Blessed be the souls of those brave Iranians who gave their lives in 1953 for the sake of safeguarding Iran’s independence and honor. What better reward for those who had the honor of taking part in the national rising or for those who were martyred for the sake of their sacred aim than that today we witness the results of their sacrifices.

None of us has yet forgotten the discouraging and dark situation of those days which culminated in the national rising of 1953. In those days the country was in turmoil and disorder. Our economy was ruined and our production apparatus was almost paralyzed. Our treasury was empty, and only by secretly printing paper money was it possible to give very small daily wages to government employees. There was no medicine available in hospitals. The communications system, which had been built under great hardships prior to September 1941, was on the verge of destruction.

The balance of the forces of the country was disturbed. The judicial and legislative powers had lost their essence and their existence, and in their place there was a government which used its powers to organize demonstrations and lead people in the streets. This was so much the case that even the university, schools and government departments had been turned into battlefields. No one had any confidence or hope, even for his life. Abuse and accusations were rife, and the people lost their confidence and became pessimistic and anxious.

This was exactly what the foreign-inspired former Tudeh Party needed to implement its sinister and traitorous aims. As a result of disorder, subversion, propagation of distrust and destruction of the country’s economy, the former Tudeh Party had advanced so far that it had to take only a few more steps to implement its destructive aim. In those days treason against the country and the idea of handing over the country to foreigners was encouraged, and traitors and weaklings thought that in order to secure their future they had to live under the banner of this foreign party.

At such a time—when the sovereignty, independence, and national dignity of this ancient land were on the threshold of annihilation—you Iranian patriots arose. With your brave uprising, which is a reminder of the most glorious uprisings of the people of this land in the past for the salvation of Iran, you brought about today’s stability. This, after six years, has made our country not only equal to any country in the world from the point of view of sovereignty and independence, but from the point of view of moral and material progress—by virtue of the stability and security which our country has enjoyed in the past few years and which is the foundation of all reforms and progress—our country has achieved great results. These results can be summed up as follows:

Concerning oil: In order to perpetuate the economic life of the country, we were obliged to conclude an agreement with the Oil Consortium which, in those days, was the best type of agreement that could be concluded. Once the situation in the country became orderly, we were able to conclude agreements unprecedented in the world and based on partnership and 75% share in profits. [No evidence of this 75% claim]

As for communication lines, railways have been greatly extended: for instance, there has been the extension of the Tabriz-Tehran and the Mashad-Tehran railways.

Regarding roadbuilding activities: Although after having spent many years on this project, we were unfortunately faced with unpleasant and unexpected circumstances, but as of the past year, the roadbuilding program has been drawn up in such a way as to compensate for the time lost.

The construction of great and numerous dams, such as the Karaj, Safid Rud and Dez dams, has started and will have a great effect on the economic and industrial life of the country, and on the raising of the standard of living.

With regard to industries, by adoption of a correct and courageous policy, we have achieved successes particularly in the past two years which would have been unbelievable a few years ago. The number of factories in the country in the past five years has increased from 3,000 to 10,000 and in the past year alone 394 factories have been established, which averages one factory per day. In the past two years alone about 15 billion Rials ($200 million) have been invested in industries, and this is more than what had been invested in the industrial field in the past 50 years. This activity also continues in the exploitation of mines.

Concerning agriculture, essential progress has been made on the same scale as in the industrial field. Six years ago there were only 5,000 agricultural machines and tractors in our country, whereas in the past three years alone more than 8,000 tractors and agricultural machines have been put into use. In 1953 the use of chemical fertilizers in Iran was practically non-existent. Today the figure totals 30,000 tons a year.

Energetic and sound measures have been taken to preserve our forests, which constitute one of the biggest national resources, and which before 1953 were faced with annihilation as a result of chaos and misuse. Preliminary steps have been taken for construction of medium-sized dams in various parts of the country, and in some instances the construction of these dams has been completed. About the development and improvement of ports and trade, it is sufficient to say that the number of ships which entered Bandar-i-Shahpur last year was 1,500 compared with 104 in 1953. The number of ships entering Khorramshahr port last year was 735, compared with 543 in 1953.

The amount of imported goods in Khorramshahr in 1953 was 234,000 tons. It was 458,000 tons in 1958. In Bandar-i-Shahpur, it was 146,000 tons in 1953 compared with 468,000 tons in 1958. In Bandar-i-Shahpur alone the export figure has climbed very high: In 1953 it was 90,000 tons compared with 23.6 million tons in 1958.

From the educational point of view, great progress has been achieved. In 1953 the number of students in the country was 880,380 and now this figure stands at 1.42 million. This means that in the course of six years it has increased almost two-fold. During this same period over 1,000 new primary schools have been built and the number of high schools and colleges has increased from 423 to 1,208.

Unprecedented successes have been achieved in the field of public health. The anti-opium, anti-trachoma, anti-tuberculosis and anti-malaria campaigns have been very successful. The construction of numerous health centers, hospitals and clinics has taken place throughout the country. Up to 1953 the cultivation and use of opium in Iran was free and popular, but today, as a result of stern measures taken, the cultivation of opium has been completely wiped out and the number of addicts has been reduced to a negligible amount. With implementation of the anti-malaria program, not only have people become healthy and the number of fatalities decreased to an unprecedented degree, but there has been an increase in individual output of the people in the malarial areas. Consequently the production in these areas increased sixfold. Now there is almost no trace left of this dread disease, whereas before 12 million people who lived in malarial areas were affected. To combat tuberculosis, during the past few years a number of sanatoriums have been built, and 4.6 million people have been innoculated. In three years’ time 10 million people will be innoculated against this disease. The anti-trachoma drive has been a complete success. [Infectious bacterium which can lead to blindness]

The activities of extensive charitable organizations throughout the country are increasing daily. These organizations have rendered valuable and effective services in their own field. In the Imperial Organization for Social Services, in the past year alone, patients have been given 2 million free treatments. This Organization has established more than 100 clinics throughout the country, and this year 25 more clinics will be added. The Red Lion and Sun Society of Iran has rendered immediate and plentiful aid in times of disasters such as earthquakes and floods, and is cooperating through its well-equipped centers and its clinics, orphanages, and its modern cancer research organization throughout the country. The Pahlavi Foundation charitable organization with its numerous orphanages in Tehran and the provinces has also rendered valuable services. The implementation of the Foundation’s extensive program for construction of new and large orphanages throughout the country is at hand. The Organization for the Protection of Mothers and Babies, the Benevolent Organization, and numerous other charitable organizations are conducting their activities in such a manner that they serve as an example for a large number of other countries.

As for the attraction of foreign capital, essential steps have been taken to increase international confidence in our social and economic position. The establishment of banks, the consolidation of industries through the granting of loans, the establishment of cooperative societies, the expansion of the social insurance scheme, an increase in salaries of government employees, the protection of their rights and interests and administrative reforms have been of vital importance to the social condition of the country. The drive against vice and the reform of the judiciary have been part of these measures.

The distribution of royal land, which began some time ago and came to a standstill in 1952, has been carried out in the past few years with greater speed and within the next two years will be completed. The distribution of state domains, which began last year, will also be completed in the next two years and in the very near future the question of land ownership in Iran will be settled.

One of the more pleasing steps taken in the past few years is that by enforcement of law and order and the restoration of judicial power, measures have been taken to fix the position of those who, under the pretext of being Khan and head of tribes, had dominated the lives, holdings and honor of the members of their tribes for personal gain and plunder. Savage acts were committed against their men, such as tying them to the tail of a running horse or hanging them upside down in wells. Strangely enough, these very people called themselves supporters of some who were in power in 1953 and used to talk about the national government and democracy. Now in these regions law and order is enforced and in our recent trip to the south, we noticed that people welcome this situation. [Presumably referring to the Qashqai Khans]

Another field of progress achieved in the past few years was the reorganization of the army, which is the guarantor of the independence, sovereignty and prestige of the country. Unfortunately, between 1950 and 1953, 600 members of the army belonged to the foreign party called the Tudeh Party. Today our army has been cleansed of undesirable elements and has turned into a patriotic army which has no aim other than defending the independence of the country.

Above all, through our natural regime and positive and creative nationalism, we have achieved the utmost freedom for our people, except the freedom to commit treason against the country. We have been able to guide our people to more freedom in this troubled world in various parts of which social freedom, under various pretexts, has been actually endangered.

The history of Iran is full of miracles, but seldom has any event shown such a result in this short time as the resurrection of 1953. With this national uprising and the transformation which followed, we showed the world that when it comes to the independence and defense of the country, Iranians do not fear anything.

You and I have repeatedly proved to the world that we like to live only when this living is in association with independence and dignity, and together we have shown that we are ready to sacrifice all we have, without the slightest hesitation, for the sake of these freedoms. The world should know that it will be the same in the future, too. This nation has a history of a 2,500 year monarchy, its most deeply rooted national tradition, so ingrained in its heart and soul that it has become an integral part of it. This nation possesses virtues so great that they are difficult to assess easily.

It is true that in the course of our history, we have had to face critical periods as many other nations have also which resulted in keeping us from progress. But our natural instincts and our mental capability has repeatedly and miraculously saved us.

We have always shown and shall always show how, through the amazing spiritual and mental strength of this ancient nation we shall become the most progressive country, and shall have the happiest community in the world.

All of you must notice what has been achieved in the past few years is just the beginning and a very small part of our vast program which is being implemented to secure the happiness of the Iranian nation. Every day, a more important part of this program will be begun.

By the grace of God Almighty and with a very firm determination, we shall entrust a progressive Iran, ready for further development, to the young generation which is being taught self-confidence, faith in success and national pride and glory in schools and town and village training centers. This is to enable this young generation to pay its debts to this sacred land through its initiative and capabilities and special intelligence, and make this dear Iran, to whom we have given our body, soul and our life, even happier, more developed, and more progressive.