In a televised message addressed to the Iranian people on the eve of the anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, called on the Iranian nation to instill despair in the hearts of the enemies through broad participation in the rallies of 22 Bahman (February 11).
The full text of the speech is as follows:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
The twenty-second of Bahman (February 11) each year is a day that manifests the dignity and strength of the Iranian people; a people who, by the grace of God, are motivated, strong-willed, steadfast, loyal, and aware of their interests and harms.
On that day, when the first 22 Bahman occurred, the Iranian people achieved a great victory; they were able to save themselves and their country from the clutches of foreign interference. Those foreigners have tried persistently over the years to restore the previous situation, but the Iranian people stood firm, and the manifestation of that steadfastness has been 22 Bahman.
These rallies have no parallel in the world. Nowhere else have we seen that, even after many years, a country’s Independence Day or National Day continues to witness such massive crowds across the entire nation—crowds through which the people affirm their presence. Today as well, the Iranian people assert themselves through these rallies and compel those who covet Islamic Iran, the Islamic Republic, and the interests of this nation to retreat.
National strength, before being linked to missiles and aircraft, is linked to the will and steadfastness of the people. By the grace of God, you have demonstrated this steadfastness and will; demonstrate it once again in various arenas and cause the enemy to despair. As long as the enemy does not lose hope, the people will remain exposed to harm and harassment. The enemy must be brought to a state of despair, and this despair depends on your unity, the strength of your thought and will, your motivation, and your resistance to its temptations; these are the elements of national power.
Our youth will, God willing, continue to move forward in various fields—in science and action, in piety and morality, in material and spiritual progress—achieving further honors for their country. The day of 22 Bahman is a manifestation of all this; as people take to the streets, raise slogans, and express truths, declaring their solidarity and loyalty to the Islamic Republic.
We hope—God willing—that this year’s 22 Bahman, like in previous years, will further enhance the greatness of the Iranian people and lead other nations, governments, and powers to humility before the greatness of this nation. And so it shall be, God willing.
