Statements in Meeting with Members of the Assembly of Experts

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

First, I sincerely thank all the honorable gentlemen for their good opinion and trust in me, entrusting this important responsibility and heavy burden to me. I also thank Ayatollah Meshkini for his kind and gracious remarks.

It is unnecessary to emphasize that this responsibility is very heavy and critical, and it is also a divine test. Of course, great responsibilities, due to their magnitude and significance, receive more attention and favor from the Lord. I must say: "This is by the grace of my Lord to test whether I am grateful or ungrateful." If God Almighty grants success and the prayers of His Holiness the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for him) are included, and I can fulfill these very critical and heavy duties that are directed at me, God willing, it will be a divine grace and a great honor for me. We seek refuge in God from not being granted this success, which would indeed bring many difficulties.

As I have looked at this matter from the beginning until now and observed the preparation of the preliminaries and the arrangement of results upon them, I feel as if it is the divine will and God's desire. Therefore, I submit to what seems to be the divine will, and I accept it as divine decree and destiny, taking on the responsibility with all its weight and significance.

The point that is most important to me is the cooperation, assistance, and consultation from all the honorable gentlemen and others who hold responsibility in the eyes of the people and before the Lord. With this cooperation, there is no problem that cannot be solved, and no path that cannot be traversed; just as from the beginning of the revolution until now, thanks to the unity and cooperation of various sectors—especially the honorable scholars and the eyes of the nation and the dignitaries of the community—things have progressed, and we have been able to stand against problems and make them submit to the public will of this nation. It will continue to be so.

When the elders of the nation, the scholars of the community, the leaders among the people, and the distinguished and responsible individuals of various sectors feel responsible and recognize the magnitude of the burden and the goals we face, and consider themselves partners and cooperate, we have the capacity, by the grace of the Lord, to bring ourselves closer to the lofty goals of this revolution.

We thank God that there is not a trace of attachment, love, or interest in worldly matters related to the revolution in our hearts. That is, these responsibilities, from their apparent aspect, have no attraction or motivation for us. This is God's grace, and we state it boldly, and we will act accordingly, God willing. What exists is responsibility—meaning religious goals.

Today, in this current responsibility, I have the same feeling and spirit that I had in the days of oppression, with many difficulties, striving to achieve goals that, thanks be to God, have not changed at all—rather, they have become clearer. I know that the honorable gentlemen and officials who have carried the great tasks of the revolution from the beginning are the same. We know our fellow colleagues; those who have been with us from the beginning of the revolution until now and have worked with us, and we know that they all think the same way and move with the same spirit and motivation. When it is like this, it seems there is no problem on the way that cannot be solved. I have tried to remember this lesson from our dear, great, late Imam, that our purpose should be to fulfill our duty; whether the action we take reaches its customary and assumed results in the usual sense or not.

We do not work for results; although we are interested in those results and want the Islamic Republic to be powerful and wealthy, and for the harm of global enemies not to reach us, and for our nation to be prominent and prosperous materially and spiritually. But the truth is that it is not such that if we do not reach these goals with our efforts and according to duty and proof, we feel defeated. This point was taught to all of us by the Imam (may his soul be sanctified) over the past ten years, both in word and deed.

What we feel is our religious duty, we will do, God willing. In determining the duty, we will try to exercise utmost precision and caution. What I consider obligatory for myself is this. In determining the duty, God willing, we will not be negligent or superficial. We will study the aspects of the matter to determine what, as a duty, in the direction of the general guidance of the nation, is upon us. Once we have determined it, we will firmly place our foot there and act without any hesitation or fear and without any consideration of any political or military power in the world and any threatening or warning danger, and without observing those things that a person is not allowed to consider in the way of fulfilling the duty. This, God willing, will be our method and approach; that is, correct determination of duty and decisive action in its direction.

Of course, if God Almighty blesses that movement and results are arranged upon this action, we will be happy and delighted, and the realization of divine promises will be enjoyable and sweet for all those who believe in those promises. If God Almighty does not decree that those results be arranged upon these preliminaries, we are happy that we have fulfilled our duty and done our work. This is the fundamental method and line that we follow.

The criterion of work is also the religious duty; the same thing that, based on the customary and common standards among the devout and the religious, is considered a religious duty. This is our purpose and goal, and God willing, we will proceed on this line. Of course, as I mentioned, after the divine favor and grace—which we look to, and without which we can do nothing and we are nothing ourselves—our reliance and hope are on you, the honorable and esteemed gentlemen, and the respected spiritual figures and leaders of the nation and the community, whose help, guidance, consultation, and cooperation will certainly make the tasks easier and bring the results closer.

Again, I thank you for the kindness and good opinion you had of me and deemed me worthy of bearing and accepting this responsibility. I ask you to pray for us that, God willing, He will ease the difficulties and remove the problems.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings