DOCUMENT
Proclamation of an Islamic
Republic in Iran
APRIL1, 1979Attention please: Here is a message by the leader of the Iranian Islamic revolution on
the proclamation of an Islamic republic in Iran, read by the Interior Ministry’s polit-
ical undersecretary:
Praise be to Almighty God [word indistinct]. I sincerely congratulate the great
Iranian nation, which has throughout the imperial history [words indistinct]. God
Almighty bestowed grace upon us and toppled the despotic regime with a powerful
hand, which is the power of the oppressed people, and rendered our great nation the
[word indistinct] forerunner of oppressed nations, and conferred upon them the right-
ful heritage with the establishment of an Islamic republic.
I declare the Islamic republic of Iran on this auspicious day, the day of the nation’s
leadership and the day of triumph and victory for the nation. I declare to the world
that a referendum such as this is unprecedented in the history of Iran, which witnessed
the entire nation rushing to the ballot box with enthusiasm and fervor, casting its
[?affirmative vote], and burying the satanic regime in the annals of history forever. I
admire this peerless solidarity which comprised all but a handful of adventure-seeking
individuals who are unmindful of God and [words indistinct], and cast affirmative
votes nearly unanimously for the Islamic republic, and thus proved their political and
social maturity to the East and West.
I congratulate you on this day when you toppled the devilish enemy of [word
indistinct] time thanks to the sacrifice of the illustrious martyred youth who left their
mothers and fathers and [word indistinct] in a state of bereavement, and proclaimed
the government of Islamic justice with your decisive vote for the Islamic republic; a
government under which all the nation’s strata enjoy equality and the light of God’s
justice shines equally on everyone, and the mercy of the Quran and the Sunnah show-
ers equally on everyone. I congratulate you on this government under which there is
no racial discrimination or difference on the basis of color between the white, black,
red and [words indistinct] and Lors and Baluchi [two of Iran’s ethnic minorities], all
of whom are equal and fraternal. Only piety, superior morality and good deeds can
count as the basis of preference. I congratulate you on the day in which all the nation’s
strata realize their just rights. There is no difference in the implementation of justice
between the male and female, religious minorities or anyone else. Satan is being
drowned, and mutiny and rebellion are to follow suit. The country is rescued from
the claws of the internal and foreign enemies, plunderers and professional looters.
Now, you brave people are the guardians of the Islamic republic. Now it is up to
you to safeguard this divine [word indistinct] with strength and decisiveness, and not
allow the remnants of the previous stinking regime who are sitting in hiding, and the
supporters of the international robbers and greedy oil devourers to penetrate your con-
382 IRAN