On March 10, 1997 (20 Esfand 1375), Ayatollah Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, visited the Hoveyzeh Martyrs' Cemetery and honored the memory of the oppressed martyrs who attained martyrdom defending the sacred sanctuary of this region of the Islamic homeland.
The Supreme Leader, visiting the resting place of the martyrs of Dey 1359 (January 1981), recited the Fatiha, honored the glorious memory of their epic feats against the vast host of invading enemies, and extended his benevolence and affection to their esteemed families present at the site.
Ayatollah Khamenei then appeared before thousands of people from the Dasht-e Azadegan region who had gathered to meet him and hear his remarks, responding warmly and sincerely to their expressions of affection.
In this gathering, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution described the shrine of the oppressed martyrs of Hoveyzeh as a means of attending to divine omnipotence and stated: 'The power and will of Almighty God reign supreme over all material powers, and this is a great lesson for the Iranian nation and for all of history: that truth always triumphs over falsehood. The victory of the Muslim nation of Iran over an aggressive enemy supported by the United States and Eastern and Western powers is a clear manifestation of truth prevailing over falsehood.' The Supreme Leader termed love, faith, and steadfast hearts reliant upon the Lord as the victors of the eight-year Sacred Defense and stated: 'America and the arrogant powers represent falsehood, while the Revolution and the system of the Islamic Republic of Iran represent truth. There is no doubt that victory belongs to the Muslim nation of Iran, and no enemy across the globe can prevail over a people who tread the path of truth.'
At the conclusion of his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei heralded a bright and promising future, affirming that by the will of the Lord, each day of the Iranian nation has been better and brighter than the day before, and the movement of Islamic Iran toward righteousness and salvation will accelerate even further.
Below is the full text of his remarks:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. And peace and blessings be upon our Master and Prophet and the beloved of our hearts, Abu al-Qasim al-Mustafa Muhammad, and upon his pure, immaculate, and chosen Household, the guided, infallible guides, especially the Remnant of Allah on earth. We give thanks to the Great God, the Magnificent, Bounteous, and Merciful Lord, for granting us the opportunity and life to witness with our own eyes one of the great divine miracles in history. In this very desert where we are gathered today, once, a group of our finest youth and purest, most sincere, faithful, and righteous souls fell to the ground in solitude and drank the cup of martyrdom. In those days, no one would have imagined that so soon, these dear and lonely martyrs would achieve such spiritual majesty and honor, and that people from far and wide would travel to visit their shrine. Yet Almighty God willed it, and what was unexpected came to pass, and what seemed distant became near. Today, the dome, shrine, and spiritual establishment of these martyrs serve as a means to direct hearts toward the eternal power of the Lord of the worlds. The power of God Almighty triumphs over all material forces. The will of the Almighty dominates and prevails over all human wills. On that day, these dear youth arose and marched for God. On the day these dear ones marched toward this arena of jihad, martyrdom, and sacrifice, I met them up close. Near Karkheh-ye Noor, I met the dear martyr, Hossein Agha Alamolhoda (may Allah's good pleasure be upon him), and the other youth accompanying him, who were advancing in this direction empty-handed and without equipment, yet with hearts brimming with love and faith and souls firmly anchored in trust and reliance on the Lord. Truly, when one observed those youth striking into the heart of the enemy's sea with steadfast resolve, it was as if once again the scene of early Islam, the scene of Ashura of Hossein (peace be upon him), and the scene of Karbala unfolded before one's eyes. Invading forces had filled these deserts. All of this pure, oppressed, and blood-soaked land lay beneath the boots of the aggressors, and our armed forces and military institutions exerted every effort to repel and crush the enemy. Yet these youth marched empty-handed to confront the enemy. On that day, perhaps their number did not exceed twenty or thirty. Twenty to thirty youth with empty hands, but with hearts firm in faith and reliance on the Lord. Here, in these deserts, several thousand enemy tanks and armored personnel carriers were stationed. That small band came to confront this ostensibly massive force; with faith in God and reliance upon Him; just as Hossein ibn Ali (peace be upon him), with a meager band, stood before an ocean of enemies, his heart never faltering, his resolve never weakening, and no doubt ever finding its way into him. These youth were truly the same. Right here, I asked Shahid Alamolhoda: 'What weapons and equipment do you possess that you march so resolutely to battle the enemy?' I saw that their hearts were so fortified with the light of faith and trust in God that they had no fear of their empty hands. They set forth and marched on. They sought jihad in the way of Allah and embraced martyrdom in this path, for they knew they were in the right. Our martyrs in every corner of this vast front fought with this very spirit and faith. My dear ones! Brothers and sisters who are here from Dasht-e Azadegan, Hoveyzeh, Susangerd, Bostan, and other regions of various Arab tribes, and those who have come from elsewhere! These beautiful scenes of warrior youth are a lesson—a great lesson for the Iranian nation today and for all of history. In the Revolution too, we entered the arena empty-handed; yet with hearts full of faith and love, we fought the enemy's armed-to-the-teeth apparatus and prevailed over it. Of course, struggle involves hardships, but truth will triumph over falsehood. In the imposed war too, right was on our side. Although the enemy relied on America, the West, and the East, and all aided him materially, spiritually his hands were empty. The hands of our nation were full. Its heart was full of love and faith, and it triumphed. The hallmark of our nation's victory is Khuzestan. The symbol of our nation's victory and the true witness to this nation's complete triumph is the valiant people of this region: the people of Hoveyzeh and Susangerd, the people of Hamidieh, the people of Bostan, and the people of all other places represented here. In this very place, I saw the oppressed men and women of Hoveyzeh who, under enemy pressure, were forced to gather their meager belongings and be displaced from their homes. Such hardships exist in struggle. Yet the faithful youth and people, with their steadfastness and courage, and men and women with their sacrifice and devotion, were able to defeat the enemy. My dear ones, brothers and sisters! Today, the situation is the same. Today as well, America and the world's arrogant powers seek to oppose Islam and the Islamic Republic. But America is on the side of falsehood. Arrogance is on the side of falsehood. The Iranian nation is on the side of truth. The Islamic Republic is on the side of truth. The Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic will stand, resist, and triumph. Faithful youth, faithful and resilient men and women, boys and girls, in this region, along all borders, and throughout all areas of the country, by God's permission, will overcome the enemy's plot. They will prevail over the animosity of enemies, by God's permission. No enemy on earth can overpower a people in whose hands is truth, in whose hearts is faith, who arise for God and act for God—whoever they may be and whatever it may be. The tomorrow of the Islamic Republic will be better than today, just as today is better than yesterday. With each passing day, God willing, the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic will take a step forward toward righteousness and salvation, and by the Lord's will, this country and nation will remove all obstacles from their path. God willing, our nation, through unity of word and complete faith, will build a prosperous, free, independent, and honored country without enduring the coercion of any power. 'By Allah's grace, favor, and benevolence, God willing.' We pray that God Almighty showers all of you, dear brothers and sisters, with His grace and mercy. I am truly delighted to have visited you, dear ones, in this blessed desert and beside this dear and noble shrine. For me, today is a memorable and unforgettable day. Was-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
پیوند ارجاع خارجی:
https://farsi.khamenei.ir/speech-content?id=28547
Full video of the meeting:
Good quality, MP4 format, size: 184.6 MB
Low quality, FLV format, size: 61.9 MB
Suitable for mobile phones, 3GP format, with a file size of 28.1 MB