Statements in Meeting with Members of the Assembly of Experts

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

At the outset, I find it necessary to extend a warm welcome to all the esteemed gentlemen for gracing this venue and forming this gathering. I thank you for giving me the opportunity today to be in your service briefly and to renew our acquaintance, although the deprivation of visiting you in the previous session, which I had the privilege of attending, will not be compensated by this brief encounter. I also thank Ayatollah Meshkini (may God prolong his noble presence) for his remarks, especially for the kindness he expressed towards me. Of course, I consider myself too small to be the subject of such generous goodwill expressed in such eloquent words.

This session of the gentlemen is taking place amidst very significant events occurring worldwide. These events are such that Islamic Iran, our nation, and the thoughts and objectives we pursue in this revolution and in the Islamic Republic system cannot remain indifferent to them. Perhaps some of the current global events are either emanating from or directed towards our situation. This gives importance to every movement, every expression of opinion, and every action within the Islamic Republic system, even those seemingly small actions; let alone significant actions like those of you esteemed gentlemen and the grave and great responsibility you have undertaken.

The Assembly of Experts in the Islamic Republic system is the most decisive and important pillar of this system. None of the pillars of the Islamic Republic system—whether related to legislation, execution, or otherwise—are as decisive or leave as lasting an impact as this assembly. This fact magnifies the responsibility of this group and its individual members.

In the Islamic Republic system, everyone is responsible; however, there are differences in the levels of responsibility. This responsibility is the highest, and naturally, in the Islamic Republic system, if someone who has taken on a responsibility does not have sincerity and the intention of closeness to God, they are indeed at a loss. If there is sincerity, action for God, and effort devoid of non-divine motives, every responsibility is pleasant, every heavy task is bearable, and every burden is liftable. Ultimately, this work will either achieve the desired results or not. In any case, when accompanied by the right intention, one is rewarded, and the heavier the burden, the greater the reward. However, if other motives and intentions interfere in bearing responsibilities, the task becomes very difficult; because in the Islamic system—which, thanks be to God, we enjoy—there is no worldly compensation for responsibilities, as is customary everywhere in the world.

As the late Imam (may his soul be sanctified) stated in one of his messages—perhaps to this assembly or the Islamic Consultative Assembly—these high-level responsibilities in the Islamic Republic system mean more work, more engagement, more concern, and the necessity of more effort, and nothing else. If there is pure intention and the right goal, considering what the situation and the demands of the time require, then, God willing, you gentlemen and other officials will be successful and honorable. But if, God forbid, there is a flaw in this, many problems will arise.

Of course, I do not intend to give ethical advice in the gathering of you great and noble teachers of ethics and sincerity. Your assembly is needless of such words; however, the discussion of truths and the exchange of words between speaker and listener have many benefits. This is the first point that each of us, in any part of this great responsibility we are in, and today directed towards the Iranian nation, especially the officials and those in charge of affairs, must focus all our efforts on identifying and acting according to our divine duty.

As for the issue that follows from this matter, it is our situation in the current world. Today, the material world and the political map of the world have become such that in the past decades, this situation has never existed. All these demarcations and boundaries that have gradually emerged over the decades, especially after the Second World War, based on necessities, efforts, and global conditions—wars between major powers, the formation of power blocs, the division of the world into three regions, and the like—all these calculations, equations, and transactions have been disrupted. What will happen? What will the political map of the world become? Who will seize the prize of success in the field of politics and economy?

In this regard, nothing can be said with certainty; but some things are clear and known. Based on this knowledge, all those who think about their own happiness and the power and influence of their environment must plan and think. One of the things that has become clear is that third world countries—poor nations and weak governments—if they could previously maneuver between superpowers and if they were connected and dependent on one, at least raise the flag of independence against the other, and nations had the feeling that they spoke of freedom and expressed power and showed national capabilities—which almost existed in the past thirty or forty years—this situation no longer exists after this.

Any nation that submits to the domination of the great powers of the world is lost. Any nation that is willing to give up national honor, national power, and national will has slipped into an endless abyss of weakness and a valley whose end is unknown. Any government that is willing to submit to the demands of the unified apparatus of global domination is more condemned to weakness and humiliation and being dominated and absorbed than before. This is one of the things that the current state of the world shows.

The apparatus of domination is moving towards becoming more unified. The two poles of power that stood against each other have become or are becoming a single center of power. Of course, as I mentioned, a definite prediction cannot be made; but the appearances of the matter—as we see today—are like this. Even weak governments that are not reliant on their own nations and speak of freedom and give slogans of freedom are forced to submit and accept many impositions. This is one of the realities that exist and is currently like this. Now, how it will become definitive in the future, of course, there are possibilities. Meanwhile, unfortunately, the situation is like this now. The domination of the West, especially America, is increasing among Asian, African, Latin American countries, even Eastern Europe, and America today, according to apparent standards and usual power calculations, is truly a superpower. This is one side of the issue.

Another piece of knowledge that exists in the current conditions is that amidst this swamp of weakness and humiliation observed among nations and even governments, almost all are immersed in it or are contaminated by it, a bright and shining horizon is rising more and more and showing itself more, and that is the horizon of Islam and Islamic nations. This is one of the wonders of history that exactly at the time when anti-Islamic powers are gaining strength and weak nations are becoming weaker, contrary to apparent rules, Muslim nations—which are mostly or generally in the ranks of the world's weak nations—are feeling more and more personality and identity.

The Islamic movement in the world is a serious matter. The feeling of Islamic identity among Muslim nations, and even among Muslim communities—where Muslims are not considered a nation but a minority—is a clear and undeniable matter. It seems that all factors have come together to strengthen Islamic faith and the feeling of being Muslim in the hearts of Muslims worldwide and to turn it into outward and visible action and movement.

What we see today among Muslims in various parts of the world, especially in places with more growth and culture—such as North Africa, European countries, and some Asian countries—is either unprecedented or rare in the history of past Islamic movements. In the past, there were Islamic movements; but they existed in a different situation.

The bloody movement of the Algerian people, under the boots of French oppression and colonialism, grew and launched that great revolution. That movement did not indicate awareness, growth, clear political insight, and Islamic identity as the movement of those same people in the current conditions of their country can be today. Other Muslim nations and other Muslim minorities in non-Islamic countries are the same. This is a reality. Things have reached a point where the leaders of the Western system today explicitly state that the future confrontation of the world is between the camp of arrogance and domination and Islam. We perceived this by conjecture.

At the beginning of these Eastern European events—all these events have occurred in the past year, and this is astonishing—we conjectured that such a situation would arise. Today, the explicit statements of some leaders of this Western arrogant system confirm this. They have expressed and are expressing such a thing. Therefore, we conclude that if the apparent power of domination is concentrated in one place or returns to one side and one front, the spiritual power of Islam—the new and great power of today's world—also shows and reveals itself. What I mentioned is neither a conjecture nor a rhetorical matter. This is a statement of a reality that is certain and tangible for us.

What we must pay attention to is that:

Firstly, this movement is the result of the great movement of the Iranian nation and the unparalleled, exceptional, and attractive leadership of the late Imam (may his soul be sanctified and may God sanctify his noble soul). Certainly, if that leader, this nation, that movement, and that sincerity did not exist, this situation would not have arisen in the world. Apparently, there is no other factor that, in a world where all arrogant apparatuses and powers exert pressure on spirituality and Islam, suddenly Islam rises like this everywhere in the world and shows its Islamic power and authority.

The situation five, six, and seven years ago, the situation of Brezhnev's Soviet Union, the world's situation in confronting Islam, the intensity and pressure exerted against Islamic Iran, the erasure of spirituality from the surface of the world before the revolution, and the actions taken against Islam over these few years and still being done, let us not forget. Amidst all these unfavorable conditions, today the situation is as I described.

Secondly—and this is important and my main point—the continuation of this Islamic movement and the success of Islam in confronting disbelief and global arrogance depends greatly—I do not say one hundred percent, but close to one hundred percent—on the quality of our movement in the future. Islamic Iran must insist on the path of Islam and remain steadfast and be the flag bearer of Islamic spirituality; not just that we made a revolution, established a system based on a doctrine, became a government like other governments in the world, and be content that various thoughts and systems govern the world, and a fifty-million nation is in our hands as Muslims. This is very little and small.

The spirituality of Islam—which is the greatest attraction of Islam—must be preserved. In this dark material world, the sanctity of Islam must be shown with the same brilliance that has been demonstrated from the beginning of the revolution until now in the actions of the nation and the great late leader (may his soul be sanctified). The same sense and expression of power that comes from reliance on God and gave hope to nations and took them out of a state of passivity must again be observed from Islamic Iran. The same strong bond between the masses of this nation and the great masses and between Islamic leaders and religious scholars—which indicated the people's faith in Islam—must again be observed and felt. The same strong relationship between the people and the officials—who are the flag bearers of this system and so far the secret of this nation's unity and cohesion has been this matter—must again be evident and felt. It is clear that the role of the eminent scholars and especially gentlemen like you—who, thanks be to God, enjoy high reputation and respect among the people—in creating, preserving, strengthening, and continuing such things is undeniable.

Today, thanks be to God, the Islamic Republic system has all the elements of a powerful system. We can be the system that nations look to us and gain strength and hope and feel empowered; as we have been so far. We can be the nation whose life and internal affairs and economic and judicial situation and the rule of justice and fairness in our society are such that they encourage other nations and motivate and give them hope to follow this path.

We thank God Almighty for choosing executors for the administration of this country who are the best imaginable for the Islamic Republic system. In the current conditions, today's government and the esteemed, dear, and dignified president are those who can guide and advance this country, this nation, and this system in its lofty goals and make affairs flow in such a way that it becomes a source of increasing honor and credibility for Islam in the eyes of nations. This is what we have today, thanks be to God.

We have a faithful, self-sacrificing, experienced, mature, seasoned, talented, and intelligent nation that has bravely endured various hardships and is ready to continue and pursue this glorious path. For the administration of this country, more than anything else, we need human resources, and human resources have a very rare potential in our country. For those who study nations, few nations are known for the talent and intelligence of our nation.

Thanks be to God, in the history of Iran, there has never been a day like this era and this age when Islam is in governance; the flag of the Quran is raised; acting upon Islam is considered a value, and laws are derived from Islam and the Quran. What do we want? What greater blessing than this do we want from God? We must devote all our efforts to preserving this valuable, unique, and unprecedented blessing for this nation. This is possible with sincere effort.

The motivation for our movement—at whatever level we are—must be divine motivation. The cure for all our pains is sincerity. If there is sincerity, all the things that currently trouble our system and society will be resolved. Sincerity in action will strengthen unity. Thanks be to God, our nation is united and unanimous. The propaganda and whispers of the enemy have not been able to disrupt our unity and create division; this must be strengthened. This unity and solidarity will enable the officials and those in charge of affairs to carry out their heavy duties and burdens with more courage and power and untie the knots of problems that we have inherited from the long years of the dominance and rule of the tyrant over this country.

In any case, today the responsibility is very heavy. Of course, the responsibility of the Assembly of Experts, due to the importance of its position and place, is in some respects heavier than all the pillars of the Islamic Republic. This assembly, God willing, can increase and even double its activities and efforts from what they are today.

I have been thinking for some time that the decision made two or three years ago in the Assembly of Experts to form a committee to assist the leadership—of which some brothers were members—is among the most important duties of the Assembly of Experts, and it is very good and appropriate for that committee and other committees that are derived and emanate from the duties of the Assembly of Experts to become active. There are many issues that need to be addressed. This assembly must always be ready and present and work as a point of hope for this nation, and its members must be in their positions of responsibility. Of course, regarding the elections of the Assembly of Experts and the duty of the people in this regard, there are matters that I will discuss at the appropriate time and will remind our dear nation of the necessary points.

I hope that God Almighty will include the esteemed gentlemen in His special favors and graces and bestow His mercy and grace upon you and grant you success. I apologize for the lengthy speech. According to the criterion that Mr. Meshkini mentioned, I should have kept the speech brief, and my intention was to make it brief; but unfortunately, the speech became lengthy.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings