Iranian President Raisi On Occasion Of Iran's Revolution Day: 'The Revolution Is Advancing And Knows No Obstacles'; 'The Way To Eliminate The Zionist Regime And Prevent Its Crimes Is To Sever All Economic Relations With It'

On two speeches on the occasion of Iran's Islamic Revolution Day, which marks the  establishment of the Islamic Republic regime, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi outlined the vision of the Iranian regime and reviewed the achievements of the Islamic Revolution. The speeches were delivered on February 11, 2024 before the public in Tehran's Azadi Square and on February 7, 2024 at a reception for foreign ambassadors. As part of the Iranian regime's dichotomous perception of reality as a struggle between good and evil, Raisi stressed the essential enmity of Islamic Iran towards the U.S. and its allies in the West and in the region, especially Israel, and the need to confront them on every level, political, military and cultural.  He reiterated the regime's stance that its enemies – the West and especially the U.S. – seek to overthrow it and are waging a combined military, economic, media and psychological war against it. He also repeated the message of the Islamic Revolution to the nations regarding the need to oppose the Western world order, expressed by the slogan "Liberation, Independence, Resistance and Steadfastness in the Face of the Enemies."

Devoting a considerable part of his remarks to the war in Gaza, Raisi declared proudly that "the Palestinian cause has now become the foremost issue on mankind's [agenda], and that is thanks to the efforts of the Iranian nation." He echoed the call of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei for countries to sever their political and economic ties with Israel and expel it from the UN because of the war in Gaza, as a preliminary step towards achieving the goal of the Islamic Revolution regime, namely the elimination of the state of Israel. 

"Raisi, like other regime spokespersons, claims that the Islamic Revolution guarantees freedom and democracy for the Iranian people. Ignoring the regime's consistent policy of disqualifying all candidates who deviate from the line it dictates, as well as the fact that elections are a formal, rather than essential, feature of democracy, Raisi expressed special pride in the regime's practice of holding  elections every year, presenting this as proof of Iran's status as a democracy. Only a year after the violent suppression of the widespread public protests by women and young people against the regime, and ignoring the fact that political party pluralism, free media and freedom of assembly do not exist in Iran, Raisi did not hesitate to claim that "freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of writing and other [freedoms] are now guaranteed in Iran. The days [of the Shah regime] when people were tortured for weeks to [extract a particular] statement are gone..."

The following are Raisi's two speeches on the occasion of Iran's Islamic Revolution Day.

President Raisi: "Iran Is The Flagbearer Of The Fight Against Terror And Defense Of Human Rights; The Message Of Our Revolution To The Nations Is One Of Liberation, Independence, Resistance And Steadfastness In The Face Of The Enemies"

In a February 11, 2024 speech to the masses at Azadi Square in Tehran, marking the 45^th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, President Raisi said that the revolution saved Iran from the superpowers and made it independent in its decisions and policies. Reiterating the regime's belief that its enemies are trying to overthrow it, he said: "Iran's Islamic Revolution is the result of the fighters' struggle, sacrifice and martyrdom, and of the resistance of the great Iranian nation.  The great Iranian nation has been continuing the glorious revolution for 45 fruitful, blessed, effective and transformative years, thanks to its faith in God, its self-confidence, its national unity and its compliance with the directives of the leader of the Islamic Revolution.

"The enemies of the Islamic Revolution created many problems, but the vigilant Islamic nation managed to overcome them. Our nation was wise to the [enemies'] plots, the fitna [anti-regime action by domestic elements], the [attempts to] isolate [us], the [Iran-Iraq] war that was imposed [on us], the Mujahedin Khalq movement, the assassinations and the lack of security, and thwarted the enemy's plans by means of resistance.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (Image: Tasnim, Iran, February 11, 2024)

"After the establishment and consolidation of the Islamic regime, and the promotion of the Islamic Revolution's message and the awakening in the region, we see that the revolution is advancing and knows no obstacles. The enemy launched a military, economic, media and psychological war, and lately [also] a combined war [against us], in order to stop the Iranian nation, but our nation triumphed and disappointed the enemy.

"The Palestinian cause has now become the foremost issue on mankind's [agenda], and that is thanks to the efforts of the Iranian nation. The governments must realize that the way to eliminate the Zionist regime and prevent its crimes is to sever all economic relations with it. We [also] propose that it should be expelled from the UN. How can a regime that has violated 400 declarations and resolutions of international organizations be committed to the UN conventions and resolutions? One of the important measures is to expel this regime from the UN.

"Iran is the flagbearer of the fight against terror and the defense of human rights. Whoever wants to know [the true character] of the West, of America and of the Zionist regime must pay attention to the crime against humanity, the grave war crimes and the murder of infants perpetrated against the Palestinian people. All roads are closed to the oppressed people of Gaza. Is that not a crime against humanity? The American regime and several Western countries defend these crimes. If they believe in God, in conscience or in history, how can they account for these crimes?

"The bombardment [of Gaza] must be stopped as soon as possible. The world should know that the Zionist regime is about to disappear and is only trying to buy time when its death has [in fact] already come. The West tried hard to make us stop defending Palestine and the ideals of the revolution by imposing sanctions [on us], through military action and by other [means]. They frequently told us to stop defending Palestine, but today, 45 years after the revolution, it has been proven that the Islamic Republic, the Imam [Khomeini] and the Leader [Khamenei] were right when they said that Palestine is the foremost cause of the Islamic world and that Jerusalem must be liberated [from the Israelis].

"Today, the world has seen that marking the Islamic Revolution's [anniversary] on February 11 is not just an event [that has recurred] for the last 45 years and an expression of past history. It represents a discourse that shapes the present and future of Islamic Iran, and the leaders of this discourse are the Imam [Khomeini] and the Leader [Khamenei]. The message of our revolution to the nations is [one of] liberation, independence, resistance and steadfastness in the face of the enemies. Our nation strove and achieved its goals with great effort, and replaced humiliation with honor. Our nation achieved independence instead of the country's complete dependence on foreigners.

"Iran is now the most independent state in the world. It depends neither on the East nor the West, and it is independent in its knowledge, decisions and actions.  The message 'Neither East nor West' has always been at the top of our agenda, and today we declare that Iran is rooted in this policy and does not receive orders from anyone, [for] it has its own authority and standing. The time when the leaders of the superpowers came to Tehran and took decisions on Iran's behalf without the presence of the state officials is over.[1] Iran is now independent.

"Freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of writing and other [freedoms] are now guaranteed in Iran. The days when people were tortured for weeks to [extract a particular] statement are gone. Today criticism, questions and insights are expressed in the media, in the press, on the Internet and on [other] digital platforms. We believe that it is thanks to the Islamic Revolution that freedom in Iran is guaranteed. Contrary to the claims of those who purport to [champion] freedom, there is true freedom in [our] country.

"Unlike those around the world who purport to [champion] democracy but do not honor the people's vote, all the institutions of the Islamic Revolution and of [our] state were born out of a popular referendum. The Islamic Republic is proud of the fact that it has held elections every year since its inception, and that it responds to the people's vote in establishing all the institutions. Those who purport to [champion] democracy do not honor the votes of the Palestinians, of the Yemenis [Ansar Allah] and of their [own] nations, while the Islamic regime [is guided by] the criterion of the popular vote.

"Our honorable Imam [Khomeini, who] revived the faith and Islamic Iran, said: 'The criterion is the nation's vote.' Nothing can be done in the state without the citizens.  Whenever we had the people's support we met with success, and there are clear examples of this from the Iran-Iraq war and other contexts.  

"The progress of the state now depends on the presence and participation of the citizens. During the eight years of the [Iran-Iraq] war that was imposed [on us], no part of Iran's territory was lost, but we remember that the Americans gave part of Iran to others as a gesture [the reference of this remark is unclear]. The Islamic regime does not allow to give even an inch of Iranian soil to foreigners.

"Today we have military authority and defense, which deters whoever thinks to invade this country. The phrase 'the military option is on the table' is now no longer valid, and nobody thinks of invading this country.  This deterrence is the result of [our] defense forces, which are capable and enjoy the eager support of the citizens. When you see people in 1,400 cities and provinces and 35,000 villages taking to the streets and calling to defend the revolution and the regime, [you know that] nobody in the world will dare invade this country. 

"Look at the significant progress made in various domains thanks to [our] belief in ourselves, in God and in the citizens. We have made considerable progress in nuclear industry; in the military, technological and scientific domains, in high-tech companies and in science parks. We now lead the region in science-based industry, and our global ranking in science is good. 

"The Islamic republic has managed to attain independence in many domains and to become effective in benefiting the region. Thanks to the revolution we have attained a global leading role in medicine, pharmaceuticals, nanotechnology and biotechnology. In the past, we had to wait in this country for foreign experts to provide or fix various apparatuses, but today we are independent. We have authority and are proud of the fact that our beloved [young] people are capable and are up-to-date in various fields.

"With the blessing of our beloved Islam and our faith in our religious creed, our people want to live independent, free and Islamic lives. Wherever we followed the directives of the Imam [Khomeini] and the Leader [Khamenei] we met with success. But wherever the public did not follow these directives, we fell behind. Our endeavor in the government is to advance on the path of the Imam and the Leader.

"The enemies tried to prevent us from being independent and from attaining honor and authority, but the Iranian nation decided to manage the country with honor and authority. The [Iranian] people is confident that it can propel the country forward by adhering to the principles of the revolution, the life-giving principles of the constitution and the policy of the Islamic Republic regime and by insisting on the principles of the Islamic Revolution.

"Those who think that [we must choose between] making progress and sticking to our principles and fundamental [ideals] are wrong. We believe that we must both insist on the fundamental [ideals] and move the state forward. 

"As a representative and servant of the Iranian nation and of all the [Iranian] officials, I regard it as a duty to take measures to advance the state, solve the problems and make up for delays while preserving the considerable progress of the state.

"There have been efforts in the economic domain and in reforming the banking and tax systems, [promoting] transparency, speed and administrative processes and removing corruption, and that is our contract with the people. The citizens count on the government to fight all corruption. We are committed to this contract, and will not allow the slightest corruption to take root in any of the state's administrative organizations. 

"The Imam [Khomeini], the Leader [Khamenei], courageous heroes like [Qods Force commander] Qaseem Soleimani [who was killed by the U.S.] and the members of the Basij have taught us that we are capable. We have the ability to make progress in the country, and large strides will be made in this domain…

"There are considerable energies for work and effort in the country, and we anticipate a brilliant future. We have laid down the infrastructure and have met with success, and this success will continue. [The government] makes up for the delays and we are moving forward in the domains of water, electricity, energy, roads and industry, and ties have been formed between the universities and the hubs of production and industry.

"The problems will be resolved thanks to the presence and participation of the citizens, and the train of progress will gain momentum. The enemy seeks to present [Iran] as desperate and incapable. [But] efforts can lead to independence in economy as well. Many problems can be resolved by means of the nation."[2]

President Raisi: The Message Of The Islamic Revolution Is "Opposition To Arrogance And Tyranny [And] Defense Of The Oppressed And The Downtrodden In The World"; Today's So-Called World Order Is Unfair, Because, Had It Been Based On Justice, The Palestinian Nation Would Not Have Been Oppressed"

At a February 7 reception for foreign ambassadors on the occasion of the anniversary of the revolution's victory, Raisi said that the Islamic Revolution regime is democratic because it consistently holds elections and because the regime institutions were ratified by popular referendum. He said this while disregarding the fact that the Supreme Leader is not publicly elected but appointed for life. Nor did he mention that candidates who do not toe the regime's line are consistently disqualified from running for office by the Assembly of Experts, which itself is an appointed body rather than a publicly elected one. To further underscore the democratic nature of the regime, Raisi mentioned the proposal of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to resolve the Palestinian problem by holding a referendum among all the people of Palestine – Muslim, Christian and Jewish – in order to determine the country's future. However, he did not mention that, according to this proposal, only Jews who lived in Mandatory Palestine before 1948, and their descendants, would be allowed to participate, thus denying the vote to millions of Israeli citizens and ensuring the elimination of the state of Israel.  

In addition, Raisi told the ambassadors that Iran's nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly confirmed this, while ignoring the fact that the IAEA has expressed grave reservations about Iran's lack of transparency and its refusal to cooperate with the agency's inspectors. He also reiterated his call to pull the U.S. forces from the region because "the Americans are the source of evil and incitement to rebellion."

Raisi said: "These are the blessed days… when we commemorate our great Imam Khomeini, [the founder of the Islamic Revolution regime], as well as the martyrs of the glorious Islamic Revolution, the martyrs' sacrifice and the heroism of the great Iranian nation. 

"The revolution of the Iranian nation was a revolution of reliance on God and of self-confidence, [carried out] without any help from the foreign superpowers in the East and West and with empty hands. The citizens of Iran entered the arena [armed only] with faith, strong resolve and self-confidence stemming from God's might, and fought against fully armed [Shah Pahlavi] regime supported by America, Britain and several other Western countries. The Iranian people wanted to overthrow this regime that was dependent on the West and which put Western and foreign interests ahead of the people's interests.

"The Iranian nation's desire to establish the Islamic Republic regime clashed with the desire of [the Shah] regime, which did not want the people's will to be actualized. In this clash of wills, it was the will of the Iranian people and its revolution that prevailed. Although it had no weapons and was not supported by any foreign power, it won thanks to its faith in God. That is why we call the anniversary [of the revolution] on February 11 the Day of God. We believe that what happened on February 11 was an expression of God's might, which was realized in unusual and supernatural ways…

"The enemies tried to prevent the Islamic Revolution, which overthrew the Pahlavi regime, from establishing a regime and a government. [But] against the enemies' will, immediately after the victory of the revolution Imam [Khomeini] held a referendum to determine the character of the future regime, in a completely democratic manner.

"This was a democratic move, contra to the claim of those who purport to defend democracy [but] who in practice disregard it. Because if they had [really] cared [about democracy], the people of Palestine and Yemen would have been able to elect their own governments today and eliminate the conspiracies against them. [Furthermore,] many relations formed by Western countries with certain governments [i.e., Israel] would have been called into question.  

"The Western countries purport to be democratic but disregard true democracy and the voice of the nations. Conversely, the Islamic Revolution made a completely democratic move when it chose the character of its future regime and 98% of the people voted for the establishment of the Islamic Republic regime. The constitution was drafted and [likewise] put to public referendum, and, against the will of the enemy, all the governing institutions were established based on the law [set out in the constitution]…

"American and Western media predicted many times that the Islamic Republic would fall within six months. But 45 years have passed since those six months [ended], and today all those presidents of America and of the other Western countries who planned the destruction of the Islamic Republic of Iran are gone, while the Islamic Republic of Iran stands strong, and the sapling [planted] on February 11, 1979 has grown into a mighty tree laden with fruit.

"Today all the world's nations have received Iran's message: opposition to arrogance and tyranny; defense of the oppressed and the downtrodden in the world; political and economic independence; freedom of expression and the press; rejection of unilateralism, cruelty, oppression and arrogance; peace and friendship with the neighboring [countries], and [a desire to] stabilize and enhance the security of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

"Support for the oppressed Palestinian people is an immutable principle of Iran's foreign policy and one of the central ideals of the 1979 revolution. In the first days after the victory of the revolution, Imam Khomeini declared that Palestine was the foremost cause of the Islamic world, and today, on the 45^th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, we [still] declare that Palestine is the foremost cause of the Islamic world.

"Iran's Islamic Revolution still insists on its ideals and slogans, unlike most of the world's revolutions and movements, whose positions, ideals and slogans changed over time. Back then our slogan was 'Neither East nor West, [Only] the Islamic Republic,' and this is still our slogan today. Back then our slogan was 'Independence, Freedom, Islamic Republic,' and this is still our slogan today.

"We have repeatedly declared that, in Iran's doctrine, and according to the fatwa of the wise leader of the revolution [Khamenei], nuclear weapons have no place. [3]  We regard the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, in medicine, industry, agriculture and other domains, as one of the rights of our people. The IAEA has confirmed over 15 times in its reports that there are no transgressions in Iran's nuclear activity, but America and several Western countries, who themselves possess nuclear weapons, want to deny this right to the Iranian people.  

"We have not stepped away from the negotiation table, and we shall not do so [in the future], and we have always been willing to let [the relevant bodies] verify that our country's nuclear activity is for peaceful purposes. But instead of accepting our reasoning, in the past they imposed [the Iran-Iraq] war upon us, and today they impose sanctions. Just as [that] war did not stop the Islamic Republic from [achieving] its goals and pursuing the revolution, today's sanctions will not stop us from continuing on this path. We have not and will not stop because of the sanctions. We are not the ones saying so. The White House spokesperson admitted that [even] the maximal pressure imposed by the West on the Islamic Republic has shamefully failed [to achieve the desired results].

"What the criminal Zionist regime is now doing in Gaza to the oppressed women and children of Palestine, with the support of America and other Western countries, has removed the mask from their true faces, and they have no way to explain this genocide and this murder of infants to the awakening conscience of the world nations. America is trying to keep this fake regime [Israel] on its feet by vetoing UN resolutions for a ceasefire in Gaza and by providing gear and arms to the Zionist regime. Today we are witness to the fact that, after these four months of tragedy, the Palestinian people has emerged victorious and the Zionist regime has been defeated, for it has not managed to achieve its stated goals.

"I reject the involvement of America and the Western countries in determining the fate of the Palestinian nation. If you truly [support] democracy, Supreme Leader [Khamenei] proposed a perfectly democratic plan in this context, namely that every Palestinian should have one vote and that the people of Palestine – including the Muslims, Christians and Jews [among them] – should elect the government they want.

"Today's so-called world order is unfair, because, had it been based on justice, the Palestinian nation would not have been oppressed. What is even more saddening than the genocide perpetrated by the Zionists, and the American support for the Zionist regime, is the helplessness of the international bodies to prevent these crimes and to stop the attacks and airstrikes on the oppressed people of Gaza. That is why we believe that all the countries must cooperate in replacing the unjust global system that exists today with a global system that is just.

"The countries of the region have the best basis for dialogue and for resolving the problems, whereas the foreign presence in our region not only fails to solve the problems but creates new ones. There is no justification for the presence of the American forces in the region, and the regional problems must be resolved by those in charge of the region.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (Image: President.ir, February 11, 2024)

"We shall warmly welcome any country that wants to cooperate with the Islamic Republic. Our policy is one of interaction and cooperation with all countries. We have always proven that we are the best friend and ally of our neighbors in the region in times of hardship. The history of our relations with our neighbors is one of true friendship, even though the Americans strive to [spread] Iranophobia and Islamophobia in order to ensure the achievement of their arrogant goals.

"Today it is evident to the countries in the region and the world that the Islamic Republic loves justice and wants all countries to be independent. Just as we refuse to accept insecurity [threatening Iran], we refuse to accept insecurity [threatening] any [other] country, and we see any insecurity caused in the region as insecurity [threatening] our own country. 

"We believe that the American presence in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and [elsewhere in] the region does not promote security in any way but only undermines it. The American presence has not, does not and will not create security anywhere. Wherever the Americans are present, they are the source of evil and incitement to rebellion. They have never solved any problem for any country anywhere, and if we discover they did, we should check what arrogant goals hide behind this and what interests they seek to achieve.

"Iran's collaborations are numerous and varied. In meetings with the honorable ambassadors of foreign countries, I have always stressed that it is possible to develop our relations with various countries and that there is certainly room for developing the relations. We can exchange capabilities and develop ties, and the bilateral cooperation can develop into cooperation on the regional level and beyond, and [even into] global cooperation.

"I am full of hope that the steadfast Iranian nation will draw closer to achieving its noble goals every day, and that the steadfast, oppressed and strong Palestinian nation will also achieve its noble goals, which are the establishment of a Palestinian state centered on Jerusalem, as soon as possible. We hope that the nations of the region can live side by side in peace, friendship and security and that the evil enemies will be severed from the region as soon as possible."[4]