relates their struggles and their defeats. At the time of the Imams, their sons rose up with the encouragement of the Imams themselves, it wasn’t the case that the Imams were unaware of the actions of their sons⁽¹⁸¹⁾ On occasion, the Imams, upon whom be peace, would speak out in defence of the caliphs or for some other reason, but in reality it was they who instigated the uprisings against them. The Imams praised Zayd so highly for his uprising; would they have done so had they believed him to have done something wrong? Why did they speak so highly of him? Why did they mourn him so if he was in the wrong^{( 182)}

How many uprisings of the ‘ulama have we ourselves witnessed in our own lifetime - these ‘ulama whom the leftists and others who have gone astray describe as being• court-affiliated⁽¹⁸³⁾

Those who make such statements have not looked into the matter deeply enough, they are too young to remember the uprisings, and they turn a deaf ear to accounts of the many times during the rule of Riza Shah and Muhammad Riza Shah that the ‘ulama of Islam rose up against these Pahlavis who suppressed the people so. One time it was the ‘ulama of Isfahan, another the ‘ulama of Azerbayjan, another the ‘ulama of Mashhad or Qum who came together and declared their opposition’^{( 184)} When did these ‘ulaina work for the interests of the court? Of course, in all social groups, the world over one finds a few people who are insincere and work for the rulers, and this rings true for our society too. But that does not mean to say that ours is an ideology that opiates the people or that those in whose hands this ideology lies have always been the allies of the oppressors and the friends of the monarchs. No, this is not so. This is all just propaganda. They have used this propaganda on you. The oil-devourers have promoted these ideas saying so-and-so is a British agent in order to destroy that gentleman’s reputation. The British themselves allow such ideas to circulate, for they know that they are held in such low esteem by the people that if someone is seen to be associated with them, then he too will be regarded in the same light. That gentleman is a British agent, that one has relations with America, that one has relations with somewhere else! They attempt to destroy the reputation of the clergymen one after the other.

Some of our more credulous youth have been deluded by these ideologies. You have been deceived gentlemen. Do not think that these are true ideologies; tauhid is the only true ideology. Take a look at the life of the Messenger of God, who brought us the ideology of Islam, or the Commander of the Faithful (Imam ‘Ali) who was his rightful successor.

What kind of life did Imam ‘Ali lead? He was a ruler whose dominions were extensive, a few times larger than Iran, spreading as they did over an area from the Hijaz to Africa and further. Yet, look at how he lived, how he spent his days and nights, how he worshipped, how he acted towards the people, how he treated the poor and weak. He was constantly worried lest he had oaten bread to eat while someone in a remote corner of his realm went hungry. Yet, these leaders who deceive you with their ideologies eat so much that they develop stomach problems! When the Chinese leader, that lover of mankind, stayed in Iran for a few days, he saw what the situation was, he passed over the dead bodies of our people.

The Shah couldn’t take him through the streets because the people were demonstrating and shouting: “Death to the Shah,” so he took him to his residence by helicopter⁽¹⁸⁵⁾

He knew what was happening. This person who espouses the communist ideology, who claims to be with the people, with the masses, was aware that the Shah was killing all these people, yet still he went to Iran and shook hands with him and accepted the invitations offered him by the Shah’s sister.

They are deceiving you gentlemen. I can remember during the Second World War, when that head of the communists came to Iran along with the heads of the Allied forces⁽¹⁸⁶⁾

Churchill⁽¹⁸⁷⁾

arrived in his own car, Roosevelt⁽¹⁸⁸⁾

When the head followers of the Qur’an went into battle, they did so against the oppressors. They lived a virtuous life, a life more modest than that of others. Islam is a true ideology, not one which produces a leader who takes a cow with him because he will only drink the milk, which it produces; a leader who plunders the people, who oppresses them, more than anyone else! It used to be said that Mr Lenin calculated everything, and that he had calculated that whoever could earn enough to meet his expenses had the right to live, but whoever could not had to be killed, had to be thrown into the sea^{( 190)} ! This is the doctrine of this “lover-of-mankind,” of he who claims to be the provider of the people! In what way does he practise the preaching’s of an ideology which claims to be more mindful of the poor and weak who cannot work than it is of the rich and the aristocratic; an ideology which claims to take care of the poor and help ‘them financially? They are playing you along, gentlemen’^{( 191)} God knows they are deceiving you.

They have deceived our youth abroad, and many of those in Iran who claim to be communists are in fact security agents who are out to deceive the people. They even went to Bihisht-i Zahra and began shouting communist slogans, but the people grabbed them and threw them out for they knew that they were from SAVAK. The regime also sent some SAVAK agents to the university to shout communist slogans, they were not communists, they were security agents sent to frighten the people into thinking that were the Aryamehr to go, everything would fall into complete disarray and the communists would take over^{( 192)} But this would not be the case; if the Shah were to go, Iran would become a much better place for this hindrance would have gone and Iran could get on with putting her affairs in order.

The Iranian people are not saying now that they have one leader and one guide Everyone is a leader everyone knows what the situation is They are all saying that they Do not want this regime which has oppressed them from its inception, which has given away everything they had, which has given their oil away gratuitously. If only it had been given away for free! The Shah and his regime gave away our oil and in return, the Americans sent arms and set up bases for themselves in Iran! They first took our oil and then set up bases for themselves!

The people of Iran, from the children to the elderly, are all crying out: “Death to this regime which causes us so much suffering.” They are shouting out for freedom. Over the past fifty years (of Pahiavi rule), nothing has been free in this country. Our press was never free; our preachers never enjoyed freedom of speech; our ‘ulama were never free; our universities never functioned as they should have done, nothing was right. Now the people are taking a stand and shouting that they want freedom, they want independence, they do not want to depend on others for everything like parasites. They want to be independent; they want to administer their country themselves. They are shouting for freedom. I read in the newspapers recently that Mr Carter had said that the people in Iran are making such a hue and cry because the Shah has given them a “quick democracy” and a “quick freedom” which they cannot tolerate. It was written in the newspapers - the ittila ‘at or Kayhan - that this is the reason for the people’s opposition to him, that the leftists and rightists are opposing him because he has given them this “quick freedom^{( 193)} !” Thus, what all these people who have taken to the streets shouting “give us freedom,” really mean to say is “Do not give us freedom!!” Of course, they Do not want the freedom that the Shah has given them, for we all know what that has entailed: the imprisonment of our ‘ulama, our politicians and our bazaar merchants; and now groups of young boys and girls, men and women languish in his gaols too. What was their crime? They merely uttered a word against him! This is the freedom that we Iranians have! Yet supposedly Mr Carter believes that all our discontent arises

From this fast democracy, that the Shah has given us and this progressive country and society which he has tried to create. He makes out that we don’t want to progress, that we want to ride around on donkeys! These are not, however, his true beliefs, they are but his tricks He thinks that can deceive the people in this way, but let me tell him that the people no longer accept these tricks that he plays, they are no longer deceived by Those games. The people now know the truth of the matter.

Be that as it may, I have told everyone who has come to see me that hey have a duty to perform I a student of religion, who sits here you sitting there, all of you, wherever you live and under whatever circumstances are duty bound to participate with the nation of Iran in their uprising. There are no battlefields as such here for you to go to, they lie Iran, it is there that the battle takes place, that the people are beaten up killed and shed their blood in combat It is not like that here But still you can contribute, you can help the Iranian people by propagating their cause. Each one of you must be acquainted with at least ten or twenty Europeans wherever you are in Europe, they may be your friends, so tell them what the situation is in Iran, tell them why the Iranians are making a hue and cry Adverse propaganda is being disseminated against the movement in Iran and against Islam You must tell people here that we have not begun this struggle because of the reasons he (Carter) gives that

Are not opposing the Shah and his regime because they have given us freedom and we Do not want it The Iranian people have risen up because ~y Do not have freedom and they want it ~ The Shah and his regime have betrayed us They are giving the ~9Witry’ s wealth to America they are giving our oil to America and they ~re giving it in such a way that according to the Shah himself the country 1~dll have nothing left in thirty years’ time Who has brought about this situation for us? The Shah himself, he is at fault. Our oil reserves are being exhausted, and who is doing this? He is, because he is selling more than is necessary and the country is getting nothing for it. The people are now exposing these acts of treachery; they are saying that they no longer want these traitors. This is why the people are shouting. You who are here today, I, a theologian, who sits here, you sir sitting there, you University student, you high-school pupil, all you men and women, you can propagate the cause of the Iranian nation. Each one of you, wherever you live, explain the problems in Iran to those you are in contact with. If each member of this community of a few thousand Iranians residing abroad tell only ten or twenty people over here about what is happening in Iran, then a wave of public opinion will be created and this in itself will have been a service. People are asking me all the time if they should return to Iran. No, it is not necessary. You can play a role in the movement by propagating its cause wherever you live over here, whether it be in France, Germany, America or wherever. When you attend your schools or other institutions, tell the people, you meet there about the situation of the Iranian people. You know the language, you can speak, so stop and speak to the people where you are, tell them what is happening in Iran, what the problems of the people are, tell them that their problems are caused by Mr Carter and others like him, like Russia . . . Russia takes our gas and America takes our oil. They are plundering our resources. Tell these people this, and gradually, because of your efforts, these people who have been misled by the propaganda that they are exposed to over here may come to understand your problems. They are human beings too, when they learn of the suffering of the innocent Iranian nation and are told the truth about events in Iran, this large community over here will support your cause and maybe then their leaders will leave us alone.

The Shah has ruined our agriculture; he is exhausting our oil supplies. In a few years’ time, we will have neither agriculture nor oil, then how will this nation survive? Our nation is now crying out that this traitor must go, they are shouting “death to this monarchy” and, God willing, it will be swept away. When a nation wants something, God willing, it will achieve it. You who are resident over here can help your people, you can propagate their cause and this would prove to be most valuable. You are responsible before God. Do not suppose that because you are over here, you are; thank God, relieved of any responsibility. No, this is not the case. You are responsible before God; each one of you has a duty to speak out wherever you go and to whomever you meet. Do not worry about whether your words will be accepted or not, go ahead and propagate the cause and this will be effective. Gradually, through your efforts, a wave of support for the Iranian nation will be created in Europe and this may force the Western leaders to leave us alone. May God grant you all success (the audience thanks him)?
May He assist you so that you will all become of benefit to Iran and Islam (Amen).

Endeavour to be of service to these people in Iran who from all social classes are either languishing in prisons or shedding their blood for your sakes, for the improvement of your country. Help them and pray for them. Train yourselves so that if tomorrow this regime falls and you return to Iran and are given a post, you will not act as those in the Shah’s regime did. Usually when we have nothing we are good people, but as soon as something comes into our hands, that changes! You must strive to purify yourselves, adhere to the teachings of Islam and act accordingly. Make yourselves virtuous people, so that when, God willing, the destiny of the country comes into the hands of the people (which will hopefully be soon) you may return and administer your own country I apologise that our house is small and that not many people can come inside, but we have to make do with it (the audience recites a salawat).