Appointment of Hojjatoleslam Haj Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini as Representative of the Guardian and Supervisor of Iranian Pilgrims

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

Hojjatoleslam wal-Muslimeen Haj Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini (may his life be prolonged)

We give thanks to the Benevolent God who, once again, with His grace, has bestowed special favors upon the noble nation of Iran, removing obstacles from the path of the Abrahamic Hajj and the presence at the divine and people's house of honor, and has stirred the eager hearts with the invitation to His banquet. Now, by God's grace and the attentions of the Guardian of the Age (may my soul be sacrificed for him), the Iranian nation stands on the threshold of reclaiming a great right that was unjustly withheld for three years. There should be no doubt that the pure soul of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified), the founder of the Abrahamic Hajj and the Muhammadan Guardianship and Disavowal (peace be upon him and his family), is pleased and satisfied with the honorable success of the Iranian nation and the efforts and struggles that led to this dignity.

Following the example of that great man, who distinguished you with unparalleled trust among your peers, and with complete confidence and trust in the knowledge, insight, intelligence, honesty, integrity, and efficiency you possess, I appoint you as my representative and the supervisor of the honorable Iranian pilgrims.

This great duty, which involves the remembrance of God, repentance, and seeking forgiveness, combined with disavowal and renunciation of the polytheists and the demonstration of the greatness and unity of Muslims, is being carried out this year under conditions where, unfortunately, parts of the Islamic lands of Arabia and Iraq have been contaminated by the presence and occupation of the agents of polytheism, disbelief, and global arrogance. With the mismanagement and malice of some rulers of Islamic countries, new conflicts and unprecedented fratricides have arisen among Muslims. This is something that wounds the heart of every zealous Muslim who believes in the dignity of Islam and the unity of Muslims, and the Hajj must heal the weary and wounded hearts of Muslims and show them the path of growth and righteousness, which is the unity and solidarity of Muslim nations and their firm resolve to confront and fight against the camp of arrogance and the plunderers of the material and spiritual wealth of Muslims.

Your presence, as the dear and valuable heir of the Imam of the Mojahedin and yourself one of the prominent figures of the Islamic Revolution with firm and clear positions in confronting the conspiracies and tricks of arrogance, will enable the pilgrims of Islamic countries to hear the divine and rightful policy of the Islamic Republic directly from one of the chosen ones of this system and to be informed of the guidance of the Islamic Republic in the complex events of the current world and the Islamic region.

It is necessary for you to keep in mind all the instructions of Imam Khomeini (may God be pleased with him) in the decrees issued to his honorable representatives in the Hajj of past years and to implement them with precision and all possible means. In particular, you should advise Muslims to unity of word, defense of Islam, and struggle against the leaders of disbelief and the heads of global oppression and corruption, and the aggressors against the rights of weak countries and nations and their puppets, and make them aware of the unjust and bloody events occurring in Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon. It is also essential that at every opportunity, you remind all pilgrims, especially the dear Iranian pilgrims, of remembrance, humility, supplication, and strengthening spiritual bonds and the relationship with the Almighty and Holy God.

Now, on the threshold of the blessed season of Hajj, the memory of the oppressed martyrs and the blood-stained doves of the divine sanctuary, whose grief has not and will not be erased from the heart, burns the heart and brings tears to the eyes. It is hoped that the unfinished Hajj of those oppressed ones, by the grace of the Mighty and Powerful God, will lead to the completion and perfection of the Hajj of all Muslims, and that their unjustly shed blood will demand retribution for all the unjustly shed blood in the Islamic world.

I find it necessary to thank Hojjatoleslam wal-Muslimeen Mr. Karroubi, the honorable Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, who, due to his heavy responsibilities in the country, was unable to fulfill this responsibility, for his tireless efforts in the Hajj of past years, and I pray for your success and that of those who will be your colleagues and assistants in this crucial matter.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings

The twentieth of the month of Ramadan 1411

Corresponding to the seventeenth of Farvardin 1370

Ali Hosseini Khamenei