The people are not merely a ceremonial sloganwithin the intellectual framework and practical conduct of Imam Khomeini.
They are considered the backbone and the primary guardians of the Islamic Republic in times of crisis.
In today’s landscape of cognitive and media warfare, attempts are sometimes made to marginalize the driving force of society by labeling them "hardliners."
These are the very people who step forward during critical security and military threats and bear the costs of defending the nation.
This approach stands in stark contradiction to the dynamic school of thought of Imam, who anchored the preservation of the system in these expressions of popular will.
To disregard this committed force during times of calm, and then call upon them in times of danger, _creates a paradox that undermines national cohesion.
"We cannot rely on the people — asking them to take to the streets to safeguard the country when the enemy’s hostile eyes and fists are fixed upon the Islamic Republic — only to label them 'extremists' when they cry out to avenge the blood of the martyred leader. These are the very people who preserved your country, and their chants of 'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel' have been heard by all."
Excerpted from remarks by Hojjatol Islam Seyyed Ali Khomeini stated in a speech delivered at a memorial service in Qom for the martyred leader of the Revolution and members of his family.