In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The need for the nation to be steadfast and unfaltering in its duties
I thank you the respected ladies of the bereaved families of the air force's martyrs and the relatives of its disabled personnel. You are here in front of me with smiling faces and in high spirits. With your bravery and steadfastness, you valiant women are showing the opponents of the movement that like your doughty relatives, you are prepared to struggle devotedly for the sake of Islam and the Islamic country. There is a verse revealed in two of the Holy Qur'an's chapters, one of which carries a small footnote while the other does not. It says in one chapter:" And be thou upright as thou art commanded" «1» It is a command given to the prophets to be steadfast in the mission that has been assigned to them. In another chapter," Houd," it has been revealed thus:" So tread thou the straight path as thou are commanded, and who turn (unto Allah) with thee". «2» The Noble Messenger has been commanded to be firm and steadfast in the mission that has been given to him, in this verse as well. It also says that those who believe in God and have turned to Him must also remain steadfast. There are people in this world who do things for the sake of their honor and the honor of Islam and the nation. If they be firm, determined and unshaken by events, they will be able to attain their aim. The reason for this is that being steadfast is important but it is also difficult. In the footnote to the second chapter, that is," Houd," all of us, with the Noble Messenger at the head, is bidden to remain steadfast. In relation to this chapter, he is reported to have said, according to a narration:" The chapter Houd has made me old". «3» The reason he gave was that God in the said verse has instructed all the functionaries, the Islamic nations and all the Muslims to remain steadfast and firm in the missions entrused to them. They should not let themselves get shaken up. Many are the ones that undertake a task but lose their composure and resoluteness on encountering difficulties. There are also many who are upright, and who remain steadfast without faltering at all till the very end. The Almighty God has instructed the Muslims to remain firm and steadfast in the assignments entrusted to them. Thank God that, today, our nation generally, the army and the armed forces particularly and the air force especially, have passed this test by carrying out their divine mission. They have acted devotedly and have remained steadfast in their mission. You the respected bereaved ladies for whom the martyrs have left honor and dignity as remembrances: it is evident from your words that you are steadfast.
A nation that wants to preserve its honor and preserve Islam which is the source of all virtues, should remain steadfast in the holy war besides taking part in it. Being steadfast means that the nation that desires to retain its honor and to bring Islam and the Islamic movement to fruition, should not fear the difficulties nor slacken its efforts in the face of difficulties in the holy war and the battles that take place. This is the Exalted Lord's command. He has made defense compulsory for all people and all Muslims. Being bound to abide by that command, we too, are now defending our honor. We are defending dear Islam just as He has commanded us to defend, just as He has commanded all nations to remain steadfast. The Noble Messenger was the most steadfast of all the people. According to the narrations, Imam `Ali (s) had stated that whenever they were under pressure in a war, they would approach the Prophet. «4» Meanwhile God, the Blessed and Exalted, says:" Be upright as thou art commanded."
He commands us to be steadfast and not to be shaken by anything. Concerning God's command that he (the Prophet) and the ummah (the Islamic community) should always remain steadfast, the Prophet said that he had aged because of that verse, the reason being that steadfastness is a difficult thing and that even if he and the individuals remained so, one could not be sure about the whole nation being independent and constant. To be steadfast in an assignment is more difficult than the assignment itself. It may happen that a victory gained will not last long because the victors have not been able to persevere in it. They become slack, thereby forfeiting their victory.
The difficulties arising from the war; safeguarding revolutionary values
Today, you and the entire nation as well as the armed forces- may God protect them- and the air force, which is being praised more than the others, have attained spectacular victories. Our nation has accomplished something that has astonished the whole world. It has overcome the world's biggest powers. It has severed the links of the world's biggest powers to its country. It has cut off the hands of the enemies of humanity from the country. Our country has become a model for all the oppressed countries. Although we have performed this great task, yet it is enjoined upon us, the whole nation, the army, the armed forces and the oppressed ones to be steadfast and firm. Wars cause shortages, they entail martyrdom, and they create dread for many people, and also hunger, inflation, destruction and all that a war entails, especially the one that has occurred in Iran. The campaign that took place in Iran has led the big powers to conspire against it. And so they are doing, one of them being the economic embargo imposed on Iran. War has these peculiarities. You who want to save your country and campaigned for the purpose while suffering a hundred thousand casualties, and more than a hundred thousand who were disabled, until you succeeded and reached this stage, should now remain steadfast (in your aim). This commodity that has fallen to your lot has no equal in the world. Others have not been able to attain it. Nobody succeeded in gaining the independence you gained. Nobody was able to get the freedom that you got. It is difficult to keep and to safeguard this independence and this freedom. God has commanded us to be steadfast and resolute. Do not tremble because of the gasoline shortage. While our army is suffering casualties, you are becoming slack for the sake of gasoline! Our youths, our pasdars, our army, our gendarmerie, our volunteers are all making sacrifices in the border regions. They have been risking and are risking their lives. They have given martyrs but are nevertheless steadfast. They are withstanding (the enemy) in their respective theatres of war, and are advancing every day.
The malicious propaganda of the enemy in order to undermine the people's spirit of resistance
The people must pay attention to these matters. The ones that are indulging in malicious propaganda and are whispering to you about the shortages are those that want to snatch this victory from your hands. They want to deprive you of your endurance. They have their orders. Either you listen to the corrupt ones or to the Blessed and Exalted Lord who says:" So tread the straight path as thou art commanded and those who tuarn (unto Allah) with thee". All of us are duty-bound to remain steadfast and unfaltering. I thank you esteemed ladies, the bereaved members of the martyrs families, the bereaved of the air force martyrs and all the others, wherever they be, who have been bereaved by the martyrdom of their dear ones. I thank you for possessing such high morale in that you are withstanding all the conspiracies and are expressing yourselves and reading the articles and also inviting the people to live hopefully. May God the Blessed and Exalted bestow honor upon you and the entire nation." Lo! All power appertaineth to Allah". «5» The glory belongs to God. I hope that he confers it upon all of you, the whole nation and all Muslims. Remain steadfast. Be firm. You will triumph. Do not worry about the inflation and the shortages. In the Soviet Union, what with all its power, there are still long queues of people who want to procure such commodities although sixty-odd years have elapsed since their movement- or revolution as they say- took place. Even now there are shortages like the ones we have here. Those who come from there say so. It has to buy its wheat from America even now. You think that the people in America itself are living in comfort. In America, there is great pressure on the people. The number of the poor there is, perhaps, more than anywhere else. Why should our people listen to these mischiefs- mongers who have been assigned by the big powers to spread the people. The number of the poor there is, perhaps, more than anywhere else. Why should the nation listen to these rumor- mongers and corrupt elements who go among the people daily and weaken their morale? You created a miracle in the world with your high morale; you wrought wonders. Preserve this miracle by remaining steadfast. Preserve this great victory that nothing has been done as yet that Iran has done something that is unique in the world. A nation of thirty-odd million overcoming the great powers of several hundred millions with advanced weapons, and cutting their links to this country has no parallel in history. What else there is to be done? Is there anything beyond this? Today is the day of steadfastness. Today is the day of constancy. The brothers and sisters should be steadfast and firm. They should take this campaign to final victory, God willing. I beseech the Blessed and Exalted God to have mercy on the martyrs, to make your disabled ones well and to give you, your relatives and all the people of Iran, good health.
May God's peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you.