The headline of Kayhan newspaper, "Imam Invited the Iraqi Army to Revolt," dated April 30, 1980, pertains to Ayatollah Khomeini's speech to the members of the Basij Headquarters of the counties on April 28, 1980

This speech, reflecting on the holiday of April 28 of that year, was published in the press on April 30. The full text is included in Volume 12, page 240 of Ayatollah Khomeini's *Sahifeh*.

A portion of this speech, delivered five months before the onset of the Iraq-Iran War, is as follows:

"The Iraqi government was never a legitimate government. They don’t even have a parliament. You think there is now a government? It is a regime where a group of military personnel has come together and does whatever they please. They have no contact with the people. They are rotten. Saddam Hussein does not possess much wisdom either. They are decayed, and now he is plotting for what we should do...

The Iraqi army must act as the Iranian army did when they realized they were fighting against Islam and the Islamic movement. Just as they revolted and the army joined the people to overthrow the Shah, the Iraqi army must do the same. This is a war against Islam. Is the Iraqi army ready to fight against Islam? Is it willing to stab the Quran with a bayonet? This is equivalent to stabbing the Quran. It is obligatory for them, necessary for them, both the Iraqi nation and the Iraqi army, to turn their backs on this un-Islamic party. They must distance themselves from these un-Islamic individuals who are a minority. Just as the Iranian army connected with the people, the Iraqi army should do the same...

However, those who stand against Islam, who oppose the Quran, our country is a country of "Allahu Akbar." It is a country of the Quran. They are standing against the Quran and against Islam. The Iraqi army must realize that they must suppress these individuals themselves, eliminate them. Well, we have good officials in Iraq—correct and religious officials.

They should carry out a coup against them and eliminate them. It is forbidden for them to follow this accursed individual even a single step. They must revolt against him and make their country Islamic, and their governance must be Islamic as well—not like now, where a handful of people sit and dictate the fate of an Islamic nation, where a few infidels, who follow—I don’t know—Michel Aflaq, who isn’t even a Christian, don’t know what this man is, act contrary to us and against Islam..."