I express my felicitations on this great feast to the entire Muslim Ummah across the world and the honorable Iranian nation and also to the esteemed audience and venerable guests, especially the diplomatic representatives of Islamic countries who are present at this gathering.

The Fast-Breaking Feast is a great day to Muslims. The grandeur of this occasion is not something conventional; it is something real and genuine. The Eid-al-Fitr is the day when the pious servants of Allah are rewarded and recompensed for the worship and religious acts that they have performed during the holy month of Ramazan.

This auspicious occasion should also be highly valued for the reason that it is one of the commonalities of Muslim nations. The occasion should be used to promote unity among Muslim nations. Today, the Islamic world is in dire need of unity.

I would also like to express my gratitude to the honorable Iranian nation and other Muslim nations for their massive and enthusiastic participation in the rallies that marked the international Day of Quds, the rallies which once again gave a fresh impetus to the issue of Palestine in the international arena, although the issue of Palestine will always remain alive.

The issue of Palestine is not among the issues to be forgotten by Muslim nations. Bygone is the day when the usurpers of Palestine and their international supporters assumed that the issue of Palestine would fall into oblivion. Today, the falsity of this assumption has been revealed by the all-out resistance and perseverance of the Palestinian nation.

Today, the usurpers of Quds have become more aware of the significant and momentous status of Palestine compared with fifty years ago. In those days, they thought that Palestine was a forgotten spot in the world. They called Palestine an uninhabited land. But of course some drawbacks and shortcomings also contributed to this wrong assumption.

However, today, the situation is quite different. Today, the Palestinian people are standing firm, and the hearts of other Muslim nations are filled with zeal and devotion to the cause of Palestinians. The Islamic world should never forget the issue of Palestine.

It is a grave mistake if one holds the view that the Islamic governments' backing off in the face of arrogant powers on the issue of Palestine will appease these powers. As a matter of fact, the frequent backing off on the part of Islamic governments has prompted the arrogant U.S. government to nurture the vain dream of dominating the Middle East.

The United States is dreaming of a region totally under its influence and domination, but today the reality on the ground is something else. The silence of Islamic governments and their passivity on the political and international scene will make arrogant powers, especially U.S. administration, even more impudent and insolent.

We hold a fair and logical stance on the issue of Palestine. Several decades ago, Egyptian statesman Gamal Abdel Nasser, who was the most popular Arab personality, stated in his slogans that the Egyptians would throw the Jewish usurpers of Palestine into the sea. Some years later, Saddam Hussein, the most hated Arab figure, said that he would put half of the Palestinian land on fire. But we would not approve of either of these two remarks.

We believe, according to our Islamic principles, that neither throwing the Jews into the sea nor putting the Palestinian land on fire is logical and reasonable. Our position is that the Palestinian people should regain their rights. Palestine belongs to Palestinians, and the fate of Palestine should also be determined by the Palestinian people.

The issue of Palestine is a criterion for judging how truthful those claiming to support democracy and human rights are in their claims. The Islamic Republic of Iran has presented a fair and logical solution to this issue. We have suggested that all native Palestinians, whether they are Muslims, Christians or Jews, should be allowed to take part in a general referendum before the eyes of the world and decide on a Palestinian government. Any government that is the result of this referendum will be a legitimate government.

Under that Palestinian government, criminals like Sharon and others who have committed crimes in Palestine should stand trial at a competent court of justice. It is also up to that government to decide about the fate of those who have immigrated to Palestine from various parts of the world. This is a logical solution to the Palestinian issue.

Today, millions of Palestinians are living as refugees in various countries, and millions of other Palestinians are living in camps under the worst circumstances, but other people are living in the Palestinian territories. This is not fair and reasonable. The fact that some 50 or 55 years has since passed would not obliterate the crime that has been committed against Palestinians or reduce its severity.

In the contemporary world, there have been countries whose governments were for some 50 or 60 years run by those who did not belong to those nations. But later the situation changed, and the usurpers were ousted.

For instance, following the collapse and disintegration of the former Soviet Union, many countries were once again governed by their own nations. Such things are possible and not unprecedented in the world. They have occurred in our time and before our eyes. This is also what should take place in Palestine, and it will sooner or later happen.

Today, Muslim nations are experiencing an awakening, and the Islamic Ummah is an undeniable reality of the present world. The hearts of Muslim nations are filled with deep hatred for bullying and domineering powers and usurpers. If these nations find an opportunity, they will all support and champion the cause of the Palestinian people.

The raising of the banner of Islam by the Islamic Republic of Iran has infused other Muslim nations with great hopes and aspirations. This is the main reason for the enmity of arrogant powers toward our country. By the favor of Allah, these hopes and aspirations will yield positive results.

We should realize that backing off in the face of arrogant powers will make them even more audacious, but resistance of Muslim nations and their standing up to domineering powers will thwart these powers in their goals and cause their failure.

Despite all their propaganda and ballyhoo, the world's arrogant powers do not wield infinite power. You can see that in Iraq, what the United States had wished for did not materialize. Today, what is happening in Iraq is not what U.S. officials had hoped for.

Nevertheless, atrocious crimes are currently being committed in Iraq, and innocent people are killed every day as a result of vicious acts of terrorism. We are deeply suspicious of American and Israeli intelligence services with regard to these acts of terrorism, since they are the ones who will benefit from the current situation in Iraq.

Security in Iraq is not in the occupiers' interest. What provides a pretext for their continued occupation and domination of Iraq is insecurity in that country. Thus, they are the ones who are suspected with regard to the current acts of terrorism in Iraq. However, the Iraqi nation is not the kind of nation to accept or submit to U.S. hegemony and domination.

I pray to Almighty Allah to awaken us Muslims and make us familiar with our duties, so that we may further contribute to the honor, dignity and prosperity of the Islamic Ummah through our efforts and endeavors. I also pray to the Almighty to bestow success on Muslim nations and assist them in performing their responsibilities.

I hope the Iranian nation and other Muslim nations will soon witness the positive results of their sincere efforts and endeavors.

Greetings be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings